Jackson Will Pass on Former Staff

Unless Phil Jackson runs into unexpected problems putting together his coaching staff, Kurt Rambis, Bill Bertka and Larry Drew will not be returning to the Laker sideline next season.

Jackson, the new Laker coach, met individually with the holdover Laker coaches Monday at the Great Western Forum, then made official what had been presumed since he was hired June 16.

Jackson is set to hire a completely new staff, probably including former Chicago Bull assistants Jim Cleamons and Jimmy Rodgers.

But Jackson also left open the possibility that any of the three former coaches could be brought back to the Laker bench if his search-and-hire process runs into a snag.

The Lakers also announced that any or all of the three will be offered front-office positions if they do not end up on Jackson’s staff.

Monday night, Bertka, 71, said he wanted to remain on staff, but he understood that bringing in a whole new set of coaches is “a logical move most coaches make.�

Still, Bertka has survived numerous Laker purges and coaching changes, beginning when he was brought in by Pat Riley in 1981, through stints with Mike Dunleavy, Randy Pfund, Magic Johnson, Del Harris and Rambis.

“I’ve been lucky, and I’m appreciative of that,� said Bertka, whose current 18-year association with the Lakers is the longest of any assistant in the league. “It’s worked out great for me. I’ve had a long tenure, with a lot of fine coaches.�

He recently calculated the length of his coaching streak, dating back to 1976, when he hooked on with the New Orleans Jazz:

“I’ve been on the bench, every game, for 2,197 consecutive games, exhibition, regular-season and playoffs,� Bertka said. “I did add it up, just to see what it was.�

No matter how the coaching situation turns out, Bertka said he has no plans to leave the Lakers--and Jackson has already told him he expects Bertka to work with the Lakers’ summer league team in July.

But soon, he concedes, he may learn that it is time to leave coaching.

“I don’t have to cross that bridge today,� Bertka said. “I’ve got all summer before that. I’ll come to that bridge when I have to.�

For his part, Drew said he had a good talk with Jackson during the day, and said he also understood Jackson’s desire to put together his own group of coaches.

“That’s about what we expected,� Drew said. “But I’d still very much like to be a part of it, if that’s the way it works out.�

Meanwhile, with Wednesday night’s draft swiftly approaching, Executive Vice President Jerry West indicated that it seemed unlikely that the Lakers would make a trade to move high up into the first-round order.

“We thought at one time that was a possibility,� West said, “but, no, doesn’t seem to be much of a chance there.�

The Lakers, who have the Nos. 23 and 30 picks, worked out UCLA point guard Baron Davis last week, a player West has praised repeatedly for his tenacity and physical ability. Davis, however, probably will be one of the top three picks.

The Lakers were believed to be discussing a three-way trade that could have sent forward Glen Rice to Miami, Heat power forward P.J. Brown to Vancouver and the Grizzlies’ No. 2 overall pick to the Lakers, which could have been used for Davis.

With veteran power forward Charles Oakley looming as a potential Laker free-agent signee, and Vancouver balking at trading its pick, that scenario apparently is dead.

West would not elaborate on any other possible trade possibilities involving Rice, but did say that “some teams have interest in him.�

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The Lakers will play their final two games at the Great Western Forum on Oct. 21 and 22 before beginning the NBA regular season at the new downtown Staples Center.

The Lakers will play Golden State on Oct. 21 and either Miami or Phoenix on Oct. 22 as part of their annual Shootout event.