Everything's Zen -- Yahoo Sports <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The good news for Jackson is that Bryant apparently intends to be at Lakers training camp in Hawaii on Oct. 2 when veterans are due to report. Jackson said Bryant told him so when the two spoke by phone in mid-August, just days before Bryant's 25th birthday. Still, Jackson knows the situation has the potential to become a massive distraction for his team. Unlike O'Neal, who has vowed to show up for camp this year in decent shape, Bryant might need some time. He hasn't picked up a basketball, according to Jackson, while recovering from offseason shoulder and knee surgery. Nonetheless, Jackson expects Bryant -- who has a court appearance scheduled for Oct. 9 -- to throw himself into his work once he puts on the uniform. "I think that it can provide a space away from the other things that I'm sure have encroached upon his life and really give him a chance to do what he does best," Jackson said. "His genius is basketball, and to do that he's got to play it at the highest level." Meanwhile, Jackson has enough other concerns to keep him busy as the days tick down toward the start of the 2003-04 campaign. He must get on the same page with O'Neal, who has gone on record as saying he wants the ball more next season. Jackson said last week that he would be willing to accommodate his 7-foot superstar, but that he would expect Shaq, in turn, to average about seven or eight assists per game. He also must decide how to best fully incorporate the talents of Payton and Malone, neither of whom are accustomed to the triangle offense. Jackson says he might tweak the offense a bit. He even hinted that rookie Luke Walton, a passer who sees the floor well, might see a big role immediately. And then there's the matter of Jackson's own future with the Lakers. His five-year $30 million contract expires after the season. Jackson, fully recovered from the health issues that plagued him last season, says he expects to meet with Lakers owner Jerry Buss soon to discuss an extension.</div> http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ever...cnnsi&type=lgns
Woah! Expecting 7 to 8 assists for the Big Fella? Those are point guard numbers!! I cannot wait for the season to start.
