Pieces in Laker Puzzle Start to Fall in Place; Fox to Sign

It was, in tiny and scattered ways, like the sudden, jolting end of summer camp.

Lakers rushed in and out, coaches got reacquainted with their players and circulated reading material, everybody planned his trip to Santa Barbara and the countdown began in earnest:

Sixteen days until the probable start of the regular season, and so much left to do.

Only free-agent forward Rick Fox, who Wednesday agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Lakers for the $1.75-million exception, according to his agent, and veteran guard Derek Harper, set to sign for the $1-million veteran minimum, were not in attendance at the informal late-morning workout.

Travis Knight, not yet officially reacquired, appeared for the workout, joining all 11 of the signed or drafted Lakers.

Both Fox and Harper were expected when training camp starts in Santa Barbara tonight.

Veteran Olden Polynice, who played for Sacramento last season and has been working out with the Lakers for two weeks, said the Lakers are interested in signing him as a candidate to fill the power forward vacancy--if they can trade Elden Campbell, Sean Rooks or both.

And even Campbell, missing for the last five days, showed up for the Lakers’ last workout at L.A. Southwest College, then, along with several teammates, had to leave early for quickly scheduled physicals.

When physicals are concluded, the Lakers will begin a six-day training camp tonight at UC Santa Barbara’s Robertson Gym.

Then, the rush: They start two-a-days on Friday, break camp next Tuesday, have a scrimmage the next night, play exhibition games against the Clippers on Jan. 29 and 30, and then--deep breath--open the season, probably at the Great Western Forum, by most indications on Friday, Feb. 5. in the first of 50 games in three months.

“I feel very excited, but we’re also kind of rushed,” Coach Del Harris said. “After all this time, you hate to start in so rushed that you’re a bit disorganized.”

For now, there is nothing new on the trade front, Harris indicated, and it appears that Campbell, not entirely to his liking, will be with the team when camp opens.

The Lakers reportedly continue to offer Campbell, plus possibly Eddie Jones and others, to Minnesota for unsigned forward Tom Gugliotta, but the Timberwolves still have hopes of keeping him.

“That’s not a good trade, I don’t think,” Jones said with a shrug. “I think I’m worth a lot more than that, personally.”

And Campbell? What if the Lakers don’t trade him?

“He’s a professional guy,” Harris said of Campbell. “He really knows this is a part of it. And he’s ready to come and work and see what happens.”

Harris said he knows Campbell wants to start instead of playing as the backup center.

“If there was a place that made him some promises on playing time, starter guy and everything, yeah, I think he wants to play,” Harris said. “I think he’d like that. But I don’t think he has animosity against the Lakers.”

The 7-foot Polynice, a head-knocking rebounder eager to do the dirty work, said he’s a perfect fit to play next to Shaquille O’Neal.

“After 12 years in the league, I think people know there’s one thing I can do--play hard, bang and get rebounds,” Polynice said.

Polynice, who played a season-plus with the Clippers, said he would like to sign with Seattle, where he would play center, or the Lakers. Those teams can only offer the veteran minimum of $1 million.

“They told me they want me here,” Polynice said. “But they need to get rid of either Elden or Sean Rooks, one of those two or both. And Elden, I shouldn’t say this, but they can’t give him away. They’re trying to, but nobody will take him, is what I understand.

“I’ll take a pay cut to win. I won’t take a pay cut to play for the Clippers, you know?”

Knight, meanwhile, drew raves about his play in the workout from Jones and relished his return to the Lakers--in a trade for Tony Battie that will be announced today--a year after signing a $22-million free-agent deal with the Boston Celtics.

“Funny how things work out,” said Knight, who played his rookie season with the Lakers but was prevented from signing a lucrative deal in L.A. because of salary-cap restrictions. “I can’t complain at all. I don’t regret my decision, and even if I would’ve stayed in Boston, I wouldn’t regret my decision.

“When I left [L.A.] I didn’t think I would [return]. That’s why the decision was so hard for me.”

The Lakers have made no solid lineup decisions, other than that O’Neal is their starting center, and Knight said nothing has been promised to him.

“I’m just going to try to plug some holes, some gaps they had,” Knight said. “Whatever Coach wants to do is fine with me.”

The Lakers, pending trades and including Fox, have six forwards (counting swingman Kobe Bryant) and three centers, a major frontcourt logjam.

Fox’s agent, Mark Portnoy, said that, though Fox for the second straight year is accepting less money to be with the Lakers, he was comfortable with his decision.

“Rick’s got a great rapport with the Laker ownership and management, and he hopes to be here winning championships,” Portnoy said. “It was a difficult decision, but he’s sure it was the right one.”

L.A. Is the Place

The Lakers and Clippers will face each other in two exhibition games:

Date: Friday, Jan. 29

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Site: Great Western Forum

Date: Saturday, Jan. 30

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Site: Sports Arena

* Complete NBA exhibition schedule, Page 9