On the night Rudy Tomjanovich was to arrive in Los Angeles, Shaquille O'Neal's agents were at Laker headquarters, where they would assure General Manager Mitch Kupchak that their client was serious about his trade demand.
By today, two days before the NBA draft, hours before he'd know whether Derek Fisher and Gary Payton would return, four days after Kobe Bryant had opted out of his contract and owner Jerry Buss had opted not to invite Coach Phil Jackson back, Kupchak's off-season schedule will have multiplied again.
The Lakers have a coach to hire, a blockbuster trade to sculpt and a superstar swingman to soothe on the occasion of yet more pretrial hearings, among other tasks, such as holding the franchise together.
Tomjanovich could be a start to the reconstruction. That could mean new pieces or old, but Tomjanovich recently became convinced that this was the job for him.
The Lakers also have reestablished contact with old friend Pat Riley, who is president of the Miami Heat but for two days showed serious interest in replacing Jackson.
As one NBA observer said this weekend, "Don't ever count Riley out," and, sure enough, the Lakers and Riley have had several discussions about the job, despite the somewhat convincing denial he issued Saturday.
The Laker interest is said to have waned when Riley presented a long list of demands, but the possibility of Riley reuniting with the Lakers is not out of the question.
Tomjanovich is scheduled to meet today with Kupchak and Buss, discussions that could coincide with Jackson clearing out his second-floor office in El Segundo. As of Monday afternoon, the Indian feathers still hung from the sprinkler head.
Kupchak said Monday that his coaching search could extend two more weeks, though all signs now appear to point to Tomjanovich and to it happening fast.
"We feel that next year we're going to be in a position to win," Kupchak said. "I don't think we're going to take the chance to experiment with an unproven coach. I'm not ruling out the possibility our coach could be an assistant coach on our team or another team. But, at this time, we want to indicate that we're committed to winning here."
Already there is speculation that Tomjanovich would bring along former assistants Jim Boylen and Larry Smith and that Kurt Rambis would be asked to stay on.
If it is change that Buss desires, then Tomjanovich would be the anti-Jackson. Tomjanovich calls plays. He stands during games. He bellows throughout most of them.
