SAN DIEGO -- Shaquille O'Neal was not in uniform because of a foot injury and Kobe Bryant was not with the team as the Los Angeles Lakers played their first exhibition game on the U.S. mainland Tuesday night.
Bryant, due in court Wednesday in Eagle, Colo., for a
preliminary hearing in his sexual assault case, participated in the
team's morning shootaround by riding a stationary bicycle.
He did not make the two-hour bus ride south from Los Angeles
with the rest of the team for the game against Phoenix.
"Didn't want him here. If he's not going to play in the
ballgame, ultimately it's very difficult for the fans," coach Phil
Jackson said. "These people really want to see Kobe play and I
know he'd be a distraction."
Bryant continues to recover from offseason knee surgery, and
Jackson hinted that he might not be available to play Thursday
night against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the
Lakers' first preseason game at the Staples Center.
As for O'Neal, he wasn't making any short-term or long-term
predictions about his availability as he continues to be bothered
by a sore left heel he injured while landing after a dunk
approximately one week before he arrived in Honolulu for training
camp.
"It's still a little nagging, and I want the nagging to go
away," O'Neal said. "I want to be right for Derek [Fisher], Karl [Malone] and [Gary Payton]."
O'Neal underwent an MRI on Monday which revealed a bruise.