LOS ANGELES — In response to some queries, let’s take a closer look at the primary Lakers who haven’t been contributing to the team’s recent success: Vladimir Radmanovic, Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. Neither Javaris Crittenton (despite Phil Jackson’s surprise experiment with him in New York) nor Coby Karl is in the real plans for this season, but the aforementioned three are … unless a sweetheart deal for Jason Kidd, Ron Artest or a banging power forward can be struck, almost certainly using Brown’s expiring $9.1 million contract.

The thing about Brown is that the Lakers expect him still to play a major role for them on defense and in covering for Andrew Bynum if Bynum were to experience any kind of fade, which wouldn’t be surprising as opposing teams come up with different tactics for combating him. Brown is playing tonight because Jackson wants him to guard Carlos Boozer a little bit — although Brown had a typical Kwame laughing comment before the game about “maybe never” being really healthy again.

Radmanovic, even with Luke Walton hurting and not playing lately, has been a nonfactor. I asked Jackson what has been going on, and he responded with a grin: “It’s just being Vladi.” In other words, Jackson expects Radmanovic, who is playing with two sprained wrists, to get back on the planet again at some point.

Jackson has buried Mihm on the bench lately — and noted how Mihm needed a running start to get his monster dunk on Eddy Curry the other day — but also believes Mihm could come back to the rotation at some point. How, it’s unclear. But Jackson’s theory is that the more time that Mihm gets away from game action now to work on his reconstructed ankle right now, the better he’ll be physically if Brown disappoints later on and Mihm is really needed.

Posted in: 2007-08 • Chris Mihm • Pregame notes • Vladimir Radmanovic |

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