Forward Luke Walton and center Kwame Brown practiced for the first time since suffering sprained ankles, playing full-court four-on-four and also half-court four-on-four at the team's training facility.

Their return is soon, but still slightly difficult to pinpoint. The Lakers' next game is Friday against Sacramento, leaving two more practices to evaluate both players.

"There's a lot still left to be seen this week," Coach Phil Jackson said. "[We] just don't even know what we'd list them ? as doubtful, questionable or where we go as far as that goes."

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone but Scottie Pippen remains unsigned.  He is on the Lakers' radar, but they have no sense of urgency to sign him.

"I'll probably do that when I get back after this weekend," Jackson said Sunday. "I'm sure there are other people out there that have needs like ours with their injuries and they know his experience. I know that he's looking to help a team that's a winning team. He didn't mention us [yet] but mentioned some teams that were poised to make a playoff run. I haven't heard from him."

Vladimir Radmanovic hasn't yet formally apologized to teammates, but they're aware of his admission of guilt.

"They're calling him 'Slalom Vlade,' " Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said.

The Lakers haven't decided whether they will fine him for lost time since his confession that a separated right shoulder was caused by a snowboarding spill, not a fall on a slippery sheet of street ice in Park City, Utah, his initial explanation. He is banned from snowboarding in his contract and will miss seven more weeks.

"There's a few things to clear up," Jackson said. "I think that we'll come to terms with that this next week, and then we're moving forward."

The Lakers haven't decided whether they will fine Vladimir Radmanovic for lost time since his confession that a separated right shoulder was caused by a snowboarding spill, not a fall on a slippery sheet of street ice in Park City, Utah, his initial explanation. He is banned from snowboarding in his contract and will miss seven more weeks.

"There's a few things to clear up," Jackson said. "I think that we'll come to terms with that this next week, and then we're moving forward."

Vladimir Radmanovic admitted lying to Lakers officials about the circumstances of his shoulder injury, acknowledging on Friday that he was hurt while snowboarding in Park City, Utah, during last weekend's All-Star break.

Radmanovic, out for eight weeks because of a separated right shoulder, expressed remorse and explained his thought process in a lengthy statement released by the team this afternoon.

Radmanovic's contract bans him from taking part in activities that involve significant risk of injury, including skiing and snowboarding. The Lakers have not determined what action to take, but attempting to void his contract is considered to be extremely unlikely, a league source said. A suspension or fine is more likely.

"First of all, I'd like to apologize to my teammates, coaches, Lakers management and Lakers fans for initially lying about the circumstances of the injury to my shoulder last weekend," Radmanovic said in the statement. "I'd like to, however, come forward and set the record straight at this time. The truth is that I hurt myself in a fall while snowboarding. Being young and sometimes immature, I initially panicked and made up a false story about how I hurt myself. However, over the past few days my conscience has been bothering me terribly. I am not a dishonest person and could no longer live with this deception.

"Therefore, I came forward today and told the truth to the Lakers. It is just as important to me though, to be honest with Lakers fans and the public in general, therefore I am making this statement and apology. I can't express enough how deeply sorry I am, not only for the activity that led to my injury, but also for the initial deception of my story. I hope for everyone's understanding and forgiveness. I vow to work as hard as possible to rehabilitate my shoulder and rejoin my teammates as soon as possible and to help us become a team that Lakers fans can be proud of."

ESPN's Ric Bucher is reporting that Lakers' owner Jerry Buss stepped into the Jason Kidd talks by offering more money and the Los Angeles camp closed the night thinking that a deal was done.

In addition to several players, they were offering a number one pick this season and a future number one selection.

Sources say that the Lakers and Kings briefly discussed a trade which would have sent Mike Bibby to Los Angeles.

The talks were killed by the Maloof Brothers who couldn't envision Bibby playing for Sacramento's biggest rival.

League sources said the Lakers, who have been rumored to be a potential landing spot for Jason Kidd, are still very much interested in acquiring the All-Star point guard, and are willing to include anyone but Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum in the deal. The Nets want Bynum, a promising 19-year-old center from New Jersey, which could prove to be the deal-breaker.

A source said Kidd played last night's game with a cracked rib, which was the reason he missed two games before the All-Star break. The Nets called the injury a lower back strain. Kidd scored six points in last night's loss but had 14 assists and nine rebounds.

If Carter is dealt, he went out in style, scoring a season-high 46 points. The Nets are said to be more interested in trading him than Kidd, and because Carter is younger and more of a scorer, the Nets could demand more in return for him. He also has the ability to opt out of the final year of his contract after the season, which could complicate matters.

Both players said last night's game held no sentimental value just because it could have been their last in New Jersey.

"Whatever happens, happens and we can move forward," Kidd said. "We'll soon find out."

"I'm not worrying about it," Carter said. "If it happens, that's just what happens. I'm a basketball player and my job is to put my uniform on and perform for my team every night. Wherever that is in the morning, that's what I'm going to do."

Before Wednesday's loss, Jason said he had not spoken to Nets president Rod Thorn or general manager Ed Stefanski on Wednesday.

Numerous reports have speculated that Kidd would end up with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Kidd said the Lakers were the only team he had heard was seriously interested in him.

"Whatever happens, whether I stay or go, basketball doesn't change," he said as he sat at his locker. "The game doesn't change. It's just different cities. You never know in this league. Anything can happen.

"With Phoenix, I didn't see that coming," he said. "But that worked out for the best. If I'm traded to where everybody's expecting I'll be traded, I'm sure it will work out for the best. I just have to move on. That's just the nature of the business."

Do you have a way of getting Kidd to L.A.?  See if it works in RealGM's Trade Checker.

The Lakers haven't announced it yet, but the word is Phil Jackson has agreed to a five-year contract extension that includes a provision for moving into the front office at the appropriate time.

Owner Jerry Buss is hopeful the Zen Master will be able to attract marquee players in his new role once he leaves the bench. That also sounds like a reduced role for Mitch Kupchak.