Almost immediately after the draft, the Los Angeles Lakers called Will Conroy's agent, inquiring as to his interest in joining their summer-league team with a chance to earn a free-agent invitation to training camp.

Yesterday, it became a done deal, and Conroy ? a former Washington Husky and Garfield High star ? will fly to Los Angeles on Tuesday to begin preparations to play with the Lakers' entry in the Summer Pro League at Long Beach, beginning July 8.

The Lakers are strongly considering waiving Brian Grant, using a clause in the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement that would allow them to release the high-salaried forward acquired last summer in the Shaquille O'Neal trade.

The Lakers would still have to pay Grant's salary, which would continue to count against the salary cap and keep the Lakers cap-strapped until the summer of 2007.

The Lakers would, however, save almost $30 million in luxury taxes over the next two seasons. Grant, who averaged 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds last season and was bothered by knee and shoulder problems, will make $14.3 million next season and $15.4 million in 2006-07.

A decision on Grant, 33, would be strictly economic and would be made by Laker owner Jerry Buss, who has paid the luxury tax the last two seasons but could avoid a considerable hit for a player of limited value.

General Manager Mitch Kupchak declined to comment specifically on the exemption or Grant's future. "We haven't had a chance to review in detail the agreement," he said. "We've gotten only some abbreviated bullet points."

However, a team source said it was "a very real possibility" Grant would be released.

Shaquille O?Neal is now the proud graduate of the prestigious University of Phoenix after completing course work at the West Los Angeles campus.

''It's just something to have on my r?sum? [for] when I go back into reality,'' the 7-1 Miami Heat center said in an interview before picking up his master's in business administration. ``Someday I might have to put down a basketball and have a regular 9-to-5 like everybody else.''

The Blazers are open to dealing the No. 3 pick, but they've been insisting that backup Ruben Patterson be part of the deal. Few teams want to take on Patterson's baggage.

The Lakers have been considering a move up to number three to land Illinois PG Deron Williams. They need to upgrade the spot and Phil Jackson likes big guards. Caron Butler and Devean George have been mentioned in a potential trade.

Chris Paul is also an option for the Lakers at number three.

Raptors general manager Rob Babcock may be the busiest GM on draft night, as he weighs several trade possibilities.

"We're looking at several high school players," he said. "You have to weigh their talent level now and what they might become ... against someone else. Those are all part of the things you look at."

The most highly touted high school player ? Houston's Gerald Green ? worked out in Toronto yesterday, although the Raptors didn't get a complete look at his skills. On the advice of his agent, the 6-foot-8 guard-forward refused to work out against any other players and planned to do only individual drills.

"You'd rather evaluate him against other guys, but they have their reasons," said Babcock.

One of the more intriguing trade possibilities involves the New York Knicks.

The Knicks covet Arizona centre Channing Frye with the No.8 pick and Frye has refused to even work out for the Raptors and several other teams.

"It doesn't mean we can't take him," Babcock said of the 7-foot Frye. "We've evaluated him a ton."

It opens the possibility that Babcock could take Frye at seven, deal him to New York along with another Raptor or two with bad contracts in return for whoever the Knicks take at No.8 and an expiring contract or two.

"There's a lot of chess match-like stuff you have to look for," said Babcock. "Who's bluffing, who's really thinking what."

Another rumour rumbling around the NBA final was that the Los Angeles Lakers, looking to move up, were offering No.10 and a package of suspect players for No.7 and Jalen Rose.

"We've made some calls, we've received some calls," said Babcock.

Despite having its first Game 7 in over a decade, a matchup that saw the San Antonio Spurs defeat the defending champion Detorit Pistons, the NBA Finals only received an 8.2 rating on ABC, down 29% from last year?s Pistons/Lakers series which saw the NBA highest rating of 11.5.

The numbers are not precise however, as the NBA is becoming more popular around the globe due to the success of foreign-born players like Frances Tony Parker and Argentina?s Manu Ginobili to name a few.

Mitch Kupchak is getting frustrated with all the trade rumors regarding the Lakers.

"Without getting into great detail, every trade I've heard about has been completely inaccurate,'' Kupchak said Friday. "Somebody should pay for that. I don't know where they originate. So many people get their feelings hurt.''

Kupchak referred to the subjects of those reports.

"I'm on the phone. I would suspect there's going to be change on our roster,'' he said. "[But] it's unlikely that anything will happen [before Tuesday's NBA draft]. I don't anticipate anything will happen at this time.''

Kupchak acknowledged he's talked with several teams, saying, "That's what happens when you win 34 games.''

But, Kupchak added: "I don't come in here every day thinking I've got to get a deal done. If it makes basketball and business sense, that's something we'll try to do.''

The Lakers have three picks in the two-round draft -- the 10th, 37th and 39th overall selections. They've been rumored to be trading up and down, with several players mentioned in potential deals.

"There's three or four a day for the last week,'' said John Black, the Lakers' executive director of public relations. "They're all bogus. The fans read all that stuff and they get all excited. It doesn't happen, and they're all disappointed, they're all let down.

"I think the whole team's been traded, including Kobe [Bryant].''

Black called it "irresponsible journalism.''

"It's degenerated every year that I've been here,'' he said.

Assuming the Lakers don't make a trade before the draft, Kupchak said he doesn't expect their first-round choice to make a major contribution, much less be a starter.

"I think it's unlikely any player drafted 10th through 20th will make an immediate impact,'' he said. "Hopefully, he can play a little bit.''

Kupchak also said he didn't believe the Lakers will choose a high school player in the first round, but didn't rule it out.

"You roll the dice a little bit more,'' he said. "And, of course, you're not going to get productivity for two or three years.''

During the course of the afternoon on Thursday, a rumor began circulating that the Los Angeles Lakers had completed a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats for the fifth pick in the 2005 Draft.

I spoke with the Lakers public relations department and this has been 100% dismissed as an error on the part of the website in question.

Gerald Green has worked out for just four teams - Utah, Charlotte, New Orleans and the L.A. Lakers. He has upcoming workouts scheduled in Portland, New York and Toronto.
 
Green's workout with the Lakers has fueled speculation that L.A. might have a deal in the works with Portland. The Blazers have the No. 3 pick. The Lakers own the No. 10 pick.
 
Portland does not need a point guard, and the third- and fourth-highest rated players in the draft are point guards Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
 
"I tune that all out," Green said. "I just go to the workouts and do my best."

After firing Paul Sunderland as the Lakers play-by-play guy, longtime broadcaster Joel Meyers will assume the roll, doing play-by-play on Fox Sports and KCAL-TV, working with longtime color analyst Stu Lantz.

"It's an honor to work for the Lakers, whether it be radio or TV," Meyers said Thursday. "I'm very fortunate to be in the position I'm in."