The Lakers continue to follow the progress of 2005 second-round pick Ronny Turiaf as the 22-year-old forward recovers from open heart surgery, and are increasingly considering the possibility that Turiaf will play this season.

"It's not something we planned on," general manager Mitch Kupchak said, "but we haven't ruled it out."

Turiaf, who underwent surgery July 26, has been a regular presence around the Gonzaga men's basketball team as he recovers in Spokane, Wash. Turiaf played in an open scrimmage last month and has sat at the end of the bench during games.

Over the next month, Turiaf will meet with the doctors who performed his surgery at Stanford University Medical Center and finish up the classes he needs to graduate at Gonzaga. After that, Turiaf could move back to Los Angeles.