Drew, Kammerer Named Assistants, but Cooper Stays in Front Office

Randy Pfund named two Laker assistant coaches Thursday--and neither was Michael Cooper.

Joining holdover Bill Bertka are former Laker Larry Drew and Chet Kammerer, 49, coach and athletic director at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, who once gave Pfund a foothold as an unpaid graduate assistant.

Cooper was offered an assistant’s job but turned it down.

He will remain in his present job as assistant to General Manager Jerry West.

Cooper couldn’t be reached for comment but reportedly didn’t want to become the advance scout, which would have meant spending most of his time on the road.

“I appreciate the job offer I received from Coach Pfund,” Cooper said in a prepared statement. “ . . . I just didn’t feel it was right for me. My strengths are different from what Coach Pfund feels he needs for the position that was available. I look forward to a coaching career, perhaps in the future with the Lakers or possibly with another team.”

Jim Eyen, who did the advance scouting last season, left two weeks ago to join Mike Dunleavy’s staff in Milwaukee.

Drew will become the advance scout.