Knight Outlook Improves

Travis Knight participated in a big part of practice at L.A. Southwest College on Saturday, and Laker Coach Phil Jackson suggested for the first time since Knight’s Oct. 13 ankle sprain that the team might not put Knight on the injured list to start the season.

With the Lakers’ big-man situation as blurry as ever, Knight, who plays center and forward, could be an important puzzle piece in the early going.

“That’s kind of been my goal since Day 1, that’s what we’re shooting for--and it looks good now,” Knight said of being ready for Tuesday’s season opener at Utah. “If it was up to me, I’d say, yeah. . . .

“Obviously, I’d rather not go on the injured list. But I don’t want to do anything that’s going to make it nagging this whole year and play at 85% the whole year instead of just waiting an extra couple days.”

If Knight opens the season on the injured list, he must sit out the first five games, and Jackson said he believes Knight should be ready to go by Games 3 and 4 against Portland and Dallas on the first weekend.

“Our decision is, how can we project a week and a half down the road after five games, and how important is it to our team to have a player of his size on our team?” Jackson said.

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Bison Dele, apparently back in the L.A. area after a long stint in Lebanon, has sent word to Jackson that he isn’t sure if he wants to play again, Jackson said.

“I got a word . . . that he’s deliberating,” said Jackson, who coached the power forward with the Chicago Bulls before he changed his name from Brian Williams.

If Dele is interested in playing and wants to join the Lakers, team executives would have to work out a trade with the Detroit Pistons, who still have Dele’s rights.

“That’s something Mitch [Kupchak] and Jerry [West] would have to talk about--what’s the value?” Jackson said.

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Former Crenshaw High and Louisiana State star forward John Williams, looking considerably heavier than in even his heaviest playing days, watched practice and worked out lightly afterward with Tex Winter.

“He’s a friend of Tex’s,” Jackson said. “Tex coached him down at LSU and found him a willing and ready player. . . . He’s been out of pro ball for what, two years now? So we wanted to weigh him, see how he looks.”

And how much did Williams weigh? “That’s a private matter,” Jackson said, smiling.