Inside the NBA Playoffs

Kobe said he's due at USA Basketball training camp in Las Vegas on July 19. He could be one of four Lakers playing at the world championships this summer. Lamar Odom also has been invited to camp, and Ronny Turiaf (France) and Sasha Vujacic (Slovenia) could represent their respective countries.

I asked Kobe if he was going into this summer with the same feeling as last summer, when he went into his "blackout" period and worked out relentlessly to get ready for the season. He said things will be a little different, in no small part because he will have a busy schedule of games and practices. His focus will be staying healthy.

"Usually when you have a summer where you train that much," he said, ``the following summer, you scale back just a little bit and you wind up being in better condition the following season than you were even the previous season."

Kobe's thoughts on the season: ``When you go through a season like we went through and a playoff series like we went through, those are big steps in our development process. When we come back next season, you'll see a team that executes better, understands concepts better, is better in pressure situations, is just mature.''

On playing for USA Basketball, Kobe said: ``I'm looking forward to playing with some of the guys I've competed against for years." He also promised to pop Sasha in the mouth the first time they played in Japan.

He won't be able to wear his new No. 24 for the US, so Kobe probably will be No. 8 one last time. On the jersey change, he said: ``8 obvious has been with me for a long time. We've been through a lot of battles with that number, what that number stands for, and what it means to me, and what it means to all of my fans and supporters. But it's time to start a new chapter."

Chris Mihm was up next and said he regarded this as the best season of his career, even with the injury he suffered in March. He also said it was his favorite group of teammates he has played with.

Chris was asked about how he saw the whole dynamic with himself and Kwame Brown working out in the future. His answer: ``We'll kind of figure that out as it goes along. I was happy for Kwame. I knew when I went down that someone was going to have to step up big in the post for us to make that playoff run and Kwame really did a good job of coming in and finding his own."

Chris also said he optimistic going into the off-season. He set a goal of being a factor every night this season and found the consistency he hasn't always had. "I really felt like I was kind of coming into my own, which has really given me excitment for next year, too."

Devean George met with Phil for the sixth time in seven years, as he noted to us. Phil pulled out the evaluation from his rookie season and looked back at it. Devean said how comfortable he was with the Lakers but admitted that his role likely won't be expanding and a greater opportunity probably exists with another team.

"I think a big issue with Devean is going to be playing time,'' Mitch said, "and what kind of a contribution he can make to a team next year. I don't know if his role is going to change with us. I would say right now it's probably going to be the same."

Devean summed up his role as being a bench player counted on to play good defense, knock down shots and provide energy to the team. What isn't in that role is a responsibility as a scorer and starter, something he would like.

Brian Cook talked about the need to get stronger and become a better one-on-one defender for next season. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2006-07 season. Aaron McKie called this the hardest season of his career and said it was a testament to the training staff that he made it back from injury at all.

The biggest challenge for Luke is staying healthy in training camp. He joked about not playing at all next October after suffering a sprained ankle two seasons ago and a torn hamstring in the first exhibition game in Honolulu. Both were huge setbacks.

Phil talked to Luke about making sure his body is ready for next season. "That really slows you down,'' Luke said of the injuries, "because all of the work you did in the off-season kind of goes out the door when you get hurt."

Luke also could be a starter next season, with Phil saying he liked how the team played with Luke at the end of the season. Phil's goal is to have a lineup where all five players can play multiple positions and counter whatever mismatches an opposing team presents.

"I would love to start," Luke said. "It's going to be on my mind when I'm training this summer."

The highlights of what Phil said are in the paper tomorrow. He was asked about the possibility of making a big acquisition this summer.

"We don't believe that we have to have a superstar come in here to be able to advance," Phil said. "That's not part of our thinking. Of course, if that was something that jumped out and was available, no team is going to turn that opportunity down. But we know we have enough physical talent. We have enough size and we have enough expertise to be able to compete in the Western Conference."

Phil also offered a final word on Kobe and their relationship this season. It was probably the clearest statement yet of the dozens I've heard the past seven months.

"It was remarkable,'' Phil said. "From Hawaii on, we had nothing but an easy way with each other. I think at first we were like, `How's this going to work?' kind of thing. And within a matter of a training camp, we felt like this was going to be a really intersting year."

Phil gave Kobe a couple of books on leadership last off-season and said he thought they might have played some part in Kobe being a better teammate this year.

Mitch talked about the cap flexibility the Lakers have - - with only three players signed long-term in Kobe, Lamar and Kwame - - and how they will proceed. Mitch said the Lakers could have made three or four deals at the February trade deadline that would have required taking on a bad contract and losing that flexibility.

Would those moves, though, have gotten the Lakers out of the first round?

"Where we are today,'' Mitch said, "looking back on it, we're glad we didn't make those deals."

Lamar said he wanted to work on his foul shooting and standstill shooting this summer. He was kicking himself for his missed free throws in the series with the Suns. Lamar also said he went from watching every game of the playoffs to none at all. That's how much it hurts these guys to see their season end.

The last word goes to Mitch on the possibility of the Lakers competing for a championship next season.

"I wouldn't discount it a year or two down the road, and obviously that's our goal,'' he said. "But to say that we're going to be a championship contending team next year, I'm not prepared to say that, although I think it's a possibility."

Thanks to everybody for reading during the season. Thanks also to everyone who sent an e-mail. It should be interesting seeing what the Lakers do this summer - - and how far the Clippers go in these playoffs.