BUTLER-FOR-BROWN IS ONLY ONE SCENARIO LAKERS REFUSE TO COMMENT ON TRADE RUMORS.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

The Lakers have held preliminary talks with the Washington Wizards about a possible trade involving Caron Butler and former No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown, team and league sources confirmed Tuesday.

Such a deal was just one of several scenarios the Lakers have discussed, according to a source, and the Wizards reportedly have been contacted by seven teams about Brown, including the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.

Butler, who averaged 21.9 points with Lamar Odom out at the end of last season, is frequent fodder for trade speculation. He will be a free agent after the 2005-06 season and is one of four small forwards under contract to the Lakers.

``We don't comment on rumors or speculation,'' Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. The Butler-for-Brown deal was first reported Tuesday by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Brown, the first high school player drafted No. 1 overall, hit a nadir in May, when he skipped two workouts and was suspended for the remainder of the season. The Wizards went on to win their first playoff series in 23 years without him.

Although Brown averaged only 7.7 points and 5.5 rebounds during four trying seasons with the Wizards, the Lakers are in need of frontcourt help and share the belief of many around the NBA that Brown could blossom as a player once he leaves Washington.

The Lakers have decisions to make about exercising an option to bring back 37-year-old center Vlade Divac and taking advantage of a luxury-tax amnesty provision to the new collective-bargaining agreement that would allow them to waive forward Brian Grant.

That could leave the Lakers with Chris Mihm, Slava Medvedenko, Brian Cook, Ronny Turiaf and 17-year-old rookie Andrew Bynum as their only big men heading into next season.

Meanwhile, after watching free-agent guard Larry Hughes leave for a five-year, $65 million deal with Cleveland, the Wizards could turn to Butler as Hughes' replacement. Butler has experimented with playing both guard positions in the NBA.

Brown, 23, is a restricted free agent, allowing the Wizards to match any offer he receives. The 6-foot-11, 243- pound forward turned down a four-year, $30 million extension before the start of the season in October.

If Brown does come to the Lakers, it would be through a sign-and-trade deal involving Butler ($2.448 million) and at least one other player. The Lakers and Wizards would have to find a way to swap the approximate equivalent in player salaries.

Brown started out in Washington as Michael Jordan's project, with the Wizards president of basketball operations taking him out of his Brunswick, Ga., high school with the No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft, ahead of Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol and Eddy Curry.

Brown was subject to some of Jordan's harshest criticism during his rookie season after Jordan came out of retirement to play for the Wizards. The Lakers would have to decide if Kobe Bryant's demanding style would cause similar problems for Brown.

--Stu on for four more: The Lakers signed Stu Lantz to a four-year contract extension as color commentator for television.

Lantz will team with Joel Meyers, who was recently hired as play-by-play announcer during broadcasts on Fox Sports Net West and KCAL-TV (Channel 9).

Lantz, who played for the Lakers during the 1970s, has served as the team's color commentator since 1987.

The Associated Press contributed.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1) Wizards forward Kwame Brown has had a difficult time in Washington after he was taken with the first pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.

Kent Smith/Getty Images

(2 -- color) BUTLER

(3 -- color) BROWN