HORRY HAD ENGINE RUNNING.

Byline: Marc Stein Daily News Staff Writer

Robert Horry was, well, in a hurry to flee Phoenix.

Being stuck two months in the same place - night after night of ``just sitting in one spot the whole game'' - had him packing weeks ago.

``I was already shipping stuff back (home),'' Horry said Saturday after completing his first workout with the Lakers, who Friday acquired the lanky swingman from the Suns along with veteran center Joe Kleine for Cedric Ceballos and Rumeal Robinson.

``And I had a section of my closet set up where I could just grab my things and go if something happened. I was ready in two hours.''

It had become apparent to Horry, after just 30-odd games with the Suns, that he belonged elsewhere. Eventually, he figured, everyone in the NBA would see that he was misplaced in the Phoenix system and would have to be dealt.

So he began to pack up his belongings even before the Lakers and Suns started talking trade. Throw in last week's towel-tossing incident and Horry, averaging a career-low 6.9 points and 3.7 rebounds, had the escape he wanted.

``I'm sure people think I'm happy that I did that,'' Horry said of his final appearance for the Suns, a loss last Sunday in Boston that saw him throw a towel at coach Danny Ainge after being removed in the fourth quarter.

``It's not like that. But it probably made an impression to people around the league that he's not happy with the situation he's in.

``Sometimes in life, you blow up. . . . My frustration built up and I just let it override my senses. I just hope people let it go. It's not like I punched him. It's a towel. How much could it have hurt?''

The Lakers acknowledge that the controversy, which earned Horry a two-game suspension, didn't damage their chances of prying him out of Phoenix.

Trade talks heated up very quickly as the week progressed, after Horry's confrontation with Ainge and with Ceballos eager to be taken off the injured list - something the Lakers privately feared would affect team chemistry.

The only concern for Horry's new coach, Del Harris, is getting the latecomers in shape. Neither was playing big minutes for Ainge, but both could have key roles here: Horry will eventually start at small forward and Kleine is a much-needed big body, with Corie Blount sidelined and Sean Rooks a major disappointment.

``If you're going to eliminate people on your roster who've made a mistake, we'd have a 2-on-2 or 1-on-1 league, and there'd be no coaches,'' Harris said.

Added Kleine: ``I like Robert. Robert is a good guy. He made a mistake and he apologized for it. I would have a big problem with Robert if he never admitted he made a mistake. Right after it happened, in the locker room, he said it was stupid.''

As opposed to the trade, which both find shrewd.

``This team is awesome,'' said Horry, relishing the opportunity to play beside a power center in Shaquille O'Neal as he did in Houston with Hakeem Olajuwon. ``It's going to be like the old days for me.''

Kleine's lone complaint is that he had to leave wife Dana and their three children back in Phoenix. Like Horry, he's a free agent after the season and doesn't want to uproot his family.

``We're going to buy stock in Southwest Airlines and bring them down every weekend,'' Kleine said. ``When you see me smiling on the weekend, you'll know why. And if you see me smiling during a game, it's because I won't be guarding Shaq.''