L.A. BEAT : LAKERS ROOKIE WHEAT RELEASED.

The Lakers dumped a player and regained a player Monday, waiving rookie point guard DeJuan Wheat and welcoming back forward Elden Campbell.

Campbell left the team in St. Louis on Friday and returned to Los Angeles for what had been described as ``personal, family'' matters. Family matters, indeed. The unmarried Campbell rejoined the team Monday in Denver as the proud father of a 6-pound, 1-ounce, 19-inch baby boy, Jay Lee Campbell.

The Lakers roster now stands at 14 players after the release of Wheat, the team's second-round draft pick out of Louisville. Depth at guard - there were seven in camp - made Wheat a long shot from the beginning. He also didn't score a point until Friday, the team's third exhibition game.

Dan Fagen, his agent, said the Lakers ``did a classy thing'' by turning Wheat loose now, giving him time to catch on elsewhere before the season starts Oct. 31. Wheat is disappointed, but Fagen expects him to sign with another team shortly.

Barring injuries, the Lakers must waive two more players by 3 p.m. on Oct. 30. The on-the-bubble group includes guard Shea Seals and forwards James Forrest and Mario Bennett.

?13Howard Beck

CSUN

Flowers expected back

Cal State Northridge quarterback Aaron Flowers, sidelined for more than a month with a broken right leg, is expected to return Saturday night when the Matadors play host to Sacramento State.

Flowers, a senior, has missed the past three games since injuring the leg Sept. 20 against Azusa-Pacific. In four games this season, the preseason All-American candidate had passed for an average of 384.8 yards per game with 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

If Flowers shows some physical problems this week, sophomore Josh Fiske will return as quarterback. The Matadors (3-4, 1-2 Big Sky) were 1-2 under Fiske, who averages 195.8 yards passing per game but threw five interceptions Saturday in a loss to Montana State. In the game, Fiske also injured his left little finger, diagnosed as a dislocation and stretched ligaments without a break.

?13Marc J. Spears.