LAKERS NOTEBOOK: NO NBA TIME FOR TURIAF.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

OAKLAND - Don't expect to see Ronny Turiaf in a Lakers uniform any time soon, even if the 23-year-old forward signs with the team as expected in the coming week.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Saturday that Turiaf likely will be assigned to the NBA Development League 'as quickly as possible' and could stay there until March.

Turiaf averaged nearly 24 minutes in the nine games he played with the CBA's Yakama Sun Kings, the first step in his comeback from open-heart surgery in July. His representatives have put Turiaf's conditioning at anywhere from 80 to 90 percent.

Jackson previously said he expected Turiaf to play a six or eight-minute role in his first month with the Lakers. But Jackson said Saturday that Turiaf needs more time to regain his conditioning and get some additional game experience.

``There's still a developmental part that he's got to go through,'' Turiaf said.

As part of the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, teams can assign their first- and second-year players to the D-League while still retaining their rights. The Lakers' affiliate in the league is the Fort Worth (Texas) Flyers.

Jackson said Turiaf would spend a couple of days practicing with the Lakers after signing but likely would head to the D-League when the team leaves at the end of the month on a seven-game road trip. Turiaf's representatives could not be reached for comment.

The Lakers have yet to make use of the D-League this season, even with three rookies on the roster, not counting Turiaf. Injuries to Aaron McKie, Laron Profit and Slava Medvedenko have forced the Lakers to keep their youngest players on the active roster.

``We probably should be sending more guys down,'' Jackson said. ``We have all kids on this team.''

Turiaf was also weighing offers from teams in Spain and Italy before committing to sign with the Lakers. The team still has to make a roster move, either a trade or reaching a settlement and waiving an injured player, to accommodate signing Turiaf.

--Big week: The Lakers opened a stretch Saturday in which they will play three of their next four games against Pacific Division teams, including back-to-back road games this week at Sacramento and Phoenix.

Jackson was asked for his thoughts on the division race so far. ``It looks like a season of runs and they've have two of them,'' Jackson said of the Suns, adding, ``Phoenix is playing well, the players they brought in have adapted well and (Steve) Nash again is having a really good season.''

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

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RONNY TURIAF

Forward will probably be sent to the NBA Development League