LAKERS NOTEBOOK: PAYTON 'FINE' WITH JACKSON.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

ATLANTA - Phil Jackson and Gary Payton have reached some sort of understanding about roles and expectations and minutes, though the coach was less certain than the player about whether this puts the issue to rest.

The two met before Monday's practice and both called the discussion productive. Payton, who had bemoaned his diminished role over the weekend, and suggested he might bolt the Lakers this summer, said he felt better about his situation.

``Once he just tells me what's going on, I don't have no problems with nothing,'' Payton said. ``We're good. It's over with now. Now I'm understanding what's going on, what we're trying to accomplish, and we worked out some other stuff of how I could do other things (in the offense). So we're fine.''

The pair spent much of their meeting discussing the triangle offense, which doesn't cater much to Payton's All-Star point-guard skills. Jackson views his offense as player-directed - i.e., it's up to each individual to find his opportunities - and tried to show Payton how to exploit the system.

``That's really the frustration that I see,'' Jackson said. ``He's got to find a way to be totally comfortable in an offense with the ball, to know how to do the things that this offense will create for you, with the ball and without the ball. ... I don't want to lead him to water, I want him to find it kind of on his own, so it becomes a creative energy for him, and that creativity that he brings to it is an innovation for us as a team.''

Jackson also assured Payton that his playing time probably would increase in the playoffs, when the rotation becomes short and the time between games increases. But Jackson remains committed to playing Derek Fisher significant minutes and to conserving the energy of his older veterans.

So there is no guarantee Payton will be entirely content, or silent from here on out.

``I can't assure that at all,'' Jackson said. ``Players, they're going to express disappointment, and that's normal, that's a natural kind of thing. ... Those things happen. We'd like to have them expressed in a different place, but that's all right, too.''

--Mail call: Karl Malone got through his first day of basketball drills without any difficulty and remains hopeful he will return by next Monday's game at Utah.

Malone said his right knee suffered no swelling or pain after what he termed an ``intense'' workout Monday. He'll meet with his personal doctor, Ralph Venuto, on Thursday and could conceivably participate in his first full practice as soon as Saturday.

``I'm very excited,'' he said. ``I'm feeling very strong.''

Malone is aiming to play Monday at Utah but wouldn't rule out Sunday's home game against New Jersey. Anything sooner is unrealistic, as far as the medical staff is concerned.

For now, Malone is wearing a brace to protect the knee, but he's adamant about ditching it before rejoining the lineup, saying the device makes him feel ``self-conscious'' and ``more awkward'' when he runs.

``If they say, 'OK, if you take another week off and you don't have to play in a brace, or you can start playing tomorrow with the brace,' I'll take another week off,'' Malone said. ``I'm serious.''

That's the stubborn pride of a man who until now had never experienced mortality on the court.

``Stubborn, oh yeah. Ain't no doubt,'' he said.

Howard Beck, [phone]

howard.beck(at)dailynews.com

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- Howard Beck