LAKERS NOTES : RODMAN: VAN EXEL WAS WORSE.

Byline: Marc Stein Daily News Staff Writer

After initially declining to comment on Nick Van Exel's confrontation with Ron Garretson, the player best known for menacing referees has spoken.

Dennis Rodman told reporters in Chicago that the forearm shiver Van Exel laid on Garretson was worse than his head-butting incident with Ted Bernhardt and merited a harsher penalty.

``The league's hand were tied, they had no choice,'' said Rodman, who was docked six games and $20,000 for his transgressions.

``If they would have given him $10,000 and three or four games, I would have pitched a fit. The league had to make a statement. I had to be the guinea pig. Now, whoever touches a referee, it's got to be six games or more, no matter who it is.''

Rodman was also asked what would have happened had it been his forearm shoving Garretson off his feet and onto the scorer's table Tuesday night in Denver.

``I think I would have been suspended for the season, and for the first and second rounds (of the playoffs),'' Rodman said. Nick's night: As per league rules, Van Exel has to be out of the Forum or any other arena the Lakers play in no less than two hours before tipoff.

He will, however, accompany the Lakers on next week's road trip to Texas and continue to make appearances at practices and shootarounds. Friday, instead of participating in the morning walkthrough for the Golden State game, Van Exel worked out with Magic Johnson's touring team, now led by ex-Lakers guard Lester Conner.

One leftover from Van Exel's Thursday news conference regarding his explanation to University of Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins:

``I got a phone call (Wednesday) from coach Huggins, and at first I didn't want to call him because I was scared,'' Van Exel said. ``I thought he was going to yell and yell at me, and then I finally called and he told me, `Nick, you need to control your emotions.' Coach Huggins. That kind of made me feel a little better. He kind of cheered me up a little bit.''

Notes: The Lakers wanted to activate Fred Roberts from the injured list Friday but were informed that Van Exel still occupies a roster spot while suspended. ``I've never had a suspended player before and neither have the Lakers,'' coach Del Harris said. ``We didn't know the rule.'' There's still a chance Roberts will replace Pig Miller on the playoff roster. . . . Van Exel, who joked that he could make up the money lost in fines by working at Magic's theatres in the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Plaza, would certainly be busy if he took such a job. Johnson's complex was the No. 1 venue in the country in the nation last week for the film, ``A Thin Line Between Love and Hate.'' The picture grossed $89,404.

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Photo

PHOTO The Lakers' Anthony Peeler, left, chases after a loos e ball with Golden State's Latrell Sprewell also in pursuit in the second quarter.

Shaun Dyer / Special to the Daily News