LAKERS ON THE OUTSIDE.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

A drama of deception, shady deals and double crosses will unfold tonight on the MCI Center stage in the nation's capitol. But the Lakers will be mere spectators in this made-for-cable NBA production.

Franchise players will be dangled, top prospects offered and rumors floated on NBA draft night, but when the speculation gives way to reality, the wheeling and dealing probably won't involve the Lakers.

They are set to draft at No. 23 and No. 30, far removed from the intrigue of the top 10, and that's where they will remain unless a can't-miss deal presents itself. Lakers executive vice president Jerry West doesn't expect it.

``No, not at all,'' West said Tuesday.

In need of a power forward and possibly a point guard, the Lakers were believed to be dangling 3-point ace Glen Rice for a high pick - presumably to take UCLA point guard Baron Davis - or for an established power forward like Miami's P.J. Brown.

``We explored some possibilities,'' West said, ``but we really don't want to do a lot of things here. If we could get in position for a particular type of player, we would look at something like that, but that never panned out and now we're looking at what's available at 23 and 30.

``There was a couple players we were very high on, but it never really got to the point where anything was even on the table. Nothing of any stature.''

So the Lakers have worked out a number of prospects they know will be long gone by the time they select. Davis and Duke's Trajan Langdon have passed through, as have Ron Artest of St. John's, Jason Terry of Arizona and high-schooler Jonathan Bender.

Others who worked out for the Lakers brass range from likely mid-first-round picks - Minnesota's Quincy Lewis, Xavier's James Posey, Kentucky's Scott Padgett - to project players such as Cal Bowdler of Old Dominion.

And in a true reflection of their expectations, the Lakers' last workout candidate Tuesday was someone named Devean George, of Division III Augsburg College in Minnesota.

What the Lakers will find late in the first round is hard to forecast, but it's unlikely they'll get the power forward they need.

``It's always tougher down there to get a big guy that can play,'' general manager Mitch Kupchak said. ``If you look at the draft this year, the top 10, there are not a lot of big guys there. So if you can't get one in the top 10, what makes you think you can get one at 23?''

More likely, the Lakers will fill their big man need on the free-agent market, with Charles Oakley a prime target.

With Derek Fisher possibly leaving as a free agent, the Lakers might again draft a point guard to go with second-year pro Tyronn Lue and 16-year veteran Derek Harper. But again, even in this point guard-rich draft, they won't get much of an upgrade.

``Ty Lue is as good as any of these so-called top five point guards because he's a legitimate point guard,'' NBA scouting director Marty Blake said, referring to the top five of Steve Francis, Andre Miller, William Avery, Terry and Davis.

This draft will be new coach Phil Jackson's first opportunity to influence the roster he inherits. What's he looking for? He isn't saying. Jackson has not given an interview since his press conference two weeks ago and declined to take calls the last two days.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are down to 48 hours to decide the future of Rice. They have until Thursday afternoon to exercise a one-year, $7.1 million option or let him become a free agent, with the hope of re-signing him.

As the Lakers mull that decision, rumors of a Rice-for-Scottie Pippen deal have resurfaced. It's an unlikely scenario, but a reflection of the team's quandary with the disgruntled Rice.

West said the Lakers were not trying to trade Rice - ``not right now'' - but wouldn't say what the team's intentions are.

``We're just not really sure where we are there,'' West said. ``I think it's our intention to have Glen back here, that's for sure.''

BEST OF THE BEST

Top three players available for today's NBA draft by position:

Point guards

Rank Player Team

1 Steve Francis Maryland

2 Baron Davis UCLA

3 Andre Miller Utah

Shooting guards

Rank Player Team

1 Richard Hamilton Connecticut

2 Quincy Lewis Minnesota

3 Trajan Langdon Duke

Small forwards

Rank Player Team

1 Lamar Odom Rhode Island 

2 Wally Szczerbiak Miami (OH)

3 Corey MaggetteDuke

Power forwards

Rank Player Team

1 Elton Brand Duke

2 Jonathan Bender Picayune HS

3Lee Nailon TCU 

Centers

Rank Player Team

1 Aleksandar Radojevic Barton CC

2 Evan Eschmeyer Northwestern

3 Todd McCullough Washington

- Joel Huerto

CAPTION(S):

Box

BOX: BEST OF THE BEST (see text)