MCKIE'S ADDITION CONSIDERED `PRODUCTIVE' MOVE FORMER 76ER IS HAPPY PLAYING WITH BRYANT, FOR JACKSON.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO - Aaron McKie can remember a time when Kobe Bryant was a beyond-his-years high-school star from the Philadelphia suburbs stopping by the Temple gym to play pick-up games with McKie and his college teammates.

Now McKie is hoping that playing alongside Bryant and in coach Phil Jackson's triangle offense can add years to his career.

In turn, the Lakers hope McKie can bring defense and leadership to a team lacking both last season.

``He's one of the better players in the league, if not the best,'' McKie said of Bryant.

``I admire what he does out on the floor. He works hard and he plays with passion.''

McKie, who will turn 33 in October and is entering his 12th season, signed a two-year, $5 million contract Friday and was introduced as the last significant addition of the Lakers' summer.

``I think as far as the nucleus of the team, I think we're done,'' general manager Mitch Kupchak said. ``I don't anticipate that we would look to sign another free agent.

``We do have some flexibility under the existing rules in case something odd happens in the next two or three weeks and a guy who's a free agent that nobody thought would be available at that amount is available.''

The Lakers still have $2.5 million left from their midlevel exception as well as a $1.67 million biannual exception to spend.

One of their free-agent targets, guard Jannero Pargo, will decide where to sign early next week, agent Mark Bartelstein said.

Pargo, who played parts of two seasons with the Lakers, is considering Utah, Toronto, Miami and Cleveland in addition to his former team. Yet Kupchak suggested that Smush Parker, signed after the summer league, might be the Lakers' alternative to Pargo.

McKie, meanwhile, will try to resurrect a career that bottomed out last season in Philadelphia, where he averaged only 2.2 points and 16.4 minutes.

The 76ers waived McKie in a luxury-tax saving move with three years and $19.5 million left on his contract.

``We think he's got a couple, three years left,'' Kupchak said.

``I don't know how many minutes we get out of him, I don't know if it's going to be 15, 20 or 30. But we think they'll be productive minutes.''

With Lamar Odom expected to initiate the offense as a point forward, McKie's role will be defined by his defense and leadership.

While Kupchak said McKie wasn't promised a starting job, he all but guaranteed McKie will be on the floor at game's end.

``He's never been a numbers player,'' Kupchak added.

``If you look at his career numbers, he's never been a big scorer. He brings other things to the table. But we think that's going to be good for our locker room and for our younger players.''

--Also: With a month to go before the Sept. 30 deadline to buy out center Vlade Divac's contract, Kupchak said Divac had not stopped by the Lakers' facility to work out. ``There has not been a Vlade sighting,'' Kupchak said. ... The agent for Latrell Sprewell told The Denver Post that Sprewell would be interested in signing with the Lakers. The Lakers, however, do not expect that Sprewell, who reportedly turned down $7 million a season in Minnesota, would sign for what they can offer.

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

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