NBA ALL-STAR NOTEBOOK: YOUNG KIDD WAS FAN OF LAKERS.

Byline: RAMONA SHELBURNE 

Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS -- No offense to the Golden State Warriors, but as far as Jason Kidd was concerned, as a kid growing up in San Francisco the Lakers were the only basketball team worth watching.

"I was 12, 13 years old. It was right in that Showtime Era," Kidd said. "Magic Johnson was my favorite player. I thought about wearing No.32 and taking his spot. The unfortunate thing is that I didn't grow up to be 6-9."

With Kidd's New Jersey Nets struggling to a 25-29 record as next week's trading deadline approaches, Kidd's name has begun popping up in trade rumors, most recently in connection with the Lakers.

Asked about the possibility of being traded to his favorite childhood team, Kidd said, "With the history of the Lakers, you definitely can't be disappointed. Just the tradition, what they have as a franchise, you're not going to say you would be disappointed.

"There's a lot of stuff that's going on. In this league, you've always got one bag packed. I learned that real fast. With the Lakers, or whoever it may be, if you get that call, you have to go. Right now, my job is to try to get us into the playoffs."

In addition to the Nets' struggles, it's been a tough season off the court for Kidd. He is in the process of divorcing his wife of 10 years, Joumana, and The Associated Press reported Friday that Joumana Kidd charged that Jason physically abused her and cheated on her throughout their 10- year marriage.

Jason Kidd's lawyer, though, said Friday that the "bizarre allegations will be proven false."

Pippen wants to play again: Former Chicago Bulls' star Scottie Pippen said he is ready for a comeback.

"I know that I have the skills," the 41-year old Pippen said. "It's been on my mind the last couple of months."

Pippen retired in October 2004, but has been working out in Florida and said that his body is fully healed from the injuries which helped him decide to end his career three years ago.

Asked with team he'd want to return to -- with speculation naturally pointing at the Lakers because of Pippen's ties to Phil Jackson -- Pippen said only that he wanted to play for a contending team.

Arenas draws a crowd: Washington Wizards' point guard Gilbert Arenas is making a run the Magic Johnson Award that's presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association to the most media-friendly NBA player.

The award normally goes to good-guy types like Seattle's Ray Allen or the Clippers' Elton Brand. But for entertainment value, there's no one out there like Arenas (Grant High of Van Nuys).

"People like entertainment. Nobody wants to hear the same thing, no one wants coffee and cream everyday, you got to spike it up a little bit," Arenas joked. "Ten, 15 years from now, I'm going to be out of the league no one is going to care about what I say. I might as well just have fun with it now. I'm not going to say anything too stupid. I may say some stupid stuff, but it's going to be funny. I'm a funny guy."

Farmar on the wrong side: Lakers point guard Jordan Farmar said he had fun playing in the Rookie Game Friday night, but being on the receiving end of a 155-114 shellacking -- even if it is an exhibition game -- isn't exactly his thing.

"It's all about winning to me. This was more of an exhibition," said the former Taft High and UCLA standout, who finished with 12 points and two assists. "I tried a few lob passes, but we just weren't on the same page. I would've done something (exciting) if I was in the open court. I'm sneaky like that. But I never had that situation."

Lakers center Andrew Bynum scored seven points in just 17 minutes.

New York's David Lee was the game's MVP. He scored a game-high 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Hall candidates: Lakers coach Phil Jackson, Chris Mullin and Dick Vitale lead the list of 15 finalists for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. They were joined by former players Adrian Dantley and Richie Guerin; coaches Roy Williams, Eddie Sutton and Bob Hurley Sr.; owner Bill Davidson; and the 1966 Texas Western NCAA championship team.

Referee Mendy Rudolph, Yugoslavian coach Mirko Novosel, Spanish coach Pedro Ferrandiz and former U.S. women's basketball coaches Van Chancellor and Harley Redin also were selected by the four screening committees that nominate finalists.

The 2007 class will be announced April 2 at the Final Four in Atlanta, with the induction ceremonies in Springfield, Mass., on Sept. 7.

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Rookie team member Jordan Farmar, right, drives against Sophomore squad center and Lakers teammate Andrew Bynum in Friday's exhibition in Las Vegas. Farmar scored 12 points; Bynum had seven.

Larry W. Smith/Associated Press