NBA NOTEBOOK: LAKERS TRY OLD PREP STAR YOUNG.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Reports

Korleone Young, drafted out of high school in 1998 only to wash out of the NBA and become a poster child for the commissioner's stay-in-school campaign, will play for the Lakers' summer-league team.

A gifted athlete at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia, Young was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Pistons. But he played just three games in the NBA and has hardly been seen or heard from since.

The Lakers, squeezed by the NBA's luxury tax and in dire need of young legs, are eager to see what Young, now 22, can do. If he impresses during the next two weeks of Summer Pro League play at the Pyramid in Long Beach, Young could get an invite to the Lakers' training camp this fall.

``The most intriguing thing right now, in addition to the things that got him drafted three years ago, is his age,'' said general manager Mitch Kupchak, who added he was not concerned with Young's past failures. ``He was skilled enough several years ago to be drafted in this league as a high school player. Three years have passed and he's progressed.''

Young played this year for the Rockford Lightning of the IBL and was coached by former Chicago Bulls forward Stacey King. The Lightning ran the triangle offense, which means Young is well-versed in Phil Jackson's system.

Also playing on the summer-league team are current Lakers Slava Medvedenko and Devean George, and free agent Mike Penberthy. The Lakers, desperate for big bodies, also have former Minnesota Timberwolves center Trevor Winter and former Loyola Marymount center Peter Cornell.

Lakers free agent Isaiah Rider expressed interest in playing for the team but has yet to commit. The team begins practice Thursday and plays its first game Saturday.

Also, guard Derek Fisher and forward Mark Madsen both underwent surgery Tuesday.

Doctors did a bone graft and inserted a screw to repair a fracture in Fisher's right foot and Madsen had a torn ligament in his left wrist repaired. Both are expected to miss four to six months.

- Howard Beck

--Where's Webber? In his first public comments since the free-agency period began, the Sacramento Kings' Chris Webber had little to say. He told the Sacramento Bee on Monday night that nothing has changed since the postseason, which ended with a second-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Lakers.

``I'll just say this: I didn't realize how serious all this (free agency) was until 12:01,'' Webber said, referring to the July 1 deadline. ``That's all I want to say about it. Right now, I'm in the same position that I've been in. I don't know what I'm going to do.''

While Sacramento is among the strongest contenders for Webber's services, vice president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie hasn't spoken directly to Webber. He was among the 12 to 15 executives who announced their intentions to Webber's representatives.

The Kings will offer Webber a contract worth more than $120 million over seven years - the largest possible deal under the NBA's salary cap.

Orlando, Detroit, Indiana, Miami and New York are known to be interested in Webber, with Chicago and Houston likely dropping out of the running.

--Hill to stay: Tyrone Hill has decided to stay with the Philadelphia 76ers for the remaining two years of his contract, his agent confirmed.