NBA NOTEBOOK: LAKERS WAIVE FORWARD GRANT.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Barely a year after acquiring Brian Grant as part of the Shaquille O'Neal trade, the Lakers waived the 33-year-old forward as expected Wednesday.

The Lakers stand to save as much as $30 million in luxury-tax penalties with the move.

Grant was coming off a career-worst season in which he averaged 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds. He battled knee tendinitis and missed 13 games with the Lakers, only three fewer than he sat out in four combined seasons with the Miami Heat.

``The amnesty rule was not in place and thus not a factor when we made the trade which included Brian,'' Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. ``However, this is a one-time opportunity to take advantage of this situation, and exercising this will give us greater roster flexibility and the ability to improve our team.''

In remarks made before he returned as Lakers coach, Phil Jackson called out Grant for not earning his ``lunch money'' last season. But Jackson also cited Grant as a player he was counting on to play 25 minutes a game and bring toughness to a team often lacking it.

Grant has been linked to Miami and Portland as possible destinations where he could now sign as a free agent. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Wednesday that interest from around the league was strong.

Many teams could choose to spend their $1.67 million salary cap exception on Grant, who is expected to be healthy enough to play a full season. His fate with the Lakers, however, was sealed as soon as the amnesty provision was written into the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement.

-Ross Siler

--Cooper to coach in NBDL: Former Lakers star and University of New Mexico standout Michael Cooper is returning to Albuquerque, N.M., to coach a new NBA Development League team.

Cooper, 49, played for the Lobos from 1976 to 1978.

Cooper began last season as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets, became interim coach Dec. 31 and was later replaced by George Karl. Cooper had been a scout for the Nuggets since then.

--Hawks' ownership awaits decision: The owners of the Atlanta Hawks waited for NBA commissioner David Stern to respond to their request to have co-owner Steve Belkin removed as the team's governor.

Boston judge Allan van Gestel granted Belkin's request for a temporary injunction on Tuesday, saying that a contract signed last year by all the owners prevents other members of the group from voting Belkin out. The remaining owners in the nine-member Atlanta Spirit LLC group then turned to Stern for permission to remove Belkin, who owns 30 percent of the team.

The rift among the owners followed Belkin's refusal to approve the Hawks' trade for guard Joe Johnson. Atlanta offered a five-year deal to Johnson worth about $70 million, but Belkin's objection was based on what the Hawks would give up in the trade: two first-round picks, second- year guard Boris Diaw and a $4.9 million trade exception.

--Warriors sign draft pick: Monta Ellis, one of the Golden State Warriors' two second-round draft picks, agreed to a multiyear contract with the club. Ellis entered the NBA Draft after finishing high school in Jackson, Miss., but wasn't selected until the 40th overall pick. He averaged 15.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists for the Warriors' summer-league team in Las Vegas last month.