RADMANOVIC TO PLAY INJURED.

Byline: ROSS SILER Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- For his career, Lakers forward Vladimir Radmanovic has taken an average of 300 3-pointers a season and established himself as one of the NBA's most dangerous long-distance shooters.

When Radmanovic fires away this season, however, it could come with a piece of foam taped between the ring finger and pinky on his shooting hand.

Radmanovic has a torn ligament in his shooting hand that likely will require surgery this summer. In the meantime, he will try to find a way to play through the injury, which is not expected to get any better.

``It's frustrating, especially as a shooter,'' Radmanovic said. ``Your right hand is your biggest weapon and you've got it messed up. I'll just have to find different ways to score and help this team win.''

After missing the past three exhibition games, Radmanovic returned Thursday night in the Lakers' 126-108 loss to Denver. He finished with seven points on 3 for 9 shooting and fouled out in 21 minutes.

Radmanovic's shot was alarmingly off all game. He barely grazed the rim on a catch- and-shoot jumper in the first quarter and missed everything on a baseline jumper and 3-pointer in the second half.

There also was the sight of Radmanovic extending his left hand -- instead of his right -- to high five Luke Walton coming off the court in the first quarter.

Radmanovic said there was no guarantee his hand would heal on its own with rest, which could have taken as long as four weeks.

``It feels good until somebody hits you,'' Radmanovic said. ``I just have to find a way to play through it.''

The kid: A day before his 19th birthday, Andrew Bynum had 18 points in the first half -- more than in any NBA game in his career -- and produced several highlight plays. He finished with 23 points. In the first quarter, Bynum blocked Kenyon Martin at one end of the court and connected on a hook shot over Martin at the other end.

Bynum later used an up- and-under move in dunking on Nene in the second quarter.

Bynum also made a bold prediction about how the Lakers should do playing 15 of their first 20 games at home this season.

``We should go 15-5, at least,'' Bynum said.

Roster moves: The Lakers waived guards Von Wafer and J.R. Pinnock, leaving them with 16 players on the roster, one more than the NBA maximum. Wafer played in 16 games last season, Pinnock was a second-round draft pick.

With a Monday deadline to finalize rosters, the Lakers have to make one more move. The last roster spot is expected to come down to either Devin Green or Aaron McKie.

McKie has a guaranteed $2.5 million contract for this season but missed the past four exhibition games with a back injury.

Cook update: The Lakers have until Tuesday to sign Brian Cook to a contract extension. Mark Bartelstein, Cook's agent, said ``nothing's imminent'' and that the two sides have ``talked about things conceptually.''

``I don't know if anything gets done or not,'' Bartelstein said.``We're having conversations. That's about all I can say.''

If the two sides can't agree, Cook would be a restricted free agent after this season, with the Lakers able to match any offer he would receive.

[e-mail]

[phone]

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Denver's Carmelo Anthony, left, is fouled by the Lakers' Vladimir Radmanovic.

Matt A. Brown/Associated Press