Rooks Deal May Be in the Works

The Lakers, with an unexpected glut of big men after the sudden development of Travis Knight and the acquisition of Joe Kleine, are involved in trade talks regarding disappointing free-agent signee Sean Rooks, league sources said.

No deals appear imminent, but conversations are continuing. It is known that teams have called the Lakers with interest in Rooks, especially lately in hopes of getting a better deal because of the excess of centers in Los Angeles.

But other clubs have also said the Lakers, perhaps trying to get out from under the seven-year, $13.44-million deal they signed with Rooks in the summer, have been calling around.

“He’s definitely out there,” an official with one Eastern Conference team said.

The Lakers declined comment, citing club policy against talking about potential trades.

Rooks is averaging 6.2 minutes a game--the fewest on the team other than Kleine, who played one minute Tuesday in his Laker debut--has a season high of 11 minutes and has broken double figures in that category once in his last 18 appearances.

Along the way, he has struggled to stay in shape, been passed by both Knight and Corie Blount as big men off the bench, and at best is the third-string center, behind Shaquille O’Neal and starting power forward Elden Campbell. Kleine could drop him to fourth.

But Rooks still has some trade value, thanks to being 6 feet 10 and 27 years old. He also has a contract that would be easy to move, at a reasonable $1.2 million this season before it escalates.