Turiaf Picks Los Angeles Over Spain

Ronny Turiaf has agreed in principle to sign with the Lakers and will join the team by Monday, his agent said.

Turiaf, who had open-heart surgery less than six months ago, averaged 13 points and 6.3 rebounds in nine games with the CBA’s Yakama (Wash.) Sun Kings.

“He’s packing his bags and getting ready to fly down on Monday,” said Turiaf’s agent, Bouna Ndiaye, who said he finalized contract details with Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak on Thursday.

“We talked about terms and conditions of the contract and now [team owner] Dr. Jerry Buss has to approve everything. We’re probably going to sign this weekend, or Monday at the latest. That’s what we’re expecting. I don’t see any problems.”

The Lakers play Miami on Monday, but Turiaf probably will not play.

This week, when it was not certain whether Turiaf would sign with the Lakers or accept a more lucrative offer in Spain, Laker Coach Phil Jackson said the second-round draft pick could play about six to eight minutes a game.

The Lakers must waive a player to accommodate Turiaf and will probably release guard Laron Profit, who is expected to miss the rest of the season because of a ruptured Achilles’ tendon.

Profit, who averaged 4.2 points, is owed his entire $836,000 salary, but the Lakers technically won’t be paying it. The Washington Wizards gave the Lakers enough money to cover Profit’s salary when he was acquired by the Lakers as part of the Kwame Brown trade in August.

Turiaf, 23, concluded his CBA stint with 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists Tuesday against Sioux Falls (S.D.).

“It’s a dream for him, you know,” Ndiaye said. “It’s an amazing story. I think the crowd will be going crazy for him in his first [Laker home] game.”

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Kobe Bryant is averaging 40.5 minutes, sixth in the league, which is OK with Jackson.

“We’ve been trying to measure it out in certain ways,” Jackson said. “Anything over 42 minutes is getting a little bit long.”

Besides, Jackson said, “I got to rest him the whole fourth quarter in the Dallas game.”

Bryant had 62 points in three quarters against the Mavericks on Dec. 20.

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Forward Slava Medvedenko had surgery Thursday to repair a herniated disk in his lower back. He is not expected to play again this season.... USC quarterback Matt Leinart, wearing a Bryant jersey, stopped by the Laker locker room before Thursday’s game against Cleveland.