Fox in LaLa Land

[Steskiles@aol.com]

This article appeared on ESPN.COM Tuesday Night:

  Free-agent swingman Rick Fox already went Hollywood. On Thursday, he is
expected to make Los Angeles his permanent address.  "We've reached a verbal
agreement with him. He's going to play for us," Los Angeles Lakers spokesman
John Black said Tuesday. "He's going to come to Los Angeles on Thursday and
we expect that he'll sign the contract that day.
  Fox -- an aspiring actor who had a recurring role in the HBO series "Oz" --
spent his first six seasons with the Boston Celtics and compiled career
averages of 10.7 points, 3.9 reboundsand 1.24 steals.
  Fox, 28, averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists last season. He
tied for sixth in the NBA with 2.2 steals per game and his 167 thefts set
Boston's single-season team record, previously held by Larry Bird.
  The 6-foot-7, 249-pound Fox was one of only two players in the league who
averaged at least 15 points, five rebounds and two steals. The other was
Atlanta's Mookie Blaylock.
  The Lakers have no room left under the NBA salary cap and would have to use
their $1 million exemption to sign Fox.  Fox figures to contribute
significantly for the Lakers during the upcoming season, since they have lost
forward Travis Knight and guard Byron Scott. Knight signed a free agent
contract with the Celtics, and Scott signed a contract to play with
Panathinaikos AC of Athens, Greece.