"Am I going to rip Phil?" a smiling Walton said, repeating a query. "No, I'm going to say he's the greatest, smartest coach of all-time like I always do. I'm still trying to play once I get back this year."

Walton, sidelined for at least three more weeks as a result of a pinched nerve in his lower back, will work alongside Lakers radio play-by-play announcer Spero Dedes on Friday when the team hosts Minnesota and on Saturday when it travels to Utah. Radio analyst Mychal Thompson will miss both games as a result of a death in his family.

Although Walton was initially hesitant when the Lakers approached him about making his first foray into the broadcast booth, he relented. Walton's father, of course, was a broadcaster and studio analyst with the Clippers, NBC and ESPN, but Bill Walton didn't advise his son to bring his "throw it down big man" catchphrase out of mothballs.

"He just said to have fun," Luke said. "He said, 'Go talk to Spero. Do whatever Spero tells you to do, and it will be a good time.' "

Jackson said he isn't worried that Walton will question his substitution patterns or his play calls out of a timeout, insisting that the reserve forward is "perfectly capable of monitoring himself." Asked if there were any of his players he wouldn't want to broadcast a Lakers game, Jackson smiled and said, "Just Ron (Artest)."

Walton said he hasn't really considered whether broadcasting is something he'd like to pursue once his playing days are behind him.

"My focus right now is basketball," he said.