Riley Ponders Life Without Coaching Job : Lakers: Two years remain on his contract and an extension has been mentioned, but a summer without playoff insanity offers time to mull personal doubts about the future.

Pat Riley, saying he needs to re-evaluate the quality of his life and contemplate career goals, indicated Thursday that he is thinking about leaving as the Lakers’ coach.

Returning to the Forum two days after his team was eliminated from the NBA playoffs, Riley said he wants a summer to think about whether it is best for himself and for the Lakers if he remains as coach.

“I can’t honestly say what I’m going to do,” Riley said. “That’s all. I don’t know. I have to sit down, all of us do, and think what’s in the best interest of the team. I love coaching. But I can’t emphatically say right now (what) my decision (will be).”

When he was honored as the NBA’s coach of the year Monday, Riley said, “I can’t think of myself being anywhere else,” adding that he would stay for at least the final two seasons of his contract. Jerry Buss, the Lakers’ owner, also has told Riley he wants to negotiate a contract extension.

Riley, along with Coach Chuck Daly of the Detroit Pistons, has been mentioned as a candidate for one of the two commentators’ jobs when NBC takes over NBA television coverage from CBS next season. But Riley, 45, again denied that NBC had contacted him.

“It has nothing to do with NBC, HBO, Paramount Studios or Disney World,” he said. “I haven’t talked to anybody. I would not make the decision based on other opportunities.

“It’s the quality, the simple pleasures that I (miss). The quality of my life is really going to change for the better (in the summer). Playoff basketball is insane. . . . I got home the other night at 4 in the morning. First thing I did was walk into (son) James’ room and put him in my bed.”

Riley, the Lakers’ coach for nine seasons, said the determining factor in his decision will be whether he can find the same satisfaction in another line of work that he has found in coaching.

“That will probably be my decision, right there,” Riley said. “I’m addicted to coaching, the competition and intensity of the games, the 20-hour days. It’s a routine. That would be it--to find something else that would give me that kind of jolt.”

In fact, by the end of a 15-minute conversation with reporters, Riley seemed indecisive about his indecisiveness. He sighed, then said: “I’m a Laker. I’ve been here 20 years.”

Riley said his comments are not meant as a ploy going into contract extension talks with Buss. He also said he is not overwrought because of the Lakers’ playoff loss.

“I take every loss hard, but I get rid of it quick,” Riley said. “No, I’m not tired or burned out. . . . I think everybody goes through some self introspection and analysis. I’m the same way. I’ll have a good talk to myself and think about it.”

Although he was Chick Hearn’s broadcast partner before moving onto the Laker coaching staff, Riley said he is not very excited about the prospect of going back on the air, even for a national television audience.

“In some ways, I just don’t see myself with a set of headphones on,” Riley said.

What, then, would Riley do if he didn’t coach?

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m just trying to be honest with you. The next four or five weeks, I’m just going to be sitting, talking and evaluating the whole thing. Not just me--Dr. Buss, too.”

Throughout the Lakers’ 4-1 semifinal series loss to the Phoenix Suns, Riley was criticized by several players--anonymously--for his coaching tactics and his two emotional outbursts going into Game 4 last weekend.

Jerry West, the Lakers’ general manager, has said Riley is not to blame for the team’s playoff failure. Several Laker players, who met Thursday to divide playoff money, said they want Riley to remain as coach and expressed surprise at the possibility of a change.

Riley said the criticism does not bother him and is not a factor in his decision.

“It’s not that; this is my own thing,” Riley said. “There always will be player grumblings. The thing that’s interesting about my 10 years as coach is, when I used to raise my voice, it was applauded. Now, when I raise it, there’s player grumblings. The whole evolution of the level of my voice has created a real problem.

“As soon as I ever felt that notion (of being unwanted), nobody would have to tell me to leave. I promise you that.”

Most of the Lakers’ personnel believe Riley will stay.

Said longtime assistant Bill Bertka: “Naw, he’ll be here. Coming back from this year will be his challenge.”

Added assistant Randy Pfund: “I certainly don’t have any reason to think he’d leave. I think Pat likes to coach more than a lot of people realize.”

Veteran guard Michael Cooper said he would understand if Riley feels it is “his time” to leave. But Cooper added that he thinks Riley is the right coach for the Lakers.

“Coach Riley has had a great run,” Cooper said. “Sometimes, people think it’s their time to move on. You can’t wear out the welcome mat. But I don’t feel that he should move on. Us grumbling about him is a mistake. He’s our leader.”

Added James Worthy: “I think this is something a lot of coaches face. That’s a decision only he can make. . . . But you can’t argue with what he’s done. That’s proven. It has been a happy atmosphere here.”

Guard Byron Scott said Riley is the only person he can imagine coaching the Lakers. “His personality, the way he can push us to do better and earn our respect, that’s what he can do,” said Scott, who added: “If Riley’s not the coach, then let Earvin (Magic Johnson) coach. I’m serious. He’s the only other guy I can think of.”

Laker Notes

Laker players met Thursday to divide playoff money. The 12 players on the roster at the end of the season received a full share of $14,698.28, as did trainer Gary Vitti. Steve Bucknall, a rookie guard waived in early March, received a half share. Rudy Garciduenas, the team’s equipment manager, received a half share. Another half share was divided among the Laker staff.

Coach Pat Riley spoke to the players before the meeting. Riley said he told the players to forget about their playoff loss. “We’ve won to death here in the ‘80s,” he said. “We should really enjoy the things we usually don’t have time to enjoy, like the extra five or six weeks off. If they want to hang onto this (loss) until August, that’s up to them. It’s time to put it out of your mind.