Dunleavy’s Club Finally Gets Going : Lakers: New coach, old players begin their getting-to-know-you process in Hawaii.

HONOLULU â€”  Mike Dunleavy became an NBA coach Friday as the Lakers opened camp under a new boss for the first time in eight seasons.

Dunleavy, the former Milwaukee Buck assistant who succeeded Pat Riley, said he was happy to begin at last and enjoyed his debut at practice.

“The only thing different, I’ve never coached this level of talent,� Dunleavy said. “They had a terrific attitude. It’s what I’d heard about this team and it’s very true.�

The players seemed to welcome Dunleavy, strange though it was to have a new man with a new system running the team.

“Felt like a fresh start,� Mychal Thompson said, “and that’s no knock against Riley. Every family has problems. You have fights with your brothers and sisters. Me, I like everybody pretty much except Saddam Hussein.�

Said Magic Johnson: “I think it’s comfortable, but I think also we’re definitely checking each other out. I think he (Dunleavy) is feeling his way. We’re feeling our way.�

The Lakers have 18 players here. Ten are solid--the starters (Johnson, James Worthy, Vlade Divac, Byron Scott and A.C. Green) plus Thompson, Sam Perkins, Terry Teagle, Larry Drew and rookie Elden Campbell.

Rookie guard Tony Smith, the No. 2 draft choice from Marquette who was impressive in the summer league, has the inside track for the 11th spot. If he wins it, 6-foot-6 swingman Tony Brown, a former New Jersey Net and Buck, is considered the leading contender for the last spot.

A darkhorse: Phillip Holmes, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard from Western Michigan, is given a chance to make it tough on Tony Smith.

Longshots: returning guard Steve Bucknall; rookies Keith Smith of California and Ken Redfield of Michigan State and journeyman Michael Young.

If the Lakers were in a funk at midsummer, after other NBA Western Conference contenders geared up and they couldn’t close a deal for Hot Rod Williams, it’s over. The Teagle deal ended it.

Said Johnson: “It’s going to work. It’ll work great. Our second five will be potent. We used to have role guys (coming off the bench). That won’t be the case anymore. We’ve got guys who can light up the scoreboard. That’ll be a difference since I’ve been here, since Bob (McAdoo).

“We’ve got two guys coming off our bench who used to be starters on two other teams, who legitimately can score. I mean, they’re used to shooting the ball and used to putting it in. We don’t have to make them scorers. Now we add Mychal Thompson and Larry Drew. That’s four guys coming in. You need three-four guys that can score. That’s how Detroit has won championships.�

“I’m leaving out a guy because he’s going to be a sleeper,� Johnson said, “and that’s Elden (Campbell).

“He’s got some talent. If he can give us half of what you see he can do, he could be the difference. I mean, he can block shots, jump. Today he was running, oh man . . . “

Campbell, the 6-10 forward from Inglewood’s Morningside High School and Clemson, carries a college reputation of getting up for big games and down for little ones. General Manager Jerry West got him with the next-to-last pick in the first round, but he has been impressive, reportedly tearing up Danny Ferry in a summer league game.

Gone from a year ago are Riley, Michael Cooper and Orlando Woolridge.

“It’s strange to look around and not see Riles’ slicked-back hairdo,� Thompson said. “And not see the thin man, Michael Cooper. It was weird. And not hear Orlando’s boisterous laughter. And seeing Orlando hunched over in the corner gasping for breath after a few running drills.�

Said Johnson: “The thing I’ll miss the most--I had a guy who was on my butt when I wasn’t doing things right. Coop was that guy. When he said, ‘OK, take the game over Buck, it’s winnin’ time,’ then I would go into my thing. . . . He was the guy I always talked to about different things, whether it was about the team or not.�