Pro Basketball

Michael Cooper, who played 12 seasons with the Lakers, said he is very close to reaching an agreement to return to the team as an assistant coach.

Cooper, who left the Lakers last season to play basketball in Italy, said he met with Laker officials this week in Los Angeles.

Said John Black, the Lakers’ director of public relations: “We talked to him about his rejoining the Lakers, and there’s a good chance of that. However it’s pretty much in Michael’s court. He has some other basketball opportunities to consider.”

Cooper, 35, said he has reached a financial settlement with the Italian team, Il Messaggero, which originally signed him to a three-year contract reportedly worth more than $1 million a season.