Clippers Say NBA to Challenge Offer Seattle Made Nixon

The National Basketball Assn., acting on behalf of the Clippers, is challenging three major aspects of the Seattle SuperSonics’ five-year, $2.7-million offer sheet to free agent Norm Nixon, according to Arn Tellem, the Clippers’ general counsel.

Gary Bettman, the NBA’s general counsel, reportedly will meet with Larry Fleisher, head of the players’ union, to try to resolve the so-called defects in the contract. If they are unable to reach an agreement, the NBA will file a grievance against Seattle, and the matter will be decided in arbitration.

Bettman would not comment on the matter, and Fleisher could not be reached.

Nixon, obviously, will not play for any team until the matter is resolved. But Clipper General Manager Carl Scheer said Monday that no matter the outcome of the offer-sheet challenge, the Clippers will match the offer--eventually.

“I don’t care if it’s an amended offer, a cleared-up offer or the same offer, we’ll match it,” Scheer said. “I’m not saying this won’t be a long procedure, but it doesn’t have to be.”

Tellem said he called Bettman Monday and that they agreed there are three “defects” in the offer. If so, any of those would put the SuperSonics beyond the salary cap.

The three points of Seattle’s offer sheet under question by the NBA and the Clippers:

--The offer contains three incentive bonuses, based on Seattle’s performance, that would put the SuperSonics over the salary-cap limit.

Nixon would get bonuses if Seattle won the Pacific Division, the Western Conference title and the NBA title. Nixon’s representatives said those bonuses are standard and usually don’t count against a team under salary-cap rules.

--Nixon would receive a $500,000 unsecured loan at 10% interest, which the Clippers and NBA say is unrealistic and should count against Seattle in the cap. “There’s no way Norm could get a loan at anything less than 13% from an employer,” Tellem said.

--The $200,000 buyout clause in the fifth year of Nixon’s contract is improperly worded. Tellem claims it is merely a disguised signing bonus.

Jared Levine, an attorney who works with Nixon representatives Tom Collins and Ted Steinberg, said: “We feel this is a valid contract. It would not be in Norm’s best interest to have an invalid sheet because he wants to play.”