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Manning’s Agent Says Clippers Have Talked About a Trade

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Times Staff Writer

Ron Grinker, the agent for Danny Manning, said a Clipper official told him the club had talked to the Utah Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers about trading the rights to the still-unsigned No. 1 draft pick, but everyone else involved denies that any such talks occurred.

Grinker said that Arn Tellem, the Clippers’ general counsel, told him in a recent phone conversation that the Clippers discussed trading Manning to the 76ers for Charles Barkley or to the Jazz for Karl Malone.

“I don’t know whether it’s true or not, but it is a fact he said it,” Grinker said.

Tellem denied making such a statement, and other parties in the possible trade said that Manning has not been shopped around.

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Tellem: “I talked to Philadelphia during the summer about something else, but not since. I have talked to Utah once, but indirectly and not about Danny. We have no plans to trade him. That’s preposterous.”

Elgin Baylor, Clipper general manager, said: “I have not had any discussion with anybody and have no plans to trade Danny.”

John Nash, 76er general manager, said: “There has been no conversation with the Clippers about Danny Manning whatsoever.”

And David Checketts, Jazz president and general manager, said: “There is no truth to that at all.”

Negotiations are at a standstill, as phone calls between Los Angeles and Cincinnati, where Grinker lives and Manning is practicing on his own, are making little progress. No meetings are planned.

The Clippers’ opening offer is for 4 years at $1.5 million a year, while Grinker seeks $3 million annually.

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