CLIPPERS : Ezdwards Is a No-Show, Rivers Is a Walk-Out

It wouldn’t be a Clipper training camp without a hassle, so Doc Rivers and James Edwards, newcomers both, punched holes in the opening-day atmosphere and by nightfall were waiting in other area codes for the response.

Both walked out in disputes over camp beginning without their having desired contract extensions. The Clippers aren’t in that big a hurry.

Two differences:

--Rivers bothered to show Friday, though he sat out drills with what was reported as a bruised big right toe. In retrospect, it might have been closer to the Blue Flu.

--Edwards earned his $300-a-day fine from the outset. Rivers will start a tab today.

P.S.: Both players were acquired during the off-season largely because they are veteran leaders.

Edwards and his agent, Reggie Turner, continue to ignore phone messages from the media. Rivers left with all the subtlety of a steamroller, upset that a 30-minute meeting Friday with his agent and team officials was unproductive.

“Our offer is not like we’re trying to break the bank,” Rivers said of his appeal for a one-year extension to the current deal that runs through 1994-95. “I’ve been in the league long enough to know what my value is. This organization, I’m worried. It’s scary. They say they want to become a playoff team. They say they want to take the next step, and then they treat players like this. It’s not that I didn’t sign today, but that they misled me.”

So he drove to Los Angeles and prepared to fly home today to Atlanta. The projected starting point guard said he won’t return without a deal.

“Some teams, I probably would (come back while negotiations continue) because they’re good businessmen. I would give them the benefit of the doubt. I remember when I was traded, everyone said, ‘Sorry about going to the Clippers.’ I said, ‘Well things do change.’ They said, ‘No.’ I don’t know now if they’re not right.”

Edwards’ no-show was a mild surprise, because he took a physical Thursday in Los Angeles. It was even less of a concern. For one thing, the Clippers don’t believe the ploy to get an extension on the contract that runs out after this season will last long. For another, Edwards is a 15-year veteran, so a few days out of camp won’t hurt.

The Clippers say they want to take care of their players financially, but at the right time. The priority coming in was to secure Charles Smith, entering the final season of his contract.