ANALYSIS : Schuler Is Twisting in the Wind : Pro basketball: Clipper players say they wonder daily about his status. Management is split on his future.

Still living near the basement of the Pacific Division and in playoff contention only because the Seattle SuperSonics are their equal in underachieving, the Clippers are a house divided.

Management, after pondering the issue for two months, is split on whether Mike Schuler should remain coach, the schism apparently based as much on outside factors as on Schuler’s performance.

Players also appear split on Schuler.

Some observers had predicted that Schuler, midway through his second season, would not make it to tonight’s game against the Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena. Conventional wisdom said that if owner Donald T. Sterling and General Manager Elgin Baylor were going to fire their coach, this was the week. The Clippers have been off since last Saturday and a new man could have scheduled a mini-camp.

But Schuler is still in charge because:

--First and foremost, the Clippers have grown very conscious of their revolving-door image. If they were not on their seventh coach since 1980, chances are that Schuler would have been gone by now.

--Money. Paying someone about $300,000 this season and next not to coach is not considered good business by Sterling. But at least one insider insists that money is not the issue this time.

--Who to hire next.

Assistant coach Mack Calvin is popular with the players, but the Clippers promoted Don Casey when he was an assistant, then regretted it. Calvin has been mentioned for years as head coaching material, but there is some question whether the Clippers want to find out on their time.

Mike Fratello? If Baylor and Sterling had doubts about him during the search a few years back, what makes anyone think they wouldn’t have them now? The Clippers never even talked contract with the former Atlanta coach when they were trying to replace Casey.

Jerry Tarkanian or Billy Tubbs at the end of the season? Jim Valvano now? NBA experience preferred, if not required.

Through it all, an irony develops. By trying to hold the line in hopes of creating stability, the Clippers have created uncertainty with their players.

Would all 11 of the players traveling have voted to cancel practice last week at San Antonio if the coach were firmly in control? Players can sense when a coach is in trouble and, if they want, take advantage.

As center Olden Polynice said when asked about the level of tension: “It’s more the indecision. It’s the not knowing. Everyone is trying to give an all-out effort. We want to win. But I wake up every morning wondering if he is still the coach or not. It’s a tough situation for the players. I’m sure it is tough for him, too. But we need to know one way or another what’s going on.”

Several players say Schuler has the support of about half the team. It is believed that Schuler also has about 50-50 support in the front office.

Mostly, the complaints that have existed for months are a bigger part of the picture than a 20-23 record.

--Communicating with and relating to players.

“I don’t even think it’s a matter of tension anymore,” said Polynice, who, like other teammates, has been frustrated by Schuler’s playing rotation. “Everybody just keeps things to themselves now. I just say ‘Good morning,’ and that’s about it. You can feel it.

“I go all out and try to win games and that’s it. If I go the whole season and don’t say another word to him, that’s fine.”

Polynice is not alone in his opinions, but he is the only Clipper willing to go on the record with his comments.

--The offense. Schuler shouts to his players to push the ball, but the Clippers, burdened by poor shooting, continue among the lowest-scoring teams in the league. When one member of upper management was asked recently if the Clippers seemed to be going away from the running game, the response was “What running game?”

--Underachieving. They are about a month ahead of last season’s winning pace, but if the playoffs began today, the Clippers would not qualify. They have lost to Sacramento, Dallas, New Jersey, Indiana, twice to Washington and needed overtime to beat Charlotte.

They need to finish 21-18 to reach .500. The schedule turns favorable in February in that the Clippers have only three road games but is more difficult after the All-Star break.

One player summed up the mood and the state of the Clippers:

“It could be better,” he said. “A lot better.”