Manning Opens Door : Clippers: He says he is willing to consider long-term contract offer rather than becoming a free agent.

Danny Manning indicated for the first time Monday that he is willing to open talks on a new long-term contract with the Clippers.

Manning is set to become a restricted free agent July 1, when the five-year deal he signed as the No. 1 pick of the 1988 draft expires.

He has long maintained that he would become a free agent this summer, sign a one-year qualifying offer at $3.25 million and then become an unrestricted free agent after next season, when the Clippers would not have the right to match any offer.

There also have been conflicts between Manning and Coach Larry Brown that at one point prompted Manning to ask for a trade, a request he rescinded two days later, and statements by his agent, Ron Grinker, that it would be best for both sides if Manning moved on. Grinker, a lawyer and longtime friend of the Manning family, has also been critical of Brown and owner Donald T. Sterling.

All of that seemed to indicate that Manning was not long for the Clippers.

But when the Clippers held a final team meeting at the Sports Arena on Monday to vote on playoff shares and say their goodbys after Saturday’s playoff loss to Houston, the situation appeared to have changed.

“I think it’s a possibility,” Manning, the Clippers’ leading scorer the last two seasons, said when asked if he would talk about a new contract. “If both sides are willing to sit down and willing to negotiate.”

Why the change of heart?

“I’ve been here five years,” he said. “The first year, I blew my knee out and was not here as far as being able to play. The last two were good. The two after coming back (from the knee injury) were frustrating, as far as not reaching our potential. But it’s gotten better. I’d like to be part of something good with this organization. For selfish reasons, too. This team has seen a lot of adversity. It would be nice to see some of the celebrations.”

That made for an encouraging start to the off-season for the Clippers, to whom re-signing Manning has been a high priority since training camp opened last October. Will they strike while the feeling is good with an attention-getting offer? Or take it slow and see what trade possibilities develop?

Clipper management met Monday to discuss what they want to do about Manning and the other potential free agents: Ken Norman, Ron Harper and Gary Grant. No decisions were made, including whether to pick up Harper’s $4-million option for next season.

Even without the contract uncertainties, it figures to be a telling summer for the Clippers.

Stanley Roberts, who arrived at training camp weighing about 320 pounds and got down as low as 293, left at 305. That is about 10 pounds more than the Clippers would like, so they will try to monitor his conditioning when Roberts returns home to Florida.

“We just have to keep an eye on him and trust him,” said trainer Keith Jones, who expects to make a couple of summer trips to Orlando to check on Roberts.

And John Williams weighs about 300 pounds, about 30 more than the Clippers would like.