THE NBA / 1993-93 SEASON PREVIEW : No Surprise: Clippers in Awkward Position : Pro basketball: To have any chance for success, they need big seasons from players who want to become free agents.

After Coach Larry Brown had deserted the Clippers for the Indiana Pacers and forward Ken Norman, their leading rebounder, had fled to Milwaukee, some predicted that the Clippers, who had reached the NBA playoffs the last two seasons, would sink back into mediocrity.

But Bob Weiss, the Clippers’ seventh coach in the last 10 seasons, maintains that his club will contend for a playoff berth again this season, which opens tonight when the Clippers face the Portland Trail Blazers at the Sports Arena.

“I think we definitely have a chance to be one of the surprise teams in the league,” Weiss said. “We won 41 games last year and lost a starter, so a lot of teams are saying, ‘What more can they do?’ And if you add that to the West getting tougher, it’s going to be a tough year. But I think these guys are up to handling it and I think they can surprise some people.”

The Clippers will revolve around forward Danny Manning and guard Ron Harper, each of whom will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and point guard Mark Jackson, who set a team single-season assist record last season.

Manning, who averaged a career-high 22.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season, was nearly traded to the Miami Heat last month.

Ron Grinker, Manning’s agent, said owner Donald T. Sterling blocked the trade, but the Clippers say the decision was made by their executive committee of Sterling, General Manager Elgin Baylor and Weiss because they think they can re-sign Manning, who rejected a $25-million, five-year deal over the summer.

Harper, who averaged 18 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists last season, said before training camp that he would leave at the end of the season unless the Clippers signed him to a new contract before camp ended. They didn’t.

With NBA teams awarding lucrative contracts to free agents, will Manning and Harper have increased incentive to play well this season?

“For some guys just coming into the league it would be (motivation), but for me it’s not,” Harper said. “I feel I don’t have anything to prove. The thing I’ve got to do is just play hard and just play a consistent role on this team.

“I don’t want to go out just to play for Ron and just for my own sake. I don’t want to go out and not pass to a guy who has a better shot than me. I want to play as a team guy should play. That’s how I’m going to play. I know some guys that would be in the same situation that I’m in and they would play for themselves, but I don’t want to do that.”

Manning agreed.

“I’m going to play the same way,” Manning said. “I’m not going to change. I’m going to play hard, like I always have.”

Jackson, who averaged 14.4 points, 8.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds last season, will run Weiss’ motion offense.

Loy Vaught, who signed a $12-million, four-year contract extension before training camp, replaces Norman at power forward. Vaught averaged 20 points and 9.5 rebounds in four starts last season and played well during the exhibition season, averaging 10 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds. He had 16 rebounds in a victory over the Indiana Pacers last month.

But the Clippers’ biggest question is at center, where Stanley Roberts was inconsistent last season. Roberts averaged 6.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in the first 3 1/2 months, then, after playing his way into shape, averaged 15.6 points and 9.8 rebounds and his minutes per game increased from 15.3 to 27.3.

The Clippers were encouraged when Roberts lost 35 pounds during the off-season, but he gained some of the weight back before camp opened. He also missed several workouts because of a minor back injury, a blister and food poisoning.

“If Stanley does ever make that concerted commitment to being in top physical condition, he could be one of the top centers,” Weiss said. “But that’s something that has to come from within.

“Without putting the weight on his shoulders, we should still be a good team. If Stanley has a great season, that will vastly increase our chances of how good we can be. And we need some steady play from Loy and from our bench.”

Weiss is also counting on a contribution from rookie guard Terry Dehere, their No. 1 draft pick from Seton Hall. The leading scorer in Big East history, Dehere played well during the exhibition season, averaging 9.6 points before spraining his right ankle.

The Clippers strengthened their bench by acquiring forwards Mark Aguirre and Tom Tolbert and re-signing free-agent guard Gary Grant.

Aguirre, who was waived by the Detroit Pistons last month, is expected to back up Manning at small forward. Signed as a free agent after playing for the Orlando Magic last season, Tolbert will back up Vaught at power forward.

Although Aguirre, due $3 million over the next two seasons from the Pistons, is financially secure, he signed a one-year, $150,000 contract with the Clippers because he still wants to play.

“It’s not like I had to play,” Aguirre said. “I’m set in a unique position where I’m playing for the fun of it.”

Aguirre, who helped the Pistons win consecutive NBA titles in 1989 and ‘90, hopes to provide leadership.

“I’m just going to tell them what it takes to win,” Aguirre said. “It’s going to take a total unselfish attitude among everybody. We shouldn’t have to have coaches govern us or a captain govern us. If you can do that, then you have the discipline that brings on the hard work and that propels you above the teams that don’t do that.”

Clipper Roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. College Exp 7 Mark Aguirre F 6-6 232 DePaul 12 24 Terry Dehere G 6-4 190 Seton Hall R 23 Gary Grant G 6-3 195 Michigan 5 4 Ron Harper G 6-6 198 Miami (Ohio) 7 13 Mark Jackson G 6-3 192 St. John’s 6 32 Henry James* F 6-8 220 St. Mary’s 3 5 Danny Manning F 6-10 234 Kansas 5 42 Bob Martin C 7-0 255 Minnesota R 53 Stanley Roberts C 7-0 290 LSU 2 27 Elmore Spencer C 7-0 270 UNLV 12 3 Tom Tolbert F 6-7 240 Arizona 5 35 Loy Vaught F 6-9 240 Michigan 3 34 John Williams** F 6-9 295 LSU 6 14 Randy Woods G 6-0 185 LaSalle 1

* Injured list. ** Suspended list.

Head coach: Bob Weiss. Assistant coaches: Johnny Davis, Dave Wohl, Bob Ociepka.