THE NBA / MARK HEISLER : Will They Still Be Able to (Lottery) Party in 1999?

The times, they are a-changin’. As a matter of fact, they have already a-changed.

The dynasties of the ‘80s have been plowed under, the Bulls’ dynasty of the ‘90s is on its way out and a new class of budding powers is on its way up.

It’s not hard to guess who the elite will be in five years: Orlando with Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee (Penny) Hardaway; Charlotte with Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson; Golden State with Chris Webber, Latrell Sprewell, Billy Owens and Tim Hardaway; Seattle with Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Kendall Gill.

But, in five years, which of today’s downtrodden--teams not now in playoff slots--will be back? Here’s how the rebuilding programs look:

1. Philadelphia 76ers--Shawn Bradley, 21, will be a force when he learns how to play and they get him some muscular help. Clarence Weatherspoon, 23, is a big-timer. Plus they have a tradable asset in Jeff Hornacek.

2. Washington Bullets--They might cost Coach Wes Unseld his job, but Tom Gugliotta, 24, Don MacLean, 24, and reborn prospect Rex Chapman, 26, are the light at the end of a long tunnel. If Pervis Ellison, 27, makes it back, so much the better.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves--They’re the only expansion team that still looks like an expansion team, but they have two budding superstars, Christian Laettner, 24, and Isaiah Rider, 22.

4. Dallas Mavericks--Blue-chippers, Jamal Mashburn, 21, and Jim Jackson, 23, still figure to be stars. Coach Quinn Buckner won’t be around to see it, though.

5. Lakers--They’ve only begun to rebuild, but Jerry West struck out boldly and already has Doug Christie, 23; Anthony Peeler, 24; Nick Van Exel, 22, and George Lynch, 23, despite never having missed the playoffs. Vlade Divac is only 26. This summer, they’ll get a lottery pick and will have A.C. Green’s $1.75-million slot to offer a free agent. However, dynasties are built on superstars like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and West has to find one of those.

6. Sacramento Kings--They cost General Manager Jerry Reynolds his job, but with Mitch Richmond, 28, Lionel Simmons, 25, Walt Williams, 23, and Bobby Hurley, 22, they’re not far away. Maybe Mitch Kupchak or whoever succeeds Reynolds will be luckier in the lottery.

7. Clippers--They can’t start rebuilding until they stop tearing down. Danny Manning, 27, is expected to leave. Ron Harper, 29, has vowed to go, but people who know him say he’ll take the best offer, which may still be here. Loy Vaught, 26, and Mark Jackson, 28, are players. Stanley Roberts, 23, remains a prospect but has to prove he’ll ever see 275 pounds.

8. Milwaukee Bucks--Mike Dunleavy made them younger in a hurry, but now he has to make them better. Eric Murdock, 25, Todd Day, 23, and Vin Baker, 22, are prospects but not budding superstars.

9. Detroit Pistons--Lindsey Hunter, 23, Allan Houston, 22, Terry Mills, 26, and Sean Elliott, 24, are a start, but Isiah Thomas, 32, and Joe Dumars, 30, should have been cashed in for prospects two years ago.

10. Boston Celtics--The Len Bias and Reggie Lewis tragedies leave them with a bunch of so-so prospects. Dino Radja, 26, is the only exciting one.

11. New Jersey Nets--Unless everyone misses his guess, Derrick Coleman, 26, will be gone by the summer of ‘95, leaving only Kenny Anderson, 23, who will be the next one who wants out.

GRUMPY YOUNG MAN

The Lakers must be intrigued to hear that a young super-duper like Coleman reportedly included them on a list of teams to which he would accept a trade.

On the other hand, Coleman has a bad back, a dour exterior and a history of haranguing teammates, showing up coaches and blowing off the press. Whoever gives him $69 million or more straps his franchise to the back of a tiger.

Two weeks after giving teammates T-shirts commemorating the Nets’ $69-million offer he turned down, Coleman finally consented to make his first comment on the situation.

That is, he recapped some of the things he hadn’t said . . . yet.

“Did I ever say I didn’t want to stay?” Coleman said. “Did you ever read anything in the paper that quoted me as saying I didn’t want to stay in New Jersey? Then don’t speculate.”

Nah, that was probably his agent who planted the story that he would approve a deal with the Lakers or the Pistons.

Coleman hasn’t said he wants to stay, either, worrying Net General Manager Willis Reed, who doesn’t want to speculate, either.

“At some point, Derrick has to say whether he wants to be here,” Reed said. “He owes that to the fans and the organization. If he legitimately doesn’t want to be here, he has to say that. I think he’s man enough to do that.”

Also weighing his options is Coach Chuck Daly, whose contract will also be up in the summer of ’95.

“That (losing Coleman) would be a loss of a major piece of property that you don’t come by very often,” Daly said. “I’d have some problems with it. I don’t know how we could make it up.”

HERE’S THE WINDUP AND THE PITCH . . .

Curveball, swung on and missed! If they keep throwing Michael Jordan breaking balls, he’d better trade in that bat for a canoe paddle!

The White Sox brass is suggesting politely that Mike’s plan to attend their spring training is--how to phrase it?--a trifle . . . stupid?

Said Manager Gene Lamont: “I think he knows if spring training started tomorrow, I don’t think he really thinks (editor’s note--are you still with us?) it would be in his best interest or anyone’s best interest to go.

“Hitting is the key. It is with everyone.

“I will say this, he’s working hard, really hard, but he’s still a real long shot to make it.”

General Manager Ron Schueler, a 45-year-old right-hander who last pitched 14 years ago--the same year Jordan last played baseball, as a high school junior--proposes to settle it by throwing to Mike personally. In his prime, Schueler had a good curve, so if he can summon up 70 m.p.h. of heat to go with it, Jordan is in trouble.

“I’ve been throwing for a few days, trying to get ready,” says Schueler. “I plan to throw to him around Feb. 7 or 8. I want to see if he can hit a curveball.”

. . . AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM

Not to put too fine a point on this, since it took an entire organization an entire decade to cut the heart out of Clipper morale, but their problem was simple: Their playing roster had quit.

Players went through the motions, some more energetically, sincerely and/or consistently than others, but as a team, they didn’t exist. Twelve players, 12 agendas.

That’s why it was so heartening to watch rookie Harold Ellis last week. Unlike his teammates, he didn’t have a guaranteed multiyear contract. He had a chance to be a free agent this summer, too, but he wasn’t looking forward to it.

He played with so much heart, it must have embarrassed teammates to remember that once they were that young and hungry. He was an inspiration in the middle of a depression.

FACES AND FIGURES

They aim for the moon but sometimes they hit London, or each other: The Houston Rockets started 22-1, then went 6-8 and saw their beautiful chemistry go right out the window. Said Vern Maxwell: “We’ve got to stop pointing fingers at each other. That’s all that’s been happening lately and that’s why we haven’t done crap lately.” . . . Maxwell, back after having been monitored for an irregular heartbeat, has been told to give up alcohol. “Will that change my lifestyle? Yeah,” Mad Max said.

Passing fancy: Chris Webber’s assist average--3.8--already matches that of Brad Daugherty, generally regarded as the NBA’s best passing center. “Think of what you’ll have some day,” Warrior Coach Don Nelson said. “Chris’ priority is to pass, and how many great passing centers do you have who also have the ability to score? When you start with a big man who can pass, there are great things in store for your ballclub. We’re going to have a lot of fun for a lot of years.”

The future just arrived: Penny Hardaway, supposedly being groomed as the next Orlando point guard, averaged 43 minutes in a recent stretch while Scott Skiles, who is supposedly grooming him, averaged 25. “I’m ready to do whatever they want,” said the hard-bitten Skiles, more graciously than anyone expected. “I always knew Penny would be the point guard. If the time is now, it’s now.” . . . Ron Harper on TNT’s Clipper-Celtic matchup: “I was surprised they came. I figured once they figured out who was playing, they’d call and say they couldn’t make it.”

Agent Ron Grinker on speculation Danny Manning will sign with Orlando: “Orlando is one of the teams he likes. The right people know that. Who wouldn’t want to play on a team with Shaquille O’Neal, Anfernee Hardaway and Scott Skiles?” . . . Injured Larry Johnson tried to practice last week but gave it up. “We want Larry to come back completely healthy,” Charlotte Coach Allan Bristow said. “We got a chance to see how he looks and he’s still got a ways to go.”