Clippers Must Pay the Price of Losing Wilkins to Celtics : Basketball: All-Star forward’s short tenure in L.A. ends with a three-year, $11-million deal from Boston.

All-Star forward Dominique Wilkins, the Clippers’ leading scorer last season, signed an $11-million, three-year contract as a free agent with the Boston Celtics on Friday.

Steve Kauffman, Wilkins’ agent, said he tried to reach the Clippers to inform them that they were on the verge of losing Wilkins without getting compensation, but the Clippers didn’t return his call.

“What are you going to do?” Kauffman said. “It’s laughable. It’s a shame, really.

“They never made an offer over $8 million, guaranteed. I gave them another chance to do so just out of courtesy, but it never happened.”

Wilkins, who became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, had originally sought a $21-million, three-year deal from the Clippers, who balked because of his age, 34.

After being turned down by Wilkins on an $8-million, two-year contract, the Clippers came back with a $7.5-million, three-year deal with an $800,000 yearly bonus if the club made the playoffs.

After being contacted by 11 teams, Wilkins narrowed it to four, among them the Lakers, before signing with Boston, which is rebuilding after missing the playoffs for the first time since 1979.

“It feels great,” Wilkins told the Associated Press from Chicago, where he is practicing with the team that will represent the United States at the World Championships in Toronto next month. “Just the tradition alone there gets you ready to play. I always loved playing in the Boston Garden and now I’ll be playing there all the time.”

The Clippers, who acquired forward Malik Sealy of the Indiana Pacers and rookie forwards Lamond Murray of California and Eric Piatkowski of Nebraska to replace Wilkins, had already decided that Wilkins was expendable.

“We have said all along that we will do what we think is in our best interests,” Clipper spokesman Joe Safety said. “Our offers to Dominique were proportionate to those interests. We wish him the very best.”

The Clippers, who recently met with free-agent forward Horace Grant of the Chicago Bulls, can sign a free agent with Wilkins’ 1993-94 salary slot of $3.5 million available under the salary cap.

Wilkins, who was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks along with a first-round pick in the 1994 draft for disgruntled forward Danny Manning last February, averaged 29.1 points, seven rebounds and 2.2 assists in 25 games with the Clippers.

“I had a great year despite the senseless trade,” Wilkins said. “I’m feeling as good as I’ve felt in my career and now I think I’ll end my career with the Celtics.”

Wilkins is the NBA’s leading active scorer with the recent retirement of Moses Malone. Last season, he became the ninth player in NBA history to score more than 24,000 points. He has scored 24,019 in his 12-year career, an average of 26.5 a game.

Wilkins, the leading scorer in Hawk history, helped the Hawks get off to their best start last season. He was stunned by the trade to the Clippers and accused the Hawks of mishandling the trade because the deal was announced before he was informed by team management.

He was diplomatic after joining the Clippers, saying he felt he would end his career in Los Angeles.

The Clippers won five of their first eight games after Wilkins joined the team. But they lost 17 of their final 21 games after contract negotiations with Wilkins broke down.

* STILL SHOPPPING

The Clippers, without a coach for 66 days, have spoken with former Laker coach Randy Pfund but haven’t identified a leading candidate. C6