Lakers Get OK From Suns to Negotiate With Ceballos

The Phoenix Suns have given the Lakers permission to talk to the agent of Cedric Ceballos and negotiate a new contract, an important hurdle that might indicate a deal is near to return the former Ventura College and Cal State Fullerton standout to Southern California.

The development is significant because Ceballos will need to restructure the five-year, $11-million deal he signed in 1993 before the teams can make a trade that almost certainly will send a first-round draft pick to the Suns. He is due to make $2.1 million this season, but the Lakers’ best salary slot is $1.75 million, so the 25-year-old small forward would have to forgo $350,000 for 1994-95 and be reimbursed in future years.

Agent Fred Slaughter, who has said repeatedly the last few weeks as trade rumors swirled that he and Ceballos would be willing to talk about a new package, is expected to meet with Laker officials today.

“I’ve talked to people on both sides of the Colorado,” Slaughter said Tuesday, “and I expect I will again tomorrow.

“I should know something by (Wednesday). I have some meetings with Cedric to talk about this.”

Jerry West, Laker executive vice president, declined comment. A Phoenix official, feeling confident about his team’s depth at forward after the NBA on Tuesday gave verbal approval to the contract recently signed by Wayman Tisdale, said the Suns are working on a deal, but would not discuss the parties involved.

The Suns have only one true center, Joe Kleine, after deciding against matching the four-year, $10-million contract the Detroit Pistons gave to Oliver Miller, and would like to add a backup point guard. But getting a player of any quality is almost impossible because of a salary cap technicality. That makes an exchange for a No. 1 pick almost an automatic.

Also Tuesday, veteran center James Edwards, who spent the last two seasons with the Lakers and the year before that with the Clippers, signed with the Portland Trail Blazers as a free agent.