WESTERN CONFERENCE : Will Chalres Finally Inherit the Throne? : With barkley Back as Court Jester, Manning, Tisdale Added to Regal Cast, Suns in Position to Dethrone Rockets

Teams are listed in projected order of finish.

PACIFIC DIVISION

PHOENIX SUNS

1993-94 record: 56-26.

Scoring average: 108.2 (first).

Defensive average: 103.4 (13th).

A Dream Teamer at one forward, a two-time all-star at the other, two guys from Dream Team II at guard, two former all-stars coming off the bench . . . and Joe Kleine at center?

It could work, so you’d better watch.

The Suns went 8-0 in exhibitions, averaging 121 points, more than any team has scored in the regular season in 10 years.

This is probably Charles Barkley’s last season, which might be why he hasn’t been running his mouth at the usual pace. He, Danny Manning, Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle, Wayman Tisdale, Danny Ainge, A.C. Green, et al. represent massive firepower so let’s start the fireworks and see who oohs and ahs.

SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

1993-94 record: 63-19.

Scoring average: 105.9 (fifth).

Defensive average: 96.9 (sixth).

George Karl, the tightly wound SuperSonic coach, mourned last spring’s first-round KO by the Denver Nuggets like a jilted lover in a soap opera.

His players, who prefer Nintendo, now face the challenge of growing up. Shawn Kemp had his best season, averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds but disappeared in the playoffs, averaging 15 points and shooting 37%.

Karl’s Dean Smith-type system turned this team around but it’s still an open question if he wouldn’t be better off establishing a go-to guy rather than balancing the offense so evenly. Kemp took only 12.5 shots a game.

There are more problems: General Manager Bob Whitsitt, who protected Karl from volatile owner Barry Ackerley, bolted for Portland. Assistant coach Tim Grgurich, the buffer between Karl and Gary (I’ve Got To Be Me) Payton, left for UNLV. If last season was the honeymoon, here comes the marriage.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

1993-94 record: 50-32.

Scoring average: 107.9 (second).

Defensive average: 106.1 (23rd).

After two injury-ravaged seasons, the Warriors hoped they were starting a new day but for old time’s sake, Chris Mullin was hurt in camp.

He’s due back in six weeks when he’ll join a budding powerhouse that boasts Latrell Sprewell, who became a star; Chris Webber, the missing big man, and Tim Hardaway, returning from knee surgery.

Another big man would come in handy but 6-foot-10 draftee Cliff Rozier is already a bust. He looked so bad at a mini-camp, the Warriors suggested he get a year of seasoning in Europe, or Antarctica.

However, Webber held out through the exhibition season, prompting speculation that he still isn’t over his differences with Coach Don Nelson. Nelson has an out in his own contract after the season. One way or another, it’ll be a hot time in the Bay Area.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

1993-94 record: 47-35.

Scoring average: 107.3 (third).

Defensive average: 104.6 (18th).

In Laker dreams, they’re lining up the aging Trail Blazers in their sights, but it’s not going to be that easy.

Clyde Drexler might be 32, Terry Porter might be hurt, Jerome Kersey might be warming a bench and Rick Adelman might be history but Blazermania lives on. Center Chris Dudley, last year’s missing piece who was lost early, returns. Rod Strickland has become a star. Cliff Robinson already was one, if a spacey one.

High-powered P.J. Carlesimo takes over as coach and has brought in Dick Harter, the guru of knife-between-the-teeth defense, as an assistant. They should win 47 games again, which probably makes them too fast for the Lakers.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

1993-94 record: 33-49.

Scoring average: 100.4 (16th).

Defensive average: 104.7 (19th).

You’ve got to hand it to this Jerry West guy. Rejected by Horace Grant and Danny Manning, seemingly with no moves left, he swipes Cedric Ceballos, a better player than anyone knew, for a No. 1 pick that might be as far away as 1997. He can’t find a famous coach but he gets Del Harris, who is merely a good one.

If the truth were known, Harris probably doesn’t like the running game as much as Jerry Buss does but a restoration of something resembling Showtime was part of the job description and in exhibitions, that’s what the young Lakers did.

Nick Van Exel could be on the verge of something big. Vlade Divac is growing into his $4-million-a-year contract. Whatever happens, the Lakers will be younger, quicker and more fun this season.

Now West only has to steal a superstar, preferably 6-10 or taller.

SACRAMENTO KINGS

1993-94 record: 28-54.

Scoring average: 101.1 (13th).

Defensive average: 106.9 (25th).

Geoff Petrie, former general manager for the Trail Blazers, takes over for funny, unlucky Jerry Reynolds, who can still crack jokes from his post as director of player personnel.

Coach Garry St. Jean starts his third season having lost 111 games and might be wondering if he can catch on as a director of player personnel somewhere.

Last year’s No. 1 pick, Bobby Hurley, is back but this year’s No. 1, Brian Grant, held out and missed most of the exhibition season. Olden Polynice is the center. Lionel Simmons had arthroscopic surgery on a knee and will be sidelined a month.

On the other hand, the Kings will not finish in last place (see next team).

CLIPPERS

1993-94 record: 27-55.

Scoring average: 103.0 (ninth).

Defensive average: 108.7 (27th).

The only guy in the Clipper starting lineup who was starting for anyone at the end of last season is Elmore Spencer.

How does 15 victories sound? Optimistic? Bill Fitch, a good man who likes a challenge, has a beauty. For the Clippers, a great season will consist of drawing the No. 1 pick in the lottery and making sure he doesn’t skip off to Europe on them.

MIDWEST DIVISION

HOUSTON ROCKETS

1993-94 record: 58-24.

Scoring average: 101.1 (13th).

Defensive average: 96.8 (fourth).

Only chemistry stands between these guys and a shot at a repeat but that should suffice.

Last season, the Rockets bottled lightning and, more surprisingly, their egos. If they can do it again, they will have as good a chance as anyone but their offseason was a little rough.

Coach Rudy Tomjanovich was arrested, although ultimately he wasn’t charged, for drunk driving. Forward Robert Horry had a paternity suit slapped on him by the daughter of Rocket Hall of Famer and broadcaster Calvin Murphy. Owner Les Alexander, who bought a championship team intact a year ago, celebrated his title by firing Turbo, the mascot, and most of the publicity staff.

The shorter three-point line might be a curse. The Rockets already tried more of the long shots than anyone else and now Hakeem Olajuwon and Otis Thorpe might want to get into the act. Vernon Maxwell might not set foot inside the line all season.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

1993-94 record: 55-27.

Scoring average: 100.0 (20th).

Defensive average: 94.8 (second).

There’s a new marshal in town and his name is Gregg Popovich.

He’s the general manager hired by the new chairman of the board, Robert (You Can Call me General) McDermott, who likes the sound of his military title so much he still uses it.

The General and Gregg have resolved to turn Dennis Rodman into a straight arrow, a challenge the makers of Thorazine wouldn’t have dared. When Rodman showed up late for an exhibition he was sitting out injured, Poppo popped him for $15,000. Tuesday, they suspended him for acting up. If Madonna so much as shows up at a game, the Worm might get banned for life.

David Robinson had a monster season but his teammates wilted down the stretch. But the Spurs have reacquired Sean Elliott, imprisoned for a year in Detroit after Isiah Thomas decided Elliott couldn’t play, and he should go back to scoring his 18 a game.

If the Spurs could keep Rodman mellow, they could be something. But they might as well try to catch the wind.

UTAH JAZZ

1993-94 record: 53-29.

Scoring average: 101.9 (10th).

Defensive average: 97.7 (ninth).

See last season’s report. Same as next season’s report. Every year it’s the same story. Karl Malone and John Stockton are a year older. Management has stolen a player or two to help them win 50 games and a playoff series or two, but never more.

Last season Scott Layden, son of former coach Frank and an underrated personnel director, hornswoggled the Philadelphia 76ers out of sharpshooting Jeff Hornacek and the Minnesota Timberwolves out of Felton Spencer, the best of the bad centers, so the Jazz aren’t going away. But Malone’s pleas for a Barkley-style trade to a real contender grow louder each year when he realizes it’s the same old deal. He’ll be tuning up by January.

DENVER NUGGETS

1993-94 record: 42-40.

Scoring average: 100.3 (19th).

Defensive average: 98.8 (10th).

Imagine John Elway, leading cheers before a Nugget game, roaring, “Let’s get r-r-r-r-e-a-d-y to rumble!”

It actually happened.

Last spring’s playoff run carried Denver within a victory of the Western Conference finals and turned on the city, which had all but forgotten the Nuggets were in town in the sorry post-Doug Moe days.

Expectations are sky high but Coach Dan Issel tries to remind everyone this team’s best days are two or three years away. The question is, is anybody listening?

The Nuggets have a young nucleus--Dikembe Mutombo, 28; LaPhonso Ellis, 24; Rodney Rogers, 23; Bryant Stith, 23; Robert Pack, 25; Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (25)--but one problem: no great player. If you want to have a great team, you need more than good players, you need one real star.

The Nuggets aren’t likely to get one in the draft--they’re out of the lottery for the foreseeable future. Ellis and Rogers have a chance to be special but they’re not there yet.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

1993-94 record: 13-69.

Scoring average: 95.1 (27th).

Defensive average: 103.8 (17th).

Things are turning up. What other direction was there for them to go? The Mavericks have averaged 67 losses the last three seasons, a monumental feat considering the single-season record is 73. Don Carter, vowing to turn the team around before selling it, rehired 63-year-old Dick Motta, who was never known as a players’ coach--until he succeeded Quinn Buckner to the cheers of the grateful Mavericks.

Motta’s widely admired half-court offense has made stars of his forwards--Bob Love, Chet Walker, Elvin Hayes, Mark Aguirre--wherever he’s gone. Jamal Mashburn, lost last season when Buckner tried to install the Bulls’ mysterious triangle offense, should take off, along with Jim Jackson and Jason Kidd. Roy Tarpley is back from his exile abroad. The joke is over in Big D.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

1993-94 record: 20-62.

Scoring average: 96.7 (26th).

Defensive average: 103.6 (16th).

They’ve been sold, moved to New Orleans, unsold, moved back and finally re-sold to a Minnesota businessman named Glen Taylor.

Does this end the bad old days when co-owners Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner did a pleasure-palace decree that bankrupted their team, despite playing to 95% of capacity, and installed Wolfenson’s son-in-law as team president?

Maybe, maybe not. Taylor’s first act was to make his son-in-law team president.

Larry Brown’s assistant, Bill Blair, succeeds Sidney Lowe, whowas more of a carpet than a coach and the wrong man to deal with the Brat Pack of Christian Laettner and Isaiah Rider. Rookie Donyell Marshall had a big exhibition season but talent isn’t the T-Wolves’ problem as much as professionalism.