Williams Is Weighing Seven Offers

Free-agent center Brian Williams has received offers from seven teams and hopes to sign by the end of the week, his agent said Tuesday.

Fred Slaughter declined to identify the teams involved or the financial aspects of the offers. Williams, who made $2.5 million last season, is expected to be offered considerably more after averaging career highs of 15.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 33.2 minutes per game for the Clippers last season.

“Based on what I’m watching happen with other people similarly situated, the threshold is $7-7.5 million to start out with the first year and the offers can increase by up to as much as 20% per year,” Slaughter said. “You talk about [Houston Rocket center] Hakeem [Olajuwon] getting an extension of $55 million over five years, that’s $11 million. It’s a very healthy market and there are lots of teams interested in Brian. We hope to get something done by the end of the week. I’m counting on it.”

Slaughter said he sent the Clippers a contract proposal Tuesday.

“I let the Clippers know by fax where the market is and I also let them know what it is that Brian seeks, as supported by the market, in order to get a deal done,” Slaughter said. “We made a formal outline to the Clippers and the ball is in their court.”

Williams, who was acquired in a 1995 draft-day trade with the Denver Nuggets, was unavailable for comment.

The Clippers are hoping Williams, who owns a home here and has said he’d like to remain in Los Angeles, will give them a chance to match any offers he receives.

“Our top priority has always been to re-sign Brian Williams,” Clipper spokesman Joe Safety said. “Our policy is not to negotiate deals in the newspaper.”

Losing Williams would be a severe blow for the Clippers, who are hoping to contend for their first playoff berth since 1992-93 after posting the fourth-biggest improvement in the NBA last season.

Center Stanley Roberts, the likely starter if Williams departs, has sat out 181 games over the last three seasons because of injuries. He played in only 14 games in 1993-94 before rupturing his right Achilles’ tendon in a game against the Lakers in December 1993 and sat out the 1994-95 season after rupturing his left Achilles’ tendon in an exhibition game.

Roberts, who underwent arthroscopic heel surgery at the end of last season, sat out five games because of recurring pain in his left heel and 24 games because of ankle injuries last season. Although the Clippers drafted Memphis center Lorenzen Wright last month, he’s projected as a reserve at power forward, small forward and center next season.