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Goodbye, Stanley, We Barely Knew You

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

The Clippers began life without Stanley Roberts on Thursday, which shouldn’t be too difficult a transition since they never had much of one with him.

In five seasons, he played in at least 65% of the games only once, in 1992-93 after being acquired in trade from the Orlando Magic. A ruptured right Achilles’ tendon cost him most of 1993-94. A ruptured left Achilles’ tendon cost him all of 1994-95. He played in only 51 games in 1995-96 because of heel and ankle injuries, and he lost 61 games this season because of a back injury.

And when the body was willing, the mind wasn’t. A more genuinely likable guy cannot be found in the NBA, but it was also the boyish personality of someone devoid of discipline to stay in shape--other than round.

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So when the trade came during the draft Wednesday--Roberts to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Stojko Vrankovic--there was no mistaking the reasoning. The Clippers were willing to take someone with far less talent, and Roberts did have plenty, for the comfort of knowing their new center will be in condition to play every night.

“I’ve been his biggest supporter,” General Manager Elgin Baylor said. “But I can say there’s a lot of truth to that.”

It was time to move on. Five years of encouragement and tough love and every kind of motivation in between, of suspensions and recoveries, of being depressed by the latest weigh-in and impressed by the latest post move when he was in shape had given way to the frustration of uncertainty.

Coach Bill Fitch on Thursday ticked off the reasons to like Vrankovic, even though 23-year-old Croatian lost his starting job the second half of 1996-97 to Dean Garrett:

--Vrankovic will supply interior defense.

--Vrankovic will make the nice outlet pass.

--And, “He’ll be there every night.”

It was a move for stability. It wasn’t for salary-cap flexibility, since Roberts can become a free agent after one more season if the Timberwolves don’t pick up the option a year from now and Vrankovic has two more seasons coming. And it certainly wasn’t for a big man with better skills, since Fitch said of Roberts that “this guy has as much ability or more” than any of his past big men, an awesome statement considering he has coached Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Hakeem Olajuwon, among others.

“I’ve had a lot of talks with Stanley,” Baylor said. “I spent a lifetime talking to Stanley since he got here. Through a lot of injuries, through moments when he showed brilliance.

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“I’m sure it was all very frustrating to Stanley. It was frustrating to me. Each year. To get injured three years in a row. . . . A lot of the injuries were not his fault. They were injuries that could happen to any player. But having the extra weight brought on other aches and pains that only compounded the problems.

“At this point in time, a change of scenery is probably the best thing for Stanley.”

Maybe he realizes as much. He and Baylor kept missing each other on the phone Thursday, but Roberts spoke with director of player personnel Jeff Weltman. There was no mistaking the tone.

“He was a little disappointed,” Weltman said. “But he said he’s looking forward to getting set up in Minnesota.”

For the new start. The latest new start.

Clipper-Laker Notes

The Clippers officially introduced first-round pick Maurice Taylor at a Sports Arena news conference. The forward from Michigan, an unexpected find for the Clippers since they did not expect him to be available at No. 14, said he had no regrets about leaving school one year early for the pros. “I thought I’d be better off as a rookie than as a senior,” Taylor said. “The college game holds you back.” He is represented by Norm Nixon, the former Laker and Clipper guard. . . . Paul Rogers, the latter of the Lakers’ two second-round choices, plans to try to make the team, longshot or not, rather than sign now to play in his native Australia. “That definitely is my goal,” he said. Contrary to information released Wednesday night, the 7-footer has hired an agent, which means he can not return to Gonzaga for his senior year.

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