Strickland Gets Friday Deadline

Rod Strickland’s agent says last year’s NBA assists leader is a changed man who deserves a five-year contract.

The Washington Wizards aren’t impressed, and General Manager Wes Unseld says if a deal isn’t reached with the free agent by Friday’s opener, he’ll “go with what we have.”

Those were the two new wrinkles Monday in another round of sharp words between the two men who remain millions apart as they haggle over one of the best point guards in the league. The sticking point is that Strickland is 32 and has not always taken good care of his body, so the Wizards are balking at agent David Falk’s demand for a five-year, fully guaranteed deal.

With tipoff nearing--and both sides waiting for the other to make a move--Falk offered a revelation about Strickland.

“He’s completely changed his lifestyle in the last nine months,” Falk said. “And he works out religiously with the same trainer that works out Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and others in Maryland. He’s probably in the best physical condition he’s been. He’s changed his diet. He’s gotten very serious.”

Last season, Strickland would show up late, eat junk food in a hurry and sometimes get sick at courtside during games. Falk declined to make Strickland available for comment.

Falk is asking for a five-year deal worth $55 million--$10 million less than his original offer--for Strickland. The Wizards are offering a three-year deal worth $27 million guaranteed, plus two more years worth $23 million if Strickland meets certain performance incentives.

Unseld added he would not let the matter hang over the team once the season starts. Fans chanted, “We want Rod!” at a scrimmage and an exhibition game last week, and Unseld doesn’t want them in a “Rod watch” mode all season.

“If it’s not done by the time we open up the season, then it’s not going to get done,” Unseld said. “We’re not going to have this situation where we go in and lose four or five games and everybody’s says it’s because Rod’s not here.

“You will know beforehand that’s the way it’s going to be. . . . If it’s not successful, then I have to live with that, I have to suffer whatever repercussions come with that. I’ll willing to do that.”

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Power forward Grant Long signed with the Atlanta Hawks, returning to the team for which he played two seasons after a 1994 trade from Miami.

Terms were not disclosed.

Long, expected to be Alan Henderson’s backup, was traded by Atlanta to Detroit in 1996. Long, 32, averaged 3.5 points and 3.8 rebounds last season.

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Swingman David Wingate, 35, signed with the New York Knicks. He spent last season with Seattle, averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds in 58 games. . . . The Chicago Bulls waived forwards Roy Rogers and Rob Werdann. Rogers was acquired as part of the sign-and-trade deal with Houston that sent Scottie Pippen to the Rockets. Werdann was a free agent who played most recently in the Continental Basketball Assn. . . . Boston Celtic center Dwayne Schintzius underwent surgery to repair a broken nose suffered during practice Saturday, the team said. Schintzius will be fitted with a protective facemask and will likely play in the season opener Friday against Cleveland. . . . Adding depth in the middle, the Sacramento Kings signed center Oliver Miller. Miller, 28, has averaged 8.1 points and 6.4 rebounds over six NBA seasons. . . . Percy Miller, a millionaire rapper and music mogul known as Master P, was waived by the Charlotte Hornets.

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Danny Manning, the first NBA player to come back from a third reconstructive knee surgery, scored 16 points before sitting out the fourth quarter as the Suns completed an exhibition sweep over the Dallas Mavericks, 117-109, at Phoenix. The Suns’ prized free-agent acquisition, forward Tom Gugliotta, didn’t play because of a sore shoulder. Sun guard Rex Chapman didn’t play in either exhibition because of a sore hamstring and may miss Friday’s season opener against the Clippers. . . . Dale Davis had 16 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes at Indianapolis and the Indiana Pacers overcame Toni Kukoc’s 32 points to defeat the Chicago Bulls, 89-83, in the final exhibition game for both teams. . . . Cory Alexander’s three-point play with 3:21 left in the second overtime put Denver ahead for good and the Nuggets made their free throws down the stretch to record a wild 116-111 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz. . . . In front of a half-filled Miami Arena, Jamal Mashburn scored 21 points to lead the Heat to an 82-76 victory over the Orlando Magic. Orlando’s Horace Grant and Nick Anderson missed the game because of minor leg injuries.