Clippers Have to Name a Coach Now, Right?

Just because the NBA lockout is over, don’t look for the Clippers to immediately get their house in order as they start preparation for the shortened season without a coach or their No. 1 draft choice.

It’s no surprise that the Clippers are the only team in the league without a coach; they made it clear they wouldn’t select one until after the lockout was settled.

They probably won’t have a coach until next week, because owner Donald Sterling and executive vice president Andy Roeser are not scheduled to return from league meetings in New York until Friday. It appears that former Clipper assistant Jim Brewer is the likely choice over former Sacramento King coach Eddie Jordan.

Brewer’s having been an assistant under former coach Bill Fitch the last four seasons could be to his advantage because there will be only a two-week training camp before play begins Feb. 2.

Unlike many teams that have a high number of free agents to sign, the Clippers have most of their roster under contract, which makes Brewer’s familiarity with the team a plus over Jordan and former Milwaukee and Boston coach Chris Ford, who also has interviewed for the job.

“I haven’t heard anything,” said Brewer, 45, a 12-year NBA veteran and former Laker center who has a strong background coaching big men. “I really don’t know anything at this time. I’m waiting to see what is going to happen.”

Clipper management is not available until NBA owners formally ratify the new bargaining agreement today.

Whoever is named the 18th coach in franchise history might have to work with an interim tag because of the abbreviated season, about 50 games. Sterling might want his next coach to prove himself first before giving him a long-term commitment.

That would make a tough job even tougher because the new coach will have to start the season without Michael Olowokandi, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft. Olowokandi will not join the Clippers until Feb. 15 because of a contract he signed Monday to play in Italy.

“He’s excited that the lockout has been settled, but he’s also excited to be playing now,” said Bill Duffy, Olowokandi’s agent. “He’ll miss some time, but I don’t think that anyone really is going to benefit from a two-week training camp anyway. If nothing else, he’ll be able to play in some real games and he’ll play as much as he wants.”

Olowokandi, a 7-foot center from Nigeria who played collegiately at Pacific, will be paid $1 million to play for Kinder Bologna before he returns to the Clippers, who already will have played two weeks of the shortened season.

Without Olowokandi, the Clippers will open camp a little thin inside. Free agent Isaac Austin finished last season with the Clippers, but his salary demands are considered too high. That leaves Stojko Vrankovic and Keith Closs, two unproven 7-footers, and Lorenzen Wright, a slender 6-foot-11 forward, who also may see time at center as he heads into the final year of his contract.

At forward, the Clippers feel comfortable enough with Wright, Maurice Taylor, Lamond Murray, Rodney Rogers and rookie Brian Skinner that they appear ready to let Loy Vaught test the free-agent market.

Vaught, an eight-year veteran who played only 11 games last season before having back surgery, doesn’t expect to return despite being the franchise’s all-time rebounding leader.

“I feel that I have proven myself and I’m just looking for my share of respect,” Vaught said before Wednesday’s lockout settlement. “If you look at [the Clippers’] situation and look over the roster, you can make your own conclusions.”

The one position where the Clippers will be active on the free-agent market is at point guard. Last season, Darrick Martin and Pooh Richardson shared the position, but the Clippers have said they plan to spend money to upgrade the play there.

“We’ll be in the free-agent market to get a point guard,” Elgin Baylor, vice president of basketball operations, said after last year’s draft. “We would like to get more maturity on the team.”

Martin is a free agent who has attracted some attention around the league, but the Clippers do not consider him a long-term starter. With their only alternative being Richardson, a nine-year veteran, and James Robinson, more of a shooter, Martin still could end up with the Clippers.

The available free-agent point guards, Rod Strickland and Damon Stoudamire, head everyone’s list. However, the Clippers are not expected to make a strong run for either player.

The Clippers reportedly had their eyes on Travis Best, who played with Indiana last season. Best, however, is expected to re-sign with the Pacers, leaving the Clippers with second- and third-tier players such as Sherman Douglas, who finished last season with New Jersey.

The Clippers also might look to improve at shooting guard unless they plan to move both Rogers and Murray to the position full time.

One thing is for sure. Whether it’s Brewer, Jordan or Ford who gets the task of rebuilding the Clippers, he’ll have a challenge on his hands.

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CLIPPERS AT A GLANCE

Players under contract (10): Keith Closs, Lamond Murray, Eric Piatkowski, Pooh Richardson, James Robinson, Rodney Rogers, Charles Smith, Maurice Taylor, Stojko Vrankovic, Lorenzen Wright.

Unsigned rookies: Michael Olowokandi, Brian Skinner.

Key free agents: Loy Vaught, Isaac Austin, Darrick Martin.

First order of business: Hire a coach to replace the fired Bill Fitch. The latest leading contender supposedly is assistant coach Jim Brewer.