Clippers’ Olowokandi May Be Able to Return Sooner

The Clippers may not have to wait as long as first believed for No. 1 draft pick Michael Olowokandi to return from playing in Italy.

The escape clause in Olowokandi’s one-year, $1-million contract with the Italian League’s Kinder Bologna allows him to return to the Clippers Feb. 15.

That means, after the Italian Cup Final Four event the last weekend of January, Olowokandi would have only two games, Feb. 7 and Feb. 14, before he could exercise his option to return. Because of that, Olowokandi’s agent is looking to get him here earlier.

“I’m looking at the possibility of Michael coming back sooner, whether it’s one week or two weeks,” said Bill Duffy, Olowokandi’s agent, on Sunday. “[Kinder Bologna is] willing to sign [former California center] Sean Marks to replace Michael. They may be better served getting Sean acclimated into their system sooner since they know Michael is going to leave [before the Italian League playoffs in April].”

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If new Coach Chris Ford wants to have someone familiar running the Clippers’ offense this season, the team’s new point guard may be free agent Sherman Douglas, who played with New Jersey last season.

Douglas, a 10-year veteran who began his career with Miami, played for Ford at Boston and Milwaukee. Ford coached the Celtics when they acquired Douglas in a trade from the Heat in 1992, and Douglas put up good numbers until Ford was fired in 1995.

When Ford was hired by Milwaukee in 1996, he found Douglas already there after Boston sent him packing in a November 1995 trade. For one season, Douglas played well for Ford, steadying the Bucks’ backcourt. However, before the start of last season, Douglas was traded to Cleveland in a three-way deal that sent Vin Baker to Seattle and Terrell Brandon and Tyrone Hill to Milwaukee.

Cleveland then traded Douglas to Denver in October 1997 and one week later, the Nuggets waived him. Douglas was not out of work long. He was signed by New Jersey after the the Nets’ backcourt was hurt by injuries. Douglas stepped up and played 80 games, averaging eight points and four assists.

Elgin Baylor, vice president of basketball operations, has not indicated whether Douglas will be the Clippers’ new floor leader but because Douglas earned only $299,475 last season and the Clippers have less than $5 million under the salary cap, he may be their man.

If the Clippers do not sign Douglas, Darrick Martin remains a possibility. Martin, who started at point guard much of the last two seasons, is a free agent but has been contacted by other teams. Free agent Kevin Johnson is also a possibility.

Although the Clippers have not been a hot team involved in trade rumors, Baylor has talked to nearly every team in the league about a possible deal. If the Clippers make a trade, it will most likely involve one of their young forwards.

Rodney Rogers, Lamond Murray and Lorenzen Wright are all in the final year of their contracts, and Maurice Taylor is about to begin his second season.