Clippers Deny Report Abdul-Jabbar Is Out

The relationship between Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Clippers took another strange turn Wednesday when the team denied reports that the Hall of Fame center has been released as an assistant coach.

Abdul-Jabbar has taken part in only one of the team’s seven pre-draft workouts with prospective players and was not at Wednesday’s workout involving big men Ernest Brown, a 6-foot-10 post player from Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College and Dan McClintock, a 7-0 center from Northern Arizona. But the Clippers said Abdul-Jabbar is still employed with the team.

“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is under contract with the Los Angeles Clippers as an assistant coach,” said a statement released by the team, which has three of the first 30 picks in the June 28 draft. “ . . . No one associated with the . . . Clippers has notified Kareem of anything to the contrary.”

Assistant Dennis Johnson, who said Tuesday night that Abdul-Jabbar had told him he was let go, was unavailable for comment.

Requests made by The Times for an interview with Abdul-Jabbar were denied. --LONNIE WHITE

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Toronto Raptor Coach Butch Carter’s attempt to secure the team’s general manager position may backfire.

Carter made the power play two weeks ago during his performance review, reportedly asking burgeoning star Tracy McGrady, who becomes a free agent July 1, to support his bid. McGrady felt awkward about the position Carter placed him in and discussed the matter with teammates Antonio Davis and Charles Oakley.

“I’m shocked by what Butch has done,” Davis said. “It seems every time we get in a position to move forward, to get past all this stuff, something else happens and we take another step back.”

Added Oakley: “They should fire [Carter] right now. That should have been the last straw.”

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The Vancouver Grizzlies called a news conference for today and were expected to introduce Sidney Lowe as their new coach. . . . Souksangouane Phengsene, who is accused of killing Malik Sealy of the Minnesota Timberwolves in a wrong-way crash, had his bail set at $5,000 in his first court appearance since the May 20 crash. He next court appearance is set for July 6. --Associated Press