Abandoning Clipper Ship?

In an amazing coincidence, or a leaguewide assault on Donald T. Sterling’s piggy bank, three teams gave his players offer sheets Wednesday, each of them similarly front-loaded in an attempt to discourage the famously thrifty Clipper owner from exercising his right to match.

In Miami, Elton Brand accepted an $82-million, six-year offer from the Heat, with $7 million payable before the season.

In Denver, Andre Miller accepted a $51-million, six-year offer from the Nuggets with an additional $4 million in performance bonuses, with $10 million payable before the season.

In Salt Lake City, Corey Maggette accepted a $42-million offer, with $3.5 million payable before the season.

In response, the Clippers released only a statement, with Vice President Andy Roeser reiterating the team’s intention to “match any and all offers as we see fit with a goal of maintaining the nucleus of our team.”

Privately, however, Clipper officials were more forthcoming, saying they will match on Brand and Maggette, but not Miller. In the 15 days they have to announce their decision, they will also offer Lamar Odom, another restricted free agent, an extension.

For that 15 days, the Heat, which has shown interest in Odom, will be unable to do anything, because its money is tied up in the Brand offer sheet.

Then, the Clippers say they intend to enter the chase for Gilbert Arenas, the explosive young Golden State point guard from the San Fernando Valley, who’s still looking for a gig and would love to come home.

Front-loaded contracts are relatively rare, although Miller’s agent, Lon Babby, has gotten them for other clients, such as the Spurs’ Tim Duncan and Orlando’s Grant Hill.

When one Eastern Conference general manager heard of Wednesday’s three-pronged, front-loaded attack, he said, “Oh, the Lon Babby rule.”

Of course, agents talk to each other, if warily, not to mention to general managers. With most of the league drooling over the Clipper roster as if it were $3.49 night at the local smorgasbord, word spread like prairie lightning.

A front-loading scheme for a Brand contract appeared in The Times two days ago, as told by a Western Conference general manager, who didn’t turn out to be involved with any of the three players.

The general manager described a process whereby as much as 25% of a contract could be paid up front, along with 70% of the first season’s salary. In effect, 33% of a six-year offer could be made payable immediately.

So, Clipper officials say it wasn’t hard to see this one coming. However, that still left the question of Sterling’s response.

Throughout the league, where people know him only by reputation, there was rampant speculation that Sterling was devastated at Wednesday’s news.

In fact, although Sterling has signed precious few unrestricted free agents, his own or anyone else’s, he has never failed to match an offer when he held the right of first refusal, as he does with Brand, Maggette and Miller.

In 1999, he surprised everyone by matching San Antonio’s $9-million, three-year offer sheet for rookie Tyrone Nesby, who had played only 50 games and averaged 10 points.

“If it’s three guys doing it [front-loading contracts], that’s a problem for any franchise,” said an East general manager. “On the other hand, Donald Sterling has access to a lot of money. He could pay it and not worry about going out to dinner.”

These days, Sterling has access to more money than ever, in the once-forlorn Clippers’ new incarnation, as yes, cash cow.

The team has not only become profitable but hugely so, with more windfalls coming. Teams get rebates of the luxury tax money according to how little they spent, and the Clipper payroll was last at No. 29 last season. One West general manager says their just-calculated rebate this summer was a whopping $15.8 million.

Landing Arenas after letting Miller and Michael Olowokandi go would be exciting news for Clipper fans, or those who remain after a greatly disappointing season.

However, landing Arenas won’t be easy. He entered the July 1 negotiating period as one of the hottest young free agents but couldn’t get the $9 million starting salary he wanted from the Nuggets, who quickly turned to Miller.

Unable to locate another deep-pockets suitor, Arenas recently began talking to the Washington Wizards, who found themselves with $8.5 million in cap space when the cap went up last week.

The Clippers have already talked to Arenas’ agent, Dan Fegan, but they would have only $3 million to $4 million under the cap if they sign Odom and would have to dump a salary or two to get enough room.

Of course, the Wizards are a long way from the Sherman Oaks Galleria or the Warner Center.

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NBA FREE-AGENT UPDATE

SIGNED

*--* LAKERS Gary Payton, G (two years, $10.4 million); Karl Malone, F (two years, $3.2 million) INDIANA Jermaine O’Neal, F (re-signed for seven years, $120 million) NEW JERSEY Alonzo Mourning, C (four years, $22 million) NEW ORLEANS P.J. Brown, F (re-signed for four years, $34 million) ORLANDO Juwan Howard, F (six years, $36 million) PHILADELPHIA Kenny Thomas, F (re-signed for seven years, $40 million) SAN ANTONIO Tim Duncan, F (re-signed for seven years, $122 million) SIGNED TO OFFER SHEETS DENVER Andre Miller, G (six years, $51 million) MIAMI Elton Brand, F (six years, $82 million) UTAH Corey Maggette, G (six years, $42 million) AGREED TO SIGN AS FREE AGENT CLEVELAND Kevin Ollie, G (five years, $15 million) MILWAUKEE Brian Skinner, F (three years, $5 million); Erick Strickland, G (two years, $3.1 million) MINNESOTA Michael Olowokandi, C (three years, $16.2 million) NEW JERSEY Jason Kidd, G (six years, an estimated $103 million) PHOENIX Jake Voskuhl, C ( three years, $5 million) SAN ANTONIO Rasho Nesterovic, C (six years, an estimated $45 million)

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