Kaman Is Expected to Flourish

The development of center Chris Kaman is a priority for the Clippers, who expect a big return on their investment this season.

General Manager Elgin Baylor and Coach Mike Dunleavy plan to lean on Kaman in his third NBA season, figuring it’s time for the affable 7-foot, 265-pound player to assert himself.

Kaman possesses the skills to become one of the game’s best post players, Baylor says, and Dunleavy might need an upper-echelon performance from him for the Clippers to make the playoffs.

Star centers are few in the NBA, and the Clippers hope they’re on the verge of having one.

“He’s gotten better each year,” Dunleavy said. “He’s got good size, he likes the contact, and all his skills are getting better. I’ve been pleased by his improvement.”

The Clippers were pleased enough to extend Kaman’s contract in June, exercising the fourth-year option in his initial NBA contract.

Kaman will make $2.75 million this season and $3.5 million in 2006-07, and become a restricted free agent after that season, meaning the Clippers can retain Kaman by matching contract offers from other teams.

He played in 63 games last season, starting in 50, and averaged 9.1 points and 6.7 rebounds. But the Clippers looked beyond those numbers. Baylor said he saw the type of potential that could lead to All-Star game appearances for Kaman.

“He’s better at contesting and blocking shots, his rebounding is better, and his ability to read plays and be in the right coverage has been good,” Dunleavy said. “He’s defending fairly well, and I think he gets better at it.

“He’s been more aggressive and using more power ... he’s finishing. He’s shooting the ball higher and finishing higher with it.”

Said Kaman: “I’m working on the same stuff, just trying to refine it.”

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Rookies James Singleton and Yaroslav Korolev (the team’s No. 1 draft pick) and fourth-year player Rodney White are competing to back up starting small forward Corey Maggette. Three-point specialist Walter McCarty also might play the position against some teams.

“Nobody is out of the picture right now,” Dunleavy said. “Obviously, if you’re looking for defense and rebounding, Singleton does a pretty good job of that. If you’re looking for ballhandling and making plays, Yaroslav has done a pretty good job of that.

“It just depends. And we haven’t faced a real big ‘3’ yet to see how we’d go.”

Singleton, however, suffered a strained left arch in Tuesday’s exhibition game at Portland.

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The Clippers never trailed and led by as many as 27 points before settling for a 99-85 exhibition victory over the Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore.

Sam Cassell scored 18 points, and Corey Maggette had 15.

The Clippers also got 13 points from reserve forward Chris Wilcox, who made six of seven shots. The Clippers made 53% of their shots.

Cassell set the tone by making two shots in the first 40 seconds on his way to 12 first-quarter points and a 32-19 lead.

Former Clipper Darius Miles led Portland with 15 points.