AFTER DEAL, CLIPPERS ARE MOVING ON; SKINNER MIGHT BE THE ONE TO REPLACE DEPARTED WRIGHT : CLIPPED OUT.

Byline: Randy Hill Staff Writer

In the Clippers' crowded rear-view mirror, we now see Lorenzen Wright.

Wright was one of only three players the Clippers wanted to keep (Eric Piatkowski and Tyrone Nesby are the others) from their eight-man free agent class. But he now rides with the Atlanta Hawks, who picked up Wright for seven years and $42 million.

``It's over and now we move forward,'' said Elgin Baylor, the Clippers' vice president of basketball operations, after completing a sign-and-trade deal Sunday that delivered Wright to the Hawks in exchange for two first-round picks. ``There are other things to be done.''

One order of business is locating and acquiring someone who can portray a backup center/power forward. But don't dismiss second-year strongman Brian Skinner, who has turned in an impressive summer audition for the gig of part-time enforcer.

``I think he (Skinner) has better offensive skills than Lorenzen,'' Baylor said, ``and he's going to be a terrific rebounder.''

And, more important, Skinner seems satisfied with being a crucial member of the supporting cast.

That was the role Wright felt he was doomed to play in the Clippers production, thanks to the presence of Michael Olowokandi and Maurice Taylor. (A spokesman from Team Wright said Wright might start at power forward for the Hawks, although sources in Atlanta indicate he has more value as a stunt double for Dikembe Mutombo and Alan Henderson.)

``We'd like to get someone to be our backup center,'' Baylor said, ``but it's not an easy chore.''

That's why the Clippers wanted to keep Wright, their choice with the seventh pick in the 1997 NBA draft. But when Wright and his agent, Robert Fayne, turned down the team's contract-extension offer of six years and $30 million, Baylor was obliged to consider the best sign-and-trade deal Wright could attract.

``We think this deal is in the best interest of both parties,'' Fayne said, referring to Wright and the Clippers. ``Lorenzen Wright was able to go to a team that presents an immediate opportunity to compete for an NBA championship. And he goes to a team that was prepared to compensate him on a level that's commensurate with his market value.''

So Fayne either mistakenly thinks he just worked a deal to send his client to San Antonio or is confident that Atlanta's recent housecleaning - Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith out, Isaiah Rider, Jim Jackson and rookie point guard Jason Terry in - will produce quick glory.

Fayne's alternative was threatening to walk Wright down the Staples Center hallway to the Lakers, who only had a $2 million, middle-class exception to offer. This Fayne tactic seemed to inspire the Hawks to new heights of creativity, after they backed away from last week's proposed deal that would have produced Wright and moved the newly acquired Jackson to the Clippers.

``People think we did this to keep Lorenzen from the Lakers,'' Baylor said, ``but that's not the case.''

They did it, Baylor said, because landing two first-round picks instead of players they didn't want is a more logical way to move forward.

``This gives us some flexibility,'' Baylor said in reference to now holding the Hawks' No. 1 pick for the 2000 draft, and a lottery-protected pick that began in Portland, moved to Toronto, visited Philadelphia and landed in Atlanta. The Raptors will retain the pick until they qualify for the playoffs. ``We may not get anything great with the picks, but at least we have a say in who they are.

``We were not just going to take players,'' he added. ``It wouldn't be fair to a coach to bring in players he may not like, and it's not fair to the players.''

The Clippers' free-agent roll call includes Murray (Cavs), Wright (Hawks), Rodney Rogers (Suns), Darrick Martin (Kings), Piatkowski (re-signed), Nesby (Clips will match any offer), Sherman Douglas (lukewarm interest back East) and Stojko Vrankovic (he represents $4 million in cap relief).

Rogers and Martin, as the Clippers expected and welcomed, left without compensation.

Lorenzen Wright (pictured) became the fourth player the Clippers have lost through free agency this offseason. Here's a look:

Player Pos. New team

Lorenzen Wright F/C  Atlanta

Lamond Murray F Cleveland

Rodney Rogers F Phoenix

Darrick Martin G Sacramento

CAPTION(S):

Photo, box

PHOTO no caption (Lorenzen Wright)

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press

Box: Clipped Out (see text)