BRIEFLY : KERSEY SIGNS WITH SEATTLE.

Forward Jerome Kersey, seeking a larger paycheck than the Lakers could offer, signed a one-year contract with division-rival Seattle on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Kersey, an 14-year veteran, averaged 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 70 games for the Lakers last season. The team wanted to re-sign him but due to salary-cap constraints, could only offer a deal for the NBA-minimum $272,500 per year, plus a 20 percent raise.

``We offered the maximum we could under the rules,'' Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. ``We even offered a multiyear deal off the minimum, plus 20 percent, and that was not sufficient.''

The Lakers turned their attention to free-agent forward Rick Fox, who eventually signed with the team under the collective bargaining agreement's $1 million exception clause.

Terms of the Seattle contract were not released, but the Sonics had part of their $1 million exception available and probably offered much more than the NBA minimum.

``He was great for us, he really was,'' Kupchak said. ``There is not a negative thing that we could say about him.''

?13Howard Beck

The Dallas Mavericks traded point guard Derek Harper and forward Ed O'Bannon to the Orlando Magic for swingman Dennis Scott and $500,000.

Scott, who had said Monday he would skip the Magic's training camp in protest, and Harper each had requested trades.

Although Scott, a 6-8 small forward, gives the Mavericks the outside shooting threat they've lacked, he also represents a potential attitude problem for general manager Don Nelson, who has replaced virtually every player on the roster since he was hired in February.

At a birthday party Scott threw for himself outside Washington earlier this month, two people were wounded by gunshots when a fight broke out. The Magic also criticized Scott for a profanity-filled tirade in front of children at his basketball camp earlier this summer.

A former New Jersey Nets employee, who prosecutors alleged wanted to live the fast life with the team's players, was convicted of bank fraud for stealing nearly $100,000 from Kenny Anderson, a former Nets guard now with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Angel Recalde, 27, of New York City was convicted in U.S. District Court in Manhattan by a jury that deliberated 11 hours, concluding he had forged Anderson's name on checks paid to credit card companies.

NHL: NHL: Frederic Chabot stopped 27 shots as the Kings defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-1 at Boise, Idaho.

It was the first exhibition game for Chabot, who played last season for the Houston Aeros of the International Hockey League and was the league's most valuable player.

The start of the game was delayed about 90 minutes because of trouble with the ice at the new Bank of America Centre.

Darrin Shannon scored two goals as the Phoenix Coyotes beat the Mighty Ducks 4-2 in an exhibition game at Anaheim.

The Boston Bruins asked the NHL to consider suspending Pittsburgh Penguins forward Stu Barnes for a slash that broke the wrist of No. 1 overall draft pick Joe Thornton in an exhibition game. League spokesman Andy McGowan said, ``The slash on Thornton is under review.''

Thornton, who was injured on Tuesday, is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

NASCAR: After weeks of lobbying by Chevrolet teams, NASCAR announced a quarter-inch increase to the rear-spoiler height on Monte Carlos for Winston Cup competition. The rules change will go into effect for the Oct. 5 UAW-GM 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The timing of the announcement was surprising because the change will take effect with just five races left in the 1997 Winston Cup season.Jeff Gordon, who drives a Chevrolet, leads two Ford drivers: Mark Martin (by 105 points) and Dale Jarrett (184).