CLIPPERS, DALLAS TALK OF TRADE : MASHBURN MAY BE INVOLVED IN POSSIBLE DEAL.

Byline: Gary Washburn Daily News Staff Writer

The Brian Williams situation with the Clippers has taken some interesting turns the past few days.

According to sources, Dallas Mavericks minority owner Frank Zaccanelli and director of player personnel Mark Aguirre are in Los Angeles to talk with Williams and his new agent, Dwight Manley.

The two Mavericks officials want to talk to the Clippers about a possible trade with Williams and either Malik Sealy or Terry Dehere for forward Jamal Mashburn and center Eric Montross.

Fred Slaughter, who represented Williams since his NBA career began in 1991-92, said he hasn't talked to Williams.

``I can't tell you anything because I haven't been in touch with him,'' Slaughter said. ``I don't know anything about that.''

The Clippers (10-19) lost to the Portland Trail Blazers 102-98 on Friday in front an announced crowd of 6,713 at the Sports Arena. It's the club's fifth straight defeat.

The Clippers would have to sign Williams and then trade him to the Mavericks. Because of the salary cap, Dallas can't sign Williams outright and is looking to dump the oft-injured Mashburn after trading Jason Kidd on Thursday to Phoenix.

Ironically, Williams attended the Dallas-Clippers game Dec. 10 with Manley, who also represents Dennis Rodman. At the time, the pair said they were just friends, but with the standstill in negotiations with Slaughter, Williams made a change.

Manley contacted the Clippers last week and said he was representing Williams. According to Clippers sources, he asked for more than Slaughter's last proposal of $35 million overfive years.

The Clippers have also said they are not interested in Mashburn, who missed 64 games last season with a knee injury and missed three weeks this season with a fractured cheekbone sustained against the Clippers on Nov. 21.

Clippers executive vice president Andy Roeser said a month ago the team was not interested in signing Williams and then trading him. Roeser said that assessment still stands for now.

However, Roeser said the club is also not interested in signing the veteran center for $7 million per season. The Clippers' last offer to Williams was a four-year $16.8-million package that was rejected last month by Slaughter.

Since then, the Clippers have ceased negotiations with Slaughter, who said he would only accept contact by fax. Manley and the Clippers met face-to-face last week.

Montross would fill the Clippers' need for a capable center, but he is not as talented as Williams. The Mavericks have not been pleased with his play since acquiring him from Boston in June.

Williams said three weeks ago he was not leaning toward sitting out the season over his contract dispute. Aguirre also talked to Williams at the Dallas-Clippers game three weeks ago. Williams said he would like to play in Dallas.

The Clippers could also use another center as the club placed Kevin Duckworth on the injured list with a pulled muscle in his left foot. The club activated center Dwayne Schintzius for the first time this season.

Schintzius missed the first 28 games with a sprained ankle and is still not 100 percent. He did not play Friday.

``He's able to play,'' Clippers coach Bill Fitch said before the game. ``And that's better than Duckworth can do.''

Fitch started Lorenzen Wright who responded with a career-high 16 points against Portland's Arvydas Sabonis, including 10 in the first half. The Clippers led by as many as 12 in the first half, but experienced their usual letdown in the second half.

Kenny Anderson scored nine straight points and 13 in the third quarter to give the Trail Blazers a 74-73 lead at the end of the third quarter. Anderson finished with 25.

The Clippers had no response to Anderson, who continually beat Darrick Martin, Dehere and Brent Barry off the dribble to score easy layups.

Meanwhile, the Clippers couldn't run any cohesive offense in the second half. Without Rodney Rogers, who had 25 points in 32 minutes, then left the game with 11 minutes left with a twisted neck, the Clippers went to Loy Vaught.

Vaught snapped out of a shooting slump with six points down the stretch.

Without Rogers and Sealy, who finished with just two points on 1-for-7 shooting, the Clippers lacked the firepower to overcome another major lapse.

Barry tied the game at 95-95 with a 3-pointer with 1:25 left. But Barry air-balled a shot with 30 seconds left and a streaking Anderson made a layup and was fouled by Lamond Murray with 27.1 left.

Murray then was fouled by Clifford Robinson attempting a 3-pointer but Murray, a 72-percent free-throw shooter, made just one.

The Trail Blazers shot 39 free throws compared to the Clippers' 18.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--color) MASHBURN

(2--color) MONTROSS

(3--color) SEALY

Box: CLIPPERS BOX