CLIPPERS LOSE, FORGET WILLIAMS.

Byline: Gary Washburn Daily News Staff Writer

The Clippers are deleting Fred Slaughter's number from their automatic dial.

Satisfied with the team's start despite a 94-78 loss Thursday night to Seattle, Clippers executive vice president Andy Roeser announced the club will not make another offer to free agent Brian Williams or contact Slaughter, his agent.

Roeser has called Slaughter several times over the past three weeks but has not received a return call. Slaughter said he would only accept offers by fax.

However, after the Clippers' offer of four years, $16.8 million was rejected last week, Roeser decided it was time for the team to move on.

``We don't have any plans of contacting Fred,'' Roeser said. ``We haven't heard from him in awhile. We would like to have Brian on our team, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.''

Slaughter raised his demand to five years, $36.4 million when approached with the last Clippers offer. The $16.8 million is the highest Williams has been offered since Williams rejected a seven-year, $35 million deal from the Sonics in July.

Slaughter contests that the Clippers' final offer was lower than the five-year $20 million proposal they made in July, especially with 30 percent of that $16.8 million deferred.

``Their offer didn't increase at all since July, it actually regressed,'' Slaughter said. ``If they choose to no longer negotiate then that's their choice. Will Brian Williams ever play in a Clippers uniform? I don't know. But our door is always open.''

For one of the rare times this season, the Clippers played as if they really needed the 6-foot-11 center. The starters struggled offensively, and Seattle's Gary Payton had 20 points midway through the third quarter. He finished with 25.

Loy Vaught, who had been mired in an on offensive slump, hit his first field goal in three games. While he remains the team's top rebounder, Vaught forced his first two shots, both misses, but finally broke through with a jumper six minutes in. Vaught scored 11 points on 5-for-14 shooting.

Bo Outlaw's enthusiasm didn't help much, because the Clippers problem was much deeper than the usual poor shooting. Payton sliced through the Clippers' defense for easy shots. And who did you expect to guard Sam Perkins near the 3-point line? Certainly not Stanley Roberts.

The game turned into one huge matchup problem. Every reserve coach Bill Fitch inserted was simply overmatched by his Seattle counterpart. Payton was busy using any Clipper point guard assigned to him. Pooh Richardson left the game in frustration in the third quarter with four fouls.

Williams' absence leaves Roberts and Kevin Duckworth to man the middle.

It was the Sonics who courted Williams in the offseason, offering him the $35 million deal in July. Williams was influenced by the high salaries being thrown around, especially the seven-year, $49 million deal given to Elden Campbell. So he turned down the deal.

Needing defensive help in the middle, the Sonics offered the same package to Jim McIvaine, who accepted it. The Sonics deal remains the highest offer Williams received since he opted out of his option year with the Clippers. And according to Roeser, any more offers will have to come from someone besides the Clippers.

``I'm not going to be the spokesperson for the craziness going on in this league,'' Seattle coach George Karl said of Williams turning down $35 million. ``We liked Brian, but we like Jim too.''

However, after a career season of 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds, the Sonics wanted Williams more than the budding McIlvaine.

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