CLIPPERS MAY TRADE WILLIAMS : CENTER FIRES AGENT, MIGHT BE SENT TO DALLAS PORTLAND 102, CLIPPERS 98.

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 over five 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 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.''

Lorenzen Wright responded with a career-high 16 points in a starting role.

Regardless, the Clippers still found a way to lose a game they should have won. They were up 12 in the first half and 68-60 with six minutes left in the third quarter before Kenny Anderson took control.

The veteran point guard scored 13 in the quarter, giving the Trail Blazers a 74-73 lead at the end of the third quarter. But the game might as well had been over.

The Clippers' ability to rally in the late going - and actually win - is gone.

``Each time it's something different,'' Fitch said. ``When you make one or two mistakes in a game like that it's bound to happen.''

And mistakes continued to plague the Clippers in the fourth quarter. On Friday it was a foul by Lamond Murray on Anderson, which allowed the point guard to complete a three-point play with 27.1 seconds left, giving Portland a 98-95 lead. Anderson finished with 25 points.

Murray looked to atone for his error on the next possession, getting fouled by Clifford Robinson on a 3-point shot.

But you guessed it, Murray made just one of the three free throws and the Clippers were forced to foul.

Murray had more fouls (6) than points (5) and joined the cast of other Clippers who can't play a consistent stretch of games.

``Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don't,'' Murray said about the free throws. ``We just have to keep pounding and quit looking at the scoreboard. We can't relax for even a minute.''

The previous two games the Clippers took a break in the first half. On Friday they waited until the third quarter to allow a team that was playing back-to-back games to catch them.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--color) MASHBURN

(2--color) MONTROSS

(3--color) SEALY

Box: CLIPPERS BOX