CLIPPERS NOTEBOOK: CASSELL STILL HAS A STEP OR TWO LEFT.

Byline: JOE STEVENS Staff Writer

SANTA BARBARA -- Sam Cassell has lost a step.

But so what?

He says that happened about eight years ago, and it hasn't really hurt his basketball game.

Cassell remains a crafty, clutch-shooting, free-talking point guard who still will be counted on for his leadership and scoring, even though he turns 37 next month.

One obvious question is when 21-year-old Shaun Livingston will become the team's starting point guard, but that still appears far away with Cassell looking like the same player from last season, when he averaged 34 minutes per game and missed just four games.

``I don't want my role to be increased,'' Cassell said. ``I want it to stay the same. I'm still the leader of the ballclub. The development of Shaun Livingston is still crucial for this ballclub, but I feel good.''

Cassell signed a two-year, $13million deal with the Clippers this past offseason. He was so instrumental to the team's winning season and playoff run that when general manager Elgin Baylor was asked how important it was to re-sign him, he answered, ``How important is breathing?''

In training camp, coach MikeDunleavy hasn't see any decline in Cassell's game, and when asked if the player's body could hold up for major minutes again, the coach joked, ``It could last year when he was trying to get some money. It should this year.''

Cassell has repeatedly said that he plans to coach after playing out his current contract. But every so often he hints that he might try to play even longer, and at one point on Friday said, ``Until people can block my shot at will, I'm going to continue to play basketball.''

As for the idea that age must limit Cassell, he said, ``By far, my abilities are not on the decline. ... I might have lost a step, but not a drastic step, where you can tell. My game is not about speed. It's about changing speeds and directions.''

Not having a ball: Add Cassell to the increasing list of NBA players who have criticized the league's new ball, which apparently becomes slippery when wet. To illustrate his point, Cassell took perspiration from his head and lathered the ball, which then felt eel-like.

``It's terrible, terrible,'' he said. ``I gave the ball to my boys over the summertime, and they play ball everyday. They gave the ball back, and it was terrible, slippery when wet. I wish we could go back to the old balls.''

Cassell, who is entering his 14th NBA season, has been marveling at how the league can find things to change that seemingly look unchangeable.

``They're searching,'' he said. ``In three years, the league will be playing in spandex. I'll be coaching by then, so I won't have to put that on.''

Still shorthanded: Dunleavy said the past two days of practice have been the best since camp opened and singled out rookie Paul Davis as looking especially sharp.

The Clippers, though, remained shorthanded with Corey Maggette, Tim Thomas and Zeljko Rebraca out of town.

Thomas, who had oral surgery Thursday, is expected to return to the squad today, although he might not be available because of a sore lower back. Maggette is in Chicago for a family medical emergency, and starting the season for him at full strength should not be a problem.

As for Rebraca, he has had two epidurals and continues have a disc-related problem in his lower back. He may not be available to start the season.

[e-mail]

[phone]