CLIPPERS REDEFINE 'SUCCESS' PLAYOFFS WOULD BE NICE, BUT FOCUS IS ON IMPROVING.

Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer

Elton Brand, Mike Dunleavy and the majority of the Clippers' crew say they don't put any stock into preseason predictions. That has to be a positive thing because if they did, they could walk away with their heads down, wondering if this season will be anything more than an exercise in futility.

Barring some type of major defiance of logic, the Clippers' 2004-05 season will go down as the franchise's eighth consecutive season without postseason play and 13th in a row without a winning record.

Dunleavy says he feels better about this season's squad, compared with last season's. And it's true that the team did make some offseason changes that could help it improve.

But the changes look far from significant enough to turn last season's 28-54 squad into a playoff contender. It is not pessimistic to view the Clippers as a non-playoff team. It's simply realistic.

``I would love to say right here and now: 'Hey, look, the Clippers are a playoff team. Write it in stone,' '' Dunleavy said. ``But there are very few teams in the West that can say, 'Write me in. I'm guaranteeing you. I'm a playoff team.' ''

What Dunleavy feels good about is the direction of his team. He likes the core group of players, which includes just six returners from last season.

Brand and Corey Maggette are expected to lead the Clippers, and each probably will average more than 20 points per game. Last season's third- leading scorer, Quentin Richardson, was let go when the club did not match the Phoenix Suns' six-year, $45 million offer sheet.

To replace Richardson at shooting guard, the Clippers acquired 30-year- old Kerry Kittles, who is under contract for one season. Dunleavy and general manager Elgin Baylor said Kittles' veteran presence will help the team improve. They also said they chose Kittles over Richardson because of his shooting and defense, and that the move had nothing to do with the spendthrift ways of owner Donald T. Sterling.

The big problem, so far, is that Kittles has not practiced during the preseason while he tends to knee therapy. He likely will miss the season opener.

The other big move, beyond the Kittles-for-Richardson switch, was selecting Peoria, Ill., prep star Shaun Livingston with the No. 4 selection in the NBA draft. The Clippers also took a point guard, Lionel Chalmers, with their second-round pick.

That means Marko Jaric has two rookie backups. Despite the inexperience at the position, Dunleavy says the Clippers have improved greatly at point guard. Livingston and Chalmers' contributions could be another key for how the team finishes, but, in the long run, it could be better to bring them along slowly and not stunt their growth as NBA players.

``The fine line for me is getting a read and a handle on them - how much rope I give them, and how much do I try to push them and accelerate their development,'' Dunleavy said.

After the Clippers tried and failed to sign Kobe Bryant as a free agent, they were left with maximum salary-cap space and not a lot of options. After obtaining Kittles, their only other free-agent moves were to sign three backup centers: Mikki Moore, Zeljko Rebraca and Mamadou N'Diaye. It is not certain which one, if any, will make an impact on the Clippers.

A player with a better chance of making an impact is third-year power forward Chris Wilcox, who plays behind Brand and has shown promise. Second-year center Chris Kaman also could make big improvements, and Dunleavy considers Wilcox and Kaman the team's ``X-factors,'' players who must be better than they were last season for the Clippers to be much improved.

What Wilcox, Kaman and Livingston go through this season is a recurring Clippers theme of young players trying to find their way. Until Brand and Maggette signed long-term deals in the summer of 2003, no significant young player ever got the opportunity to continue his growth with the Clippers.

Brand and Maggette are a part of a team that has kept with its unstable ways, turning over all but six players. Even with the franchise's constant changes, the duo from Duke - especially Brand - yearns to make the playoffs.

``I see players who came in the league with me, like Steve Francis, and they're making the playoffs,'' Brand said. ``I see former Clippers, former teammates of mine - Lamar Odom, Michael Olowokandi, Andre Miller and Eric Piatkowski - and they made the playoffs last year. Now that's the next step for me, to get there.''

Baylor, the Clippers' general manager since 1986, has been in his position longer than any other top NBA executive. He doesn't often say the ``P'' word - playoffs - when talking about his team's goals. Instead, he makes goals for on-court improvements that eventually could lead the team to that elusive postseason berth.

``The major thing is to win games. That's the major thing,'' Baylor said. ``The thing Mike and I want to improve most is to improve defense. On offense, you have nights when you can't put the ball in the basket, and that's when defense comes into play.''

Baylor was told of Brand's playoff desire and reacted positively to the forward's words.

``I like his optimism,'' Baylor said. ''I hope it's contagious.''

Joe Stevens, [phone]

joe.stevens(at)presstelegram.com