CLIPPERS SET TO DEAL WRIGHT TO ATLANTA.

Byline: Randy Hill Staff Writer

Lorenzen Wright will soon be a former Clipper, but his destination is Atlanta, not the Laker locker room.

According to an NBA source, the Clippers and Hawks have agreed to a sign-and-trade deal that will send the free-agent center/forward to Atlanta for two selections in the 2000 NBA draft.

The Clippers are expected to announce the trade this morning, thus ending speculation that Wright might take less money to play for the Lakers.

``It's not official, but this thing's done,'' the source said of a deal that will pay Wright $42 million over seven seasons and provide the Clippers with the Hawks' first-round pick and a lottery-protected, first-round pick Atlanta had acquired from Toronto.

The only threat to the deal, the source indicated, was the unpredictable nature of Wright's agent, Robert Fayne.

Four days ago, Fayne attempted to expedite the trip by threatening to sell his client to the Lakers for their $2 million, middle-class exception. The move seemed to inspire Wright's suitors, who had failed to wow the Clippers with previous sign-and-trade offers, into greater fits of creativity.

By putting two draft choices in the bank, the Clippers were able to satisfy Wright's agenda without accepting players they didn't want.

The Clippers had preferred to keep Wright, who averaged 6.6 points and 7.5 rebounds as a reserve in his third NBA season. They had offered to pay him $5 million per season for six seasons, although owner Donald T. Sterling has never paid a Clipper that much for one year.

``I think the Clippers are bargaining with us in good faith,'' said Fayne, who wouldn't confirm that a deal had been reached. ``At this point, no deal has been consummated. It's possible we'll have a deal fairly soon.''

This deal also contradicts last week's reported notion that Wright was headed to the capped-out Lakers, for a mere $2 million, because winning a championship was more important than money.

The virus seems to be airborne. Before the Clippers worked a sign-and-trade deal for free agent Lamond Murray and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Murray was eyeballing a $2 million exception in San Antonio because his priority was winning a championship.

Murray also said returning to the Clippers never was an option, although a Clippers source said his new agent, Arn Tellem, solicited a Clips offer that would eclipse what the Spurs could pay.

Notes: Derek Anderson and Johnny Newman, who were acquired from Cleveland in the Murray deal, will be given physicals Tuesday in L.A. . . . Lamar Odom is scheduled to be in town today and will sign his rookie contract early this week. . . . Aside from free-agent point-guard target Haywoode Workman, the Clips will be touring the market for a backup center.

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PHOTO Clipper Lorenzen Wright, who wanted a new team and a new contract, will get both. In a sign-and trade deal, he'll become an Atlanta Hawk and earn $42 million over 7 years.

Michael Tweed/Associated Press