Lorenzen Wright

[Bob Bowman <Robert.A.Bowman-1@tc.umn.edu>]

Reports out of LA:

                            The Atlanta Hawks and the Clippers on Friday

                             discussed a sign-and-trade deal that would
send two
                             2000 first-round draft choices to the
Clippers and would
                             give Wright a multiyear contract starting
at $4.4 million.

                             Wright's agent, Robert Fayne, said Friday
night
                             that Wright, who can veto any
sign-and-trade deal, still
                             hadn't ruled out signing with the Lakers
for their
                             $2-million exception.

                              But Fayne confirmed that he had held talks
with
                             Atlanta on Friday, and said that it would
soon come
                             down to a "difficult decision" between the
Lakers, who
                             might be closer to winning a championship,
and the
                             Hawks, who are a playoff team that can pay
more.

                              The Hawks, who earlier tried and failed to
put together a sign-and-trade deal for
                             Wright, apparently re-entered the chase
after hearing that Wright was about to sign
                             with the Lakers.

                             The Clippers would receive Atlanta's
first-round pick in 2000, and the first-round
                             pick of the Toronto Raptors, which Atlanta
acquired via a trade with Portland.