SHAUN LIVINGSTON
               NEWS

With word that Steve Francis of the Portland Trail Blazers may be bought out, the Los Angeles Clippers might have the opportunity to bring in an impact guard at a reasonable price.

The blockbuster trade that sent Zach Randolph to the New York Knicks yielded Channing Frye with Francis a necessary evil for salary matching purposes. While there is no guarantee the Blazers cut Francis loose, it appears to be their plan. Francis simply isn't needed with the exciting youth movement emerging up north.

While Francis' style of play wouldn't appear to be a natural fit with Coach Mike Dunleavy, at a reasonable price for the Los Angeles Clippers it could be a match made of necessity.

LA needs a player with a scorer's mentality. Last year Sam Cassell slowed considerably and the Los Angeles Clippers found themselves missing a lead scorer from the guard position.

Francis hasn't been at the top of his game in recent years but given the chance he can put points on the board very quickly. He's a versatile passer and rebounder but is more of a "me first" point guard than a true distributor. Francis never been known for his defense but he was part of a very stingy Houston Rockets team.

While Dunleavy doesn't seem to like players who over-dribble, the Los Angeles Clippers may overlook some of Francis' weaknesses if they can land him for the Mid-Level Exception (~$6 million).

Assuming Francis becomes a free agent, he may consider other offers but ties to former teammate Cuttino Mobley may give the Los Angeles Clippers the edge. The two spent many years together in Houston and remain close.

While the Los Angeles Clippers wait for Francis, they may lose out on free agent Jason Hart. He's getting a number of looks around the league specifically by the Utah Jazz. Hart was a capable short term solution when the Los Angeles Clippers picked up late but he is more of a bench player than a starter.

If LA does ink Francis they'll have plenty of firepower in the backcourt to complement Elton Brand.

They also have a nice crop of young players trying out for the team including Guillermo Diaz, Jared Jordan and Will Conroy. LA hopes to have Shaun Livingston back by the All-Star Break as well.

In the meantime they have signed first-round draft pick Al Thornton. The Los Angeles Clippers have also come to terms with free agent Yaroslav Korolev. He'll return at a discounted rate after finding sparse playing time over his first two years with the club.

While Francis is no lock, the 2007/8 roster is starting to take shape:

PG Sam Cassell\Steve Francis\Shaun Livingston (injured)
Guillermo Diaz\Jared Jordan\Will Conroy (all three non-guaranteed)
SG Cuttino Mobley\Quinton Ross
SF Corey Maggette\Al Thornton\Yaroslav Korolev
PF Elton Brand\Tim Thomas
C Chris Kaman\Aaron Williams\Paul Davis (non-guaranteed)

Francis could be replaced by Hart (or another free agent).

Davis can be waived before July 15th for the Los Angeles Clippers, only $200,000 of his salary is guaranteed. If he makes it beyond next Sunday he's fully guaranteed for the year.

Only one of the three non-guaranteed point guards is likely to make opening night. That'll be a battle to be fought throughout summer league and training camp.

After Francis, the only other addition might be an additional big man. The Los Angeles Clippers will probably start the season with a roster of 14 players unless prospects play themselves onto the roster.

LA is especially happy with their first-round draft pick. Thornton should get the opportunity for regular minutes even as a rookie.

If healthy, the Los Angeles Clippers believe they'll be a playoff contender even in the challenging Western Conference.

KEY NEWSLINES
Los Angeles Times: "Yaroslav Korolev will return to the Los Angeles Clippers. The former lottery pick, who became a free agent when the team declined to exercise his contract option, agreed to terms Friday on a two-year deal. "The situation with the contract is not final yet, but we're working on it and I'm still with the Los Angeles Clippers," Korolev said. "I'm happy I'm going to be here." Under NBA rules, Korolev's new contract, which guarantees him about $800,000 and includes a team option for the 2008-09 season, won't become official until Wednesday."

Los Angeles Times: "Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers' pursuit of point guard Steve Francis continued. The Portland Trail Blazers and Francis' agent, Jeff Fried, are in the process of negotiating a buyout of the three-time All-Star's contract. If a deal is completed, Francis would be free to sign with another team, and the Los Angeles Clippers are on his list. Many other teams, however, are also interested in Francis, so the process could drag on for weeks, sources said."

Miami Herald: "The Heat has been in discussions with Denver free agent point guard Steve Blake, a former Miami High star, and Milwaukee guard Mo Williams since Sunday. But the Heat apparently does not value Blake, 27, as a talent worth $6 million a year ... the Heat remains in talks with Williams' agent, Mark Bartelstein, with the hopes that an opportunity to start and compete for a championship would entice Williams to take less money. The Heat's search for an answer at forward apparently doesn't include its own free agent, James Posey ... Riley said the type of player he is targeting at that position might be available through a trade and not necessarily the free agent market. The Heat recently has had trade discussions with Sacramento and the Los Angeles Clippers regarding Ron Artest and Corey Maggette."

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