Clippers Reportedly Pursue Abdur-Rahim

Amid speculation that they are close to reaching an agreement with Cuttino Mobley on terms of a five-year contract, the Clippers also are believed to have made an offer to free-agent forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

The Clippers, stung by Bobby Simmons’ soon-to-be-official departure to the Milwaukee Bucks, have made landing Mobley their top priority.

The veteran shooting guard, who will turn 30 on Sept. 1, would fill their most pressing need after ranking third in the NBA in three-point shooting accuracy last season while playing for the Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings. The Clippers last season ranked last in the NBA in three-point shots tried and made.

Mobley’s agent, however, denied that a deal was imminent.

Of scuttlebutt that the two sides were close to an agreement -- contracts cannot be signed until a moratorium ends July 22 -- Andy Miller said, “I’m glad the scuttlebutt thinks so. I can’t answer for the scuttlebutt.” Added the agent, whose client opted out of a contract that would have paid him $6.4 million next season: “We’re still having discussions right now. I don’t really have any answers; nothing substantive I can tell you at this point.”

The Kings, though, say they believe Mobley will soon be a Clipper.

“I haven’t heard it officially,” club President Geoff Petrie told the Sacramento Bee, “but after my last conversation with Andy [Miller], it definitely sounded like the way he was headed.

“I’m going to assume that that is what is going to happen. I’m going to talk to him one more time in the morning.”

General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe of the Denver Nuggets, who had shown interest in Mobley, told reporters in Las Vegas: “I hear rumors, and I heard he was close to signing. It’s got to be the Clippers. I haven’t heard back from his agent.”

Abdur-Rahim’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, did not return phone calls but told the New York Post this week that the Clippers were interested in his client, who has averaged 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds in nine NBA seasons.

Abdur-Rahim, who will turn 29 on Dec. 11, reportedly also is being wooed by the Kings, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat and Washington Wizards.

The former Cal star reportedly turned down a five-year, $47-million offer from the Bucks, money the Bucks used to outbid the Clippers for Simmons.

With the Portland Trail Blazers last season, Abdur-Rahim made $14.6 million. But he is expected to take a substantial pay cut, perhaps agreeing to the mid-level exception, which last season was about $5.3 million.

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Marko Jaric, the Clippers’ starting point guard the last two seasons, reportedly is among the players being considered to fill that role for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is a restricted free agent, so the Clippers can match any offer made to him, unless they renounce his rights to clear cap space for other players.

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Chris Wilcox, who was expected to play for the Clippers’ summer league team in Las Vegas but didn’t report on time after his arrest last month on a handgun charge in Maryland, finally showed up and met with General Manager Elgin Baylor and Coach Mike Dunleavy. But he is not expected to play in the summer league.