Nixon May Get an Offer From Houston Today

Free-agent guard Norm Nixon and adviser Tom Collins met twice with Houston Rocket executives Monday in Houston in hopes of receiving an offer sheet, and sources close to the Rockets said the club is considering offering Nixon one, perhaps today.

Ray Patterson, the Rockets’ general manager, told Houston writers Monday that it was unlikely an offer sheet will be tendered before Tuesday afternoon. But he said that he and Rocket owner Charlie Thomas were to meet with Nixon and Collins again Monday night to negotiate terms.

Collins, in Houston, could not be reached Monday. Before leaving Los Angeles, though, Collins said the Rockets offered Nixon $550,000 for four seasons. Collins and Slaughter were asking for a four-year contract averaging about $700,000 a year.

To sign Nixon, the Rockets would have to waive at least one player.

Under terms of the NBA collective bargaining agreement, the Clippers will have 15 days to match an offer by the Rockets. If they chose not to, he will be free to sign with Houston. Another possibility would be for the Clippers to match Houston’s offer, then work out a trade with Houston.

Clipper General Manager Carl Scheer said, however, that a trade with Houston is remote since the Rockets aren’t offering any players the Clippers want. Also, it is believed that the Clippers would match any offer sheet Nixon signs and either keep him or try to trade him to another team.

“I’m still optimistic,” said Scheer, who would not discuss any new contract the Clippers might be thinking of offering. “I don’t see Houston working out a big offer. If Norm does sign, we’ll work from there.”

Meanwhile, Fred Slaughter, Nixon’s attorney, said Monday that he has been contacted by the New York Knicks about Nixon’s availability.

“The Knicks called and they’re interested in signing Norm,” he said. “They knew Norm and Tom had flown to Houston with my blessing, and they wanted to know if it was too late.”

Over the weekend, the Knicks won their arbitration with the NBA, which challenged the offer sheet they had tendered to New Jersey free agent Albert King. But since New Jersey is expected to match the Knicks’ offer and keep King, the Knicks would have the money to pursue another free agent.

If Nixon has not been tendered an offer sheet by Wednesday, the Clippers will officially file an offer for $413,000. Under league rules, that will give Nixon 15 days in which to receive an offer sheet. After that, he could negotiate only with the Clippers.