Clippers Lose Norman to Bucks : Pro basketball: Small forward gets a six-year deal from Bucks, leaving Clippers with a big void to fill.

In a potentially crushing blow to the Clippers, free agent Ken Norman, their all-time leading scorer and starting small forward the last five years, signed a with the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, getting a six-year deal believed to be worth $15.75 million.

Norman is expected to make $1.5 million next season. The contract escalates to $3.75 million in 1998-99.

The Clippers thus lose a key player without getting compensation, a starter with no ready replacement and their best defensive forward.

They do have his $1.3-million salary slot to use on another free-agent forward, but no candidates seem readily available. The Clippers are believed to have spoken with the agent for Cedric Ceballos, but the Phoenix Suns could easily outbid them and retain the former Cal State Fullerton player.

The Bucks were one of the few teams in position to steal Norman from the Clippers, based on their salary-cap maneuverability after the departure of Mose Malone and Sam Vincent. Milwaukee also had the additional advantage of being close to his home and family in Chicago.

In the end, though, the Clippers, who had maintained their interest in keeping Norman, might have lost out because the Bucks, a young, building team, were willing to make a six-year commitment to someone who will be 29 on opening night and has avoided significant injury.

“I’m a person who is really into security,” Norman said at a news conference in Milwaukee. “I’ve spent a few sleepless nights wondering where I would be, did I possibly make a mistake by turning down a couple of Clipper offers and testing the market.

“My mother, my daughter and my brothers and sisters are the most important people on this earth and I wanted to give them the opportunity to see me play. Out in L.A., they didn’t have the opportunity to see me play.”

Norman, who played at the University of Illinois, spoke often of his loyalty to the team that drafted him 19th in 1987 and did not scoff at their recent offer of five years for $13 million. But he said he had gone the whole season considering the possibility of becoming an unrestricted free agent, so wanted to test the market.

That became official last Thursday, when his agent, David Falk, sent faxes to nine teams--the Clippers, Lakers, Golden State, New York and several others in the Midwest region--signifying his client’s interest.

The Bucks were an obvious fit because of location and money. By Tuesday night, indications were strong a deal would be finalized.

By Wednesday, Norman was an ex-Clipper.

“The Clippers were great to me and I love them like a father,” Norman said. “But there comes a time in a person’s life when you have to move on, and I think now is the time for me to move on. It’s a great opportunity for me to better showcase my skills and hopefully I can give some leadership to a young team.”

The Bucks will take the whole package--the veteran influence on a team that finished last in the Central Division and 13 games under .500, the strength that makes him a very good rebounder for a small forward, and his 14.7-point scoring average.

His arrival also will mean more time in the backcourt for Blue Edwards, last season’s starter at small forward.

Just last week in the draft, the Clippers passed on a small forward, Chris Mills, in favor of depth at guard, preferring the quickness of Seton Hall’s Terry Dehere. They may get to test that decision early because one possibility is that Dehere will start at shooting guard if Ron Harper moves to the baseline to replace Norman.

The Clippers also could work at keeping John Williams in shape. They could start Loy Vaught at power forward and move Danny Manning back to small forward . . . except that trade talks involving Manning will probably continue all summer.

“I’m not the coach, but Ron has played that position and done a terrific job,” Clipper General Manager Elgin Baylor said. “He played a lot of small forward during the playoffs and he had a great series.

“I wish Kenny the best with Milwaukee. He has always said how much he liked it here. But Kenny is very close to his family.”

Now, he is much closer.