CLIPPER REPORT : If He Keeps Improving, Fish Could Catch On

Center Matt Fish was a longshot to make the Clippers when training camp opened two weeks ago, but if he continues to play as he has in the Clippers’ last two exhibition games, he may make the team.

“You’ve got to think positive at all times because they never really give you any clue of what’s going on,” Fish said.

Fish, who graduated from North Carolina Wilmington in 1992, has spent the last two seasons shuffling between European basketball leagues and the Continental Basketball Assn.

At 6 feet 11 and 265 pounds, he helped the Quad City Thunder win the CBA title last season.

“Fish is great,” Clipper rookie swingman Eric Piatkowski said. “He gets out there and he works his tail off.”

Fish has also impressed Coach Bill Fitch.

“As long as he keeps playing the way he has, it’s going to make it interesting on the roster,” Fitch said. “ . . . If he improves as much in the next two weeks as he has in the last two weeks, I’d say he has a pretty good chance of playing here and helping us.

“(But) he’s not in good shape. He gets so excited and he’s always on the trail end (of the fast break). He reminds me of a horse I bet on that’s still out there running.”

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The Clippers have reached a settlement with Coach Bob Weiss, who was fired last May with two years left on a three-year contract. Weiss, who was due to receive $1.2 million, stopped receiving paychecks last July.

“I got the check today and it’ll be settled when it clears,” Weiss quipped.

Weiss would not discuss terms of the settlement. Neither would Clipper spokesman Joe Safety.

Weiss, now a broadcaster with the Dallas Mavericks, had no criticism of the Clippers.

“Momma told me that if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all,” he said.

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The Clippers made their first cuts, waiving guards Keith Smart and Alphonso Ford, center Robert Werdann and forward Isaiah Morris. That left them with 17 players. . . . Center Stanley Roberts, who reported to camp overweight and out of shape, went through a complete practice for the first time and said he felt good. . . . Fitch said that Gary Grant, who had arthroscopic knee surgery before training camp, will probably open the season on the injured list.