Bulls operations chief John Paxson, who made the trip to Los Angeles on Tuesday, is trying to deal Marcus Fizer, and the Clippers are trying to move Thornton High product Melvin Ely, as well as clear cap space to take a run at Kobe Bryant this summer. The Bulls like Clippers guard Marko Jaric, and the two sides will talk about a trade sending Fizer to the Clippers for Jaric and Ely, according to a league source.

With his playing time down and his team, the Los Angeles Clippers, looking to improve their team before the February 19 trading deadline, forward Melvin Ely could be on the move.

Unless a injury to a player ahead of him in the roration occurs, it does not like he will getting significant minutes anytime soon.

"Right now Mel's not a guy who is in the top of the rotation," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said Thursday. "An injury can change that or bad play by someone in the group could change it where he gets a chance to play."

Ely doesn't mind being traded either.

"A change of venue for me wouldn't matter," he said. "I'm not going to just accept that I'm in the league and I get paid a whole lot of money and be fine with that. I'm trying to be the best at my position. If somebody wants me and I go to another team, no hard feelings."

The Los Angeles Clippers waived three-time All-Star forward Glen Rice on Friday after he refused to go on the injured list.

"It was kind of a numbers move," Coach Mike Dunleavy said. "It kind of came down to the minutes that I think Glen was looking for probably weren't here, so we kind of mutually decided [to part ways].

"It was pretty much his call, as far as how it worked out. He felt like he could maybe get a better opportunity someplace else, so we made the move."

Rice averaged only 3.7 points and under 15 minutes a game with the Clippers.

TORONTO (AP) Raptors rookie center Chris Bosh missed Friday night's game against the Los Angels Clippers with a strained right knee.

Los Angeles guard Quentin Richardson also missed the game with a sprained right hand. Richardson hurt it in Wednesday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Clippers are already missing forward Corey Maggette, who was suspended for trading punches with New Jersey's Kenyon Martin.

Bosh is listed as day to day. He landed awkwardly while going for a rebound in Wednesday's win over Cleveland, clutching his knee before asking to come out. He didn't return.

An MRI exam showed no structural damage.

``I don't think he would be very effective in any way whatsoever,'' Toronto coach Kevin O'Neill said.

Bosh, the fourth overall pick in the draft, is averaging 10.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 33 minutes this season.

``If your starting center is out that's a big blow to your team. I think we're going to miss Chris very much,'' O'Neill said.

Lonny Baxter replaced Bosh at center.

NEW YORK (AP) Kenyon Martin and Corey Maggette were suspended for two games without pay by the NBA on Wednesday, a day after they were ejected from a Clippers-Nets game for fighting.

The players threw punches in the third quarter of the Nets' 92-75 win Tuesday night, after New Jersey's Martin committed a hard foul on Maggette on a drive.

Maggette appeared to shove Martin to the court, and Martin got up and went after Maggette. Each player threw two punches.

Maggette will serve his suspension during the Clippers' games at Philadelphia on Wednesday and at Toronto on Friday.

Martin will miss games at Philadelphia on Friday and against Washington on Jan. 14.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Kenyon Martin of the Nets and Corey Maggette of the Clippers exchanged punches and were ejected in the third quarter of the Los Angeles-New Jersey game on Tuesday night.

Martin grabbed Maggette by the hands as he drove under the basket with 7:08 left with the Nets ahead 60-34. As the whistle was blown for a foul, Maggette shoved Martin to the floor under the Los Angeles basket.

Martin jumped up and grabbed Maggette under the neck. Maggette threw a right at Martin, who retaliated with a left-handed punch.

Each player threw one more punch before being separated.

After a short meeting among the officials, both players were ejected.

Under NBA rules, throwing a punch brings an automatic suspension of at least one game.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal sat out Sunday night's game against the Clippers because of a strained right calf, and Karl Malone was placed on the injured list for the first time in his career.

O'Neal left Friday night's 111-109 loss at Seattle in the second quarter because of the injury and did not return.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said a decision will be made Monday as to whether O'Neal will travel for games at Minnesota and Denver on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Malone must miss those games, as well as home games against Atlanta on Friday night and Cleveland on Monday night, making it a minimum of nine he sits out due to a sprained ligament in his right knee.

Injured in the first quarter against Phoenix on Dec. 21, the 40-year-old Malone didn't miss more than two games in any of his first 18 seasons _ all with Utah. He joined the Lakers as a free agent last July.

``He understood as soon as Shaq was injured,'' Jackson said regarding the decision to place Malone on the injured list. ``He hasn't practiced yet, he's still a ways away.''

To replace Malone, the Lakers activated forward/center Jamal Sampson, who had played in only two games before Sunday night. Sampson was placed on the injured list Nov. 23 because of back spasms.

Asked about the possibility of placing O'Neal on the injured list, Jackson replied: ``I can't anticipate it's going to be that severe. I don't know.''

Jackson said forward Rick Fox isn't ready to play yet, but hopefully will be soon. Fox hasn't played since having surgery to repair a torn tendon in his left foot on May 12.

Both teams entered Sunday night's game having lost five of their last eight, and the Lakers had lost three of four since Malone was injured.

O'Neal, averaging 20.0 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.44 blocked shots, missed two games in late November because of a strained right calf. The Lakers didn't miss him, beating Memphis 121-89 and Washington 120-99.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) Shaquille O'Neal was listed as questionable for Sunday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers, and Lakers forward Karl Malone will likely sit out games next week against Minnesota and Denver.

O'Neal left Friday night's 111-109 loss at Seattle in the second quarter because of a strained right calf and did not return.

``Shaq came in and got treatment,'' team spokeswoman Alison Bogli said Saturday. ``They'll look at him tomorrow.''

O'Neal, averaging 20.6 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots, missed two games in late November because of a similar injury. The Lakers didn't miss him, beating Memphis 121-89 and Washington 120-99.

Malone won't play against the Clippers, making it five games he'll have missed since spraining a ligament in his right knee Dec. 21 against Phoenix.

The 40-year-old Malone isn't expected to travel for games at Minnesota and Denver on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, either. He never missed more than two games in any of his previous 18 NBA seasons _ all with Utah.

The Lakers (21-8) enter Sunday night's game having lost five of eight, including three of four since Malone was injured.

The Lakers have a 22-2 record against the Clippers since the start of the 1996-97 season. The Clippers will be playing the finale of a six-game homestand in which they're 2-3, including Saturday's 116-109 loss to the Sacramento Kings.