Stephen Jackson, so I'm told, failed to show up for a scheduled Clipper audition late last week, claiming his flight from Texas to L.A. (he took a later one) had been canceled. That was later discovered to be untrue. Then the 6-8 swingman left town early the next morning before coach Mike Dunleavy could eyeball him on the floor. Why the flagrant irresponsibility? Surely the Hawks must be offering more money, more years, more minutes, more something. Well, it's certainly not more money or years. The most Jackson can pocket in Atlanta is $1M for 2003-04, whereas the Clips were offering the Spurs free agent $2.5M per for two, but no longer. "We've decided to go in a new direction," underlined an L.A. official.