''I thought we improved ourselves there,'' said Phil Jackson, the Bulls' coach. ''I had the highest regard for Craig, though. He was a great team player, never caused any problems and I respected his views. I'm a spiritual man, and so is he. But I also found it strange that not a single team called to inquire about him. Usually, I get at least one call about a player we've decided not to sign. And yes, he couldn't play much defense, but a lot of guys in the league can't, but not many can shoot from his range, either.''

In the lawsuit, Billy McKinney, the director of player personnel for the SuperSonics, who is black, is quoted as having first voiced interest in Hodges in 1992, and then shortly after backing away, telling Hodges he could do nothing because ''brothers have families, if you know what I mean.''

Contacted recently, McKinney passed on a message: ''No comment.''

''I never heard of any conspiracy whatsoever,'' said Wayne Embry, the president and chief operating officer of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who is also black. ''I'm sure I would have if there was one. And in a league that has about 80 percent black players, it's hard to charge racism.''

David Stern, the commissioner of the N.B.A., said that the idea of a conspiracy against Hodges is ''ridiculous.'' ''I was even at the White House when Craig wore the dashiki,'' he said. ''I thought it looked great, and I told him so.''

Perhaps more real than the allegations is the perception of discrimination, especially among some N.B.A. personnel. ''It's well known through the league that there may be repercussions if you speak out too strongly on some sensitive issues,'' said Buck Williams, a forward for the Knicks and the respected head of the players association. ''I don't know if Hodges lost his job because of it, but it is a burden when you carry the militant label he has.''

Yet such star nonconformists as the bizarre Dennis Rodman and the frequently tasteless Charles Barkley are tolerated and even celebrated. Clearly, then, the dangers of expression in the N.B.A. have less to do with personal stances than with simply being a fringe player.