Report: Clippers closing in on deals with Rivers, Aldrich; still in pursuit of Smith
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If Doc Rivers can convince DeAndre Jordan to pull an about-face and de-commit from the Dallas Mavericks, retaining his own son in free agency should be a breeze.
While Austin Rivers was clear publicly that he was exploring all of the options available to him, the Los Angeles Clippers expect to re-sign him soon, perhaps as early as Friday, according to multiple reports.
The Clippers came under some fire for sacrificing multiple assets and flexibility in order to bring Austin in as part of a three-team trade in January, and it could sting to see him walk in free agency with little means of replacing him. Austin has disappointed over three seasons after being taken 10th overall, and save for a small handful of marquee playoff performances, he's done little to suggest he improved in L.A.
Still just 22, he has good size for the point, is an adequate defender, and has shown inconsistent flashes of an outside shot, making him a worthwhile low-cost gamble as a backup point guard for a team without one.
Aldrich, Smith, Davis could be coming, too
The Clippers don't have a great deal of roster or cap flexibility, but playing for Doc in a major market on a potential contender is a draw some may deem worth taking a discount for.
The Clippers are close to adding a backup center to replace Spencer Hawes, with the team nearing a deal with Cole Aldrich, according to a report from Marc Stein of ESPN. The contract would likely be for two years, with a player option for the second, according to 1500 ESPN.
The 26-year-old Aldrich has spent the last two seasons with the New York Knicks, averaging career-highs of 5.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 16 minutes last season. In 196 games over five seasons with four teams, he's averaged 3.1 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 50.3 percent.
Josh Smith could also join the fold, as the team's reported interest has escalated to a full-on pursuit. Smith rehabilitated his value after being waived by the Detroit Pistons and signed by the Houston Rockets, but the Clippers won't be able to offer a contract reflective of that fact - they only have $2.1 million remaining of their Mid-Level Exception and can otherwise only offer the veteran minimum.
It's possible Smith could be amenable to that, since the Pistons are still paying him. The 29-year-old combo-forward averaged 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, one steal, and 1.4 blocks last season and remains a versatile defender when engaged. He's a case of a player becoming slightly underrated because so much focus went to his onerous contract, and getting him in the $2-million range would be a great value.
Glen Davis is also expected to re-sign as a depth piece at some point, according to Arash Markazi of ESPN.