Report: Clippers sign former No. 5 pick Nikoloz Tskitishvili to camp deal

The NBA comeback attempt of infamous draft bust Nikoloz Tskitishvili is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The Los Angeles Clippers have signed Tskitishvili to a one-year contract, according to a report from Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. International reporter David Pick adds that it's a non-guaranteed deal, essentially making it a training camp contract.

The Georgian 7-footer revealed in August that he was on the comeback trail, despite being 32 years old - 13 years removed from being selected No. 5 overall, and nine years removed from his last NBA action. Tskitishvili's chances of making the Clippers are slim (the team has 14 guaranteed contracts on the books, a non-guaranteed deal for Chuck Hayes, and a need to avoid adding additional luxury tax obligations), but it could present an opportunity for him to audition for the league's other 29 teams.

"I'm 100 times better than I was," he said in August. "It's just very difficult for teams to understand that, because they are looking at the number, the age."

Tskitishvili came to the NBA immediately after being drafted despite only being 19, and the Denver Nuggets opted for trial-by-fire in his rookie season. He struggled and his role decreased from there, with the big man averaging 11.3 minutes over his 172 career games, which came with four teams over four seasons. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds, shooting a woeful 30.4 percent from the floor.

After flaming out stateside, Tskitishvili has played in Spain, Italy, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates. Last season, he averaged 19.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 28 Division A games in the UAE, shooting 48.2 percent overall and 37.2 percent on threes.

Those numbers are nearly impossible to translate, but the basketball world will get an update on Tskitishvili's progress as a player starting Sept. 28, when camps open.