UPDATE: 5:49 p.m.: It’s official now, as multiple reports confirm that Jamison has agreed to a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum salary (around $1.4 million) to play for the Clippers.
Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports that Memphis and Chicago were also interested in adding Jamison, but that his preference all along was to stay in Los Angeles.
“Just happy to be a Clipper and contend for a championship,” Jamison told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles.
Aug. 25, 11:00 p.m.: Antawn Jamison played for the Lakers last season, and like seemingly so many before him, he’s looking to now get on with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Matt Barnes, Ronny Turiaf, Caron Butler, and Lamar Odom were all Clippers last season who were with the Lakers at one time or another, and it appears that Jamison is ready to be added to that increasingly long list.
From Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles:The Los Angeles Clippers are closing in on a deal with veteran forward Antawn Jamison, a source close to the situation told ESPNLosAngeles.com on Sunday.
Jamison, 37, played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, averaging 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds. He has been unabashed in his desire to play for a championship contender in the final years of a 15-year career in which he has averaged 18.8 points and 7.6 rebounds. He will likely surpass 20,000 career points early next season.
The acquisition of another veteran who can score to shore up the end of the Clippers’ bench is interesting, but not as interesting as what it may mean for another of the team’s reported free agent targets.
Odom was reportedly the preferred option over Jamison in ClipperLand, but with the recent allegations of drug use and family issues, Jamison is apparently the more stable option.
The story has gotten worse where Odom is concerned over the past day or so, and with no comment from him or anyone in his camp refuting the disturbing news, it isn’t a surprise that the Clippers are turning elsewhere to add a veteran presence to round out the roster.