Clippers Waive Ruben Patterson

I had a feeling this was coming.

There has not yet been a press release, but according to Jonathan Abrams in the LA Times, the Clippers have waived Ruben Patterson.

With the roster sitting at the maximum 15 and Patterson carrying the only non-guaranteed contract, the move is entirely about roster flexibility (Patterson's contract would have become guaranteed this Saturday).  And say what you will about Clipper management, the fact that they got Ruben agree to come to LA and play without any guarantees was a pretty shrewd move.  If it worked out (and early in the season it looked like it would), that's great.  But with the team having lost 13 of their last 17, the benefit of carrying a veteran like Patterson is short term, while the thinking has to be long term.  The fact that so much of the team's limited offensive arsenal (Cassell, Mobley, Maggette not to mention Brand and Livingston) has spent all or part of the season hurt makes a one-dimensional defender like Patterson less appealing.  He's valuable in situations, like guarding Ron Artest - but the Clippers need more shooters on the floor in every game, and he can't shoot.

What the Clippers do with the roster spot remains to be seen.  Abrams says that they're concerned with the point guard position, given Cassell's injury.  But the shooting guard is even thinner, with Mobley playing hurt and Ross currently out.  So picking up a combo guard might be the most logical move.  Of course their former second round pick, Guillermo Diaz, is right down the road in Anaheim.  He's never proven to be an effective point guard, and he has little more size than Dickau (the diminutive Clipper points being a problem right now), but he can score, and at least he has upside.

I'll pass along the press release when it is available.

Update [2007-12-13 15:50:38 by ClipperSteve]: Here's the text of the press release.  It doesn't add anything, but just to be official:

Also (hat tip to citizen Googs) Abrams updated his LA Times piece with the information that the Clippers have signed Richie Frahm, making them the only team in the history of the NBA with two guys from Gonzaga (I made that up, but it's got to be true, right?)  Frahm can shoot - and not a lot else.  Frankly it's the kind of pickup I've been intrigued with for awhile as the Clippers have so long lacked outside shooting.  Matt Carroll, Jason Kapono... how exactly are they different than Richie Frahm, if Frahm is making his threes (career 36%)?  At the same time, the 28 year old Frahm would hardly seem to be the guy to take a chance on.  Isn't there a second round pick who got cut in training camp that would have more upside than Frahm?  Frahm after all has bee kicking around pro ball and semi-pro ball for 5 years.  What about Marcus Williams, the 33rd pick in this year's draft who was cut by the Spurs?