NBA Free Agency 2016: Clippers Sign Marreese Speights to Veteran Minimum

The Los Angeles Clippers agreed with former Warriors and Grizzlies big man Marreese Speights on a deal today, as first reported by The Vertical. According to reports by Marc Spears and Zach Lowe, Speights is signing a multi-year contract at the veteran minimum. Presumably, this would be a two-year deal with a player option on the second year, much like the contracts signed by Wes Johnson and Cole Aldrich last offseason. (EDIT: According to Ben Bolch, the deal is only for one year.)

Speights was not offered a contract from the Warriors, who he spent the last three seasons with. Last year, he appeared in 72 games, and averaged 7.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game. He's long been a talented midrange shooter who also added the three-point shot to his arsenal this past year, shooting 39% from outside on one attempt per game. While he won't be able to provide the interior defense and rim protection that Aldrich brought, he can still be a major contributor to the Clippers this season.

He was a key member of the 2015 Warriors team that won 67 regular season games and the title, scoring a career-high 10.4 points per game and registering 9 starts in the absence of Andrew Bogut. For most of that season, he was the Warriors' third-leading scorer, behind only Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. His role diminished this season, and his playing time became more inconsistent. In the playoffs, he split time with Festus Ezeli and Anderson Varejao in a three-man backup big platoon.

Clippers fans will remember him from his scuffles with the team while playing for the Warriors and Grizzlies, the latter of whom he spent parts of two seasons with. During Game 3 of the first Grizzlies-Clippers series in 2012, Blake Griffin famously stole an inbounds pass and dunked over him as the halftime buzzer sounded. Like Matt Barnes before him, these tensions will probably (hopefully!) be resolved now that he's on the Clippers.

Fun with old quotes: Mo Speights discussing the Clippers & Chris Paul during the Warriors' 2014 playoff series pic.twitter.com/Av0UTztUpS

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 8, 2016

With Speights, the Clippers' roster is now at the full 15 (with second-round picks David Michineau and Diamond Stone unsigned), although it's possible that there will be some more changes before all is said and done. Paul Pierce still hasn't announced whether he's returning or retiring, and Branden Dawson's contract is non-guaranteed. If the Clippers add any more players in free agency (such as another point guard), they will only have the veteran's minimum to offer.