Clippers announce deals with Aldrich, Rivers

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The Los Angeles Clippers announced Monday the signing of backup center Cole Aldrich after the elongated and circuitous path to re-upping DeAndre Jordan delayed a deal for his primary understudy.

Aldrich reportedly signed a two-year deal for the veteran's minimum , which would pay him $2.3 million in total if he exercises his player option for the second year. Limited on roster and salary cap flexibility, finding a productive young pivot willing to sign for the minimum was an important end for the Clippers, who often struggled with depth issues in recent years.

The 26-year-old Aldrich 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.

The team also announced it re-signed Austin Rivers, son of head coach Doc Rivers. Austin's deal is reportedly for two years and worth $6.4 million, hardly a patriarchal discount for a player who's averaged seven points and 2.1 assists while shooting 39.7 percent in 206 career games.

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.

The Clippers now have 11 players under guaranteed contracts and two more without guaranteed deals. They remain fairly thin at the forward positions and are flush with two-guards, though, which could eat into Austin's potential role if the team doesn't make a roster-balancing move.

L.A. is also said to have interest in free agent Josh Smith, and in re-signing the affable Glen Davis.