Nate Robinson to Clippers: Latest Contract Details, Analysis and Reaction
Veteran guard Nate Robinson reached an agreement Saturday on a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports:
NBA.com's Rowan Kavner provided comments from head coach Doc Rivers, who spoke about the signing:
""We looked at a lot of different guys," Rivers said. "We looked at another three, we almost brought in a two, there's a four out there we could've brought in. At the end of the day, I just said, 'Who's the best player of the group?' (The staff) said Nate, and I said, 'Let's sign Nate,' and I know Nate."
Rivers said Robinson had the most experience and talent of any player they thought about signing, and that mattered more than a strict position fit.
"I'd rather get a guy that's been in the league, can score, and has experience," Rivers said. "That's our thinking. If you're going to do it, it could be 10 days, it could be two 10 days, it could be for the year. If you're going to bring a guy in at this point, to me, you bring in a veteran guy that's played the game, and that's why you don't worry about positions. You'll figure it out."
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Clippers swingman Matt Barnes posted about the news on Instagram:
The Clippers will mark Robinson's third landing spot of the season. In mid-January, the Denver Nuggets sent him to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Jameer Nelson. Two days later, before he appeared in a single game for Boston, the team waived him.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com passed along word of the Celtics' move back in January:
The rumor mill almost immediately began to heat up, but it took some time for Robinson to find a new home. He clearly wasn't a fit for what the Celtics are trying to accomplish as they look toward the future, but there's always a group of contenders looking to improve their depth.
The diminutive spark plug certainly fits the bill. His numbers were down this season in Denver, averaging a shade under six points per game in a very limited role. For his career, he checks in at 11.1 points and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 36.0 percent from beyond the arc.
A lot depends on what type of niche he's able to carve out for himself in Los Angeles. Having the opportunity to choose this landing spot helps, but the Clippers already have Chris Paul, Austin Rivers, J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford soaking up a majority of their backcourt minutes.
If Robinson doesn't raise his efficiency from what he provided in Denver—he shot just 34.8 percent overall and 26.1 percent from deep this season—he likely won't become a high-impact contributor off the bench.
At his best, Robinson is a player capable of bringing incredible energy off the bench. While that sometimes gets the better of him and leads to mistakes, it could be a nice fit for a Clippers team looking for an extra backcourt boost heading into the playoffs.
The most important thing in the short term is getting settled. Having that in-season break meant that Robinson had to stay in game shape while waiting for another chance. Once he can get a few practices under his belt, things should return to normal.
Ultimately, it's hard to know exactly what to expect from Robinson the rest of the way. The Clippers were wise to take a chance on him, though, with the hope that he provides his typical spark.
