High-flying Clippers shore up frontcourt

LOS ANGELES -- The rich just got richer.

Already loaded with a dynamite line-up starring Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups, the Los Angeles Clippers just got a tad more explosive Saturday afternoon when the team reached a one-year deal with veteran power forward Kenyon Martin.

The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Martin spent the lockout in China, where he suited up for the Xinjang Guanghui FlyingTigers. He was supposed to wait until the end of the season to rejoin the NBA, but the FIBA cleared his re-entry to the NBA sooner than expected last Thursday.

If Martin passes a physical, he will make $2.5 million.

An 11-year veteran, Martin has averaged 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in his combined stints with the New Jersey Nets and the Denver Nuggets. Martin, 34, was also pursued by the LA Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks.

But Martin eventually picked the Clippers supposedly because of his close friendship with Billups, whom he played with in Denver last season. Martin, says the LA Times, owns a home in Los Angeles.

Martin is expected to log heavy minutes backing up the high-flying, slam-dunk loving Griffin at power forward. With the Martin on board, the Clippers acquires extra strength and length behind 6-foot-11 DeAndre Jordan, 6-foot-10 Solomon Jones and 6-foot-8 Reggie Evans.

A college standout at the University of Cincinnati, Martin was the No.1 overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft. Alongside superstar Jason Kidd, Martin led the New Jersey Nets to failed bids in the 2002 and 2003 NBA Finals. (NVR)