LOS ANGELES (AP) -Ricky Davis can’t wait to reunite on the court with Baron Davis, his former teammate in Charlotte. The two guards are part of the Los Angeles Clippers’ biggest roster overhaul in recent years.
“It should be great,” said Davis, who along with Jason Hart, was introduced Wednesday. “Hopefully, we can put it all together. This is a place where a lot of people didn’t want to be in the beginning. It was my choice to come.”
Davis, an unrestricted free agent who turns 29 in September, averaged 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while playing in all 82 games for the Miami Heat last season. He shot 43.3 percent from the floor, 40.5 percent on 3-pointers and 78.7 percent from the foul line.
“I’m going to bring excitement,” said Davis, who sported a new look, having cut off his braids. “Hopefully, we can get chemistry together. We got every position filled up. Guys are hungry.”
Besides Miami and Charlotte, Davis’ 10-year NBA career includes stints with Cleveland, Boston and Minnesota.
“Ricky has shown a tremendous ability to torch people in this building,” team president Andy Roesner said at Staples Center. “Unfortunately, he was playing for other teams.”
The Clippers acquired Hart from Utah in June for Brevin Knight in a swap of backup point guards. Hart averaged 2.9 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists last season.
Hart played with the Clippers late in the 2006-07 season before signing as a free agent with Utah during the offseason. The 6-foot-3 guard joins Baron Davis in returning to his hometown.
“I left because I had to take the deal,” Hart said, explaining his earlier departure from Los Angeles. “I never thought something like this would happen. I felt like I went away to college and now I’m back home.”
Earlier this month, the Clippers added two starters, signing point guard Baron Davis to a five-year, $65 million contract and acquiring forward-center Marcus Camby in a trade from the Denver Nuggets. Al Thornton, Chris Kaman and Cuttino Mobley figure to be the other starters next season, with Ricky Davis playing a key role off the bench.
Among the projected reserves besides Davis are Tim Thomas, Hart and first-round draft pick Eric Gordon.
“We have the potential to be a playoff team,” general manager Elgin Baylor said. “We have strengthened ourselves to be a much better team.”
Unrestricted free agents Elton Brand and Corey Maggette left the Clippers. Brand signed with Philadelphia, and Maggette went to Golden State.
The Clippers still have hopes of signing Shaun Livingston, the recuperating guard who is an unrestricted free agent. He hasn’t played since injuring his left knee in a game on Feb. 26, 2007.
Livingston has been working out with trainers in Chicago, and has not yet been cleared for full-contact basketball, according to Neal Olshey, Clippers’ director of player personnel.
“We’d like to have Shaun back,” Roesner said. “He still has some work to do to get healthy.”
Roesner hinted the Clippers may not be done with their offseason makeover.
“Don’t be surprised if we do more before training camp,” he said. “We’re never done and always trying.”
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