The Los Angeles Clippers today signed guard Doug Christie to a 10-day contract, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor.  Christie will be in uniform and available to play tonight when the Clippers host the Chicago Bulls.

A 14-year NBA veteran, Christie has averaged 11.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game over his career.  Christie tallied 3.7 points and 2.6 assists in seven games played for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2005-06 season.

During the 2001-02 NBA Playoffs, Christie averaged 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in helping lead the Sacramento Kings to within one game of the NBA Finals, losing to the Lakers in overtime of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.  In 58 career playoff games, Christie has tallied 9.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

Alvin Williams' 10-day contract with the Clippers expires on Tuesday and he will not receive another contract, a team spokesman told the Los Angeles Times.

With Donald Sterling publicly supporting Corey Maggette, as well as the wingman's teammates, it appears unlikely that he will be dealt before the February 22nd deadline.

"No doubt, Corey is going to be a key for us if we're going to get to where we want to be," Elton Brand said. "Even with all the [trade] speculation or whatever, he's been nothing but professional the whole time.

"He's done a great job coming off the bench and giving us scoring, rebounding and energy. He's filled every role the team has needed him to, and he's had a great attitude about it. You couldn't ask for anything more."

The Los Angeles Clippers today announced that center Zeljko Rebraca, based on a recommendation by back specialist Dr. Robert Wadkins, has opted to undergo a microscopic surgical procedure (discectomy) on his lower back on Tuesday, January 30th. The procedure, which will be performed by Dr. Wadkins, is designed to remove herniated disc fragments that were discovered when Rebraca was re-examined by team physician Dr. Tony Daly on January 17th.

Rebraca has been sidelined with disc-related lower back discomfort since he took his annual pre-training camp physical on September 25th.  He is expected to be out the remainder of the season.

With Miami continuing to be mathematically out of the playoffs at this point, it is likely that Pat Riley will continue to seek a trade to improve the club.

They are still interested in Corey Maggette who appears to be off the trading block now.

Corey Maggette on Friday publicly thanked owner Donald T. Sterling for his support, saying Sterling's strong comments about wanting Maggette to remain with the team "meant a lot to me."

"You usually don't hear stuff like that, so it's gratifying to have your owner say something like that about you," Maggette said. "There are definitely some positives you can take away from that."

Sterling summoned General Manager Elgin Baylor, Coach Mike Dunleavy and Maggette to an impromptu meeting last Saturday near the bottom of the entrance ramp at Staples Center. The main topic of discussion: ongoing trade talks involving Maggette.

Sterling said he wanted the seven-year veteran to remain with the team, Maggette said he hoped to stay, and Baylor and Dunleavy agreed that few players available in trades could help the Clippers more than Maggette, according to Clippers officials familiar with the conversation.

The owner left the door ajar to trade the Clippers' sixth man and second-leading scorer, telling Maggette he would permit Baylor and Dunleavy to move him in a deal that might improve the team significantly. But because of Sterling's firm stance, the price for Maggette probably would be too high for most teams before the Feb. 22 trading deadline.

"What it says to me is that he appreciates the effort I put out to try to help this team win," Maggette said. "That's really all it's about for me, trying to do whatever I can to help this team win games. He's the owner, it's obviously his team, so that can't be a bad thing if that's the way he feels."

Donald Sterling, owner of the Clippers, brought aside General Manager Elgin Baylor, Coach Mike Dunleavy and Corey Maggette for a meeting on Saturday.

Sterling wants Maggette to remain with team, according to sources familiar with the conversation.

Clippers sources on Thursday confirmed that the team recently talked about a possible trade with the New Jersey Nets.

The Clippers did speak with the Nets about the availability of star guard Vince Carter and point guard Jason Kidd, and were told the players were not available. The Clippers are no longer pursing any deals involving Carter and Kidd.

But the Clippers have been in discussions with many teams about potential trades that could help them improve before the Feb. 22 trading deadline. Carter and Kidd were among the players the Clippers identified as potential difference-makers that could help the team make the playoffs.

In recent weeks the Clippers have been shopping forward Corey Maggette because his agent requested a trade.

The third time wasn't the charm for the New Jersey Nets, who will be haunted all season by a bizarre stretch of one-point defeats on this California trip.

Cuttino Mobley made a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left on the clock, lifting the Los Angeles Clippers to a 102-101 victory over New Jersey on Thursday night. The Nets were beaten Monday at Sacramento by a jumper by Mike Bibby with 10.3 seconds remaining, then at the buzzer on a 17-footer by Golden State's Monta Ellis on Wednesday.

"In this league, you've got to expect anything and everything," Jason Kidd said. "We've put ourselves in a position to win, and we've come up short by a point in the last three games. It's not like we're getting blasted by 20 and you're searching for what we need to do. For us, it's just been the last 30 seconds and the ball hasn't bounced our way."

League sources killed a rumor claiming a proposed three-way deal with Nets, Grizzlies and Clippers containing, among others, Pau Gasol, Vince Carter, Shaun Livingston and Corey Maggette.

Gasol and Maggette are both seeking trades from their respective teams.