With a gaping hole in their front court caused by the injury to power forward Elton Brand, the Clippers made a stop-gap move by signing free-agent forward Ruben Patterson.

Last season, his ninth in the NBA, the 32-year-old Patterson had a career year with the Bucks, his fifth team. He played in 81 games, averaged a career-high 14.7 points, and equaled his career high with 5.4 rebounds. He shot a career-high 55% from the floor.

Brand ruptured his left Achilles' tendon earlier this month and is expected to miss at least the first few months of the season.

"I am really excited by our signing of Ruben Patterson," Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said. "He is a great competitor. I have always admired the intensity he brings from game to game."

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent forward Ruben Patterson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

A nine-year NBA veteran, Patterson is coming off a successful 2006-07 season in Milwaukee, where he established new career-highs by averaging 14.7 points, 2.9 assists and 31.4 minutes per game. Patterson appeared in 81 games for the Bucks, equaling a career-high while also tying his career-high with 5.4 rebounds per game. Patterson shot 55 percent from the field last season, his highest field goal percentage as a pro.

?We are thrilled to add Ruben to our team,? Clippers Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor said. ?Ruben plays hard every single night. He is an aggressive defensive player and has a real enthusiasm for the game. He gives 100 percent every game.?

The Clippers will be Patterson?s fifth NBA team, as he spent the 2006-07 season with the Bucks after appearing in 70 games and splitting time with the Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets in 2005-06. Patterson faced the Clippers in the 2006 NBA Playoffs, appearing in four games and starting one as the Clippers defeated the Nuggets.

?I am really excited by our signing of Ruben Patterson,? Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy said. ?He is a great competitor. I have always admired the intensity he brings from game to game. His versatility will help improve our team.?

In his career, which has also seen stops with the Seattle Supersonics and Los Angeles Lakers, Patterson has averaged 10.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Originally drafted by the Lakers with the 31st overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft out of Cincinnati, Patterson played in 10 games for AEK Athens in Greece during the 1998-99 season as well. The Ohio native signed with Seattle before the 1999-2000 season and then moved to Portland prior to the 2001-02 season.

Patterson was a star at the University of Cincinnati, averaging 16.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game during his senior year and earning Second Team All-Conference USA honors. Patterson played his first two years of collegiate basketball at Independence Community College in Kansas before transferring to Cincinnati for the 1996-97 season.

Virtus Bologna finally found its starting point guard. The famed Euroleague returnees will put the ball in the hands of Will Conroy, who will be playing overseas for the first time.

Conroy finished last campaign playing for the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA.

The Los Angeles Clippers today waived guard Will Conroy.

In four games played for Los Angeles last season, Conroy averaged 2.0 assists in 8.8 minutes per game.  Conroy also tallied 3.0 points and 3.6 assists in five games played for the Clippers? entry in the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles Clippers added another piece to the team?s backcourt with the signing of guard Guillermo Diaz today.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

Diaz, the Clippers? second round selection (52nd overall) in the 2006 NBA Draft, averaged 20.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 15 games played for CEZ Basketball Nymburk in the Czech Republic last season.  Diaz also played in five games with AEP Olimpiada Patron in the Greek League in 2007, tallying 13.0 points per game.

A 6?2? native from Puerto Rico, Diaz contributed 10.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in five games played for the Clippers entry in the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles Clippers signed free agent forward Josh Powell on Tuesday.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

Entering his third season in the NBA, Powell played in a total of 37 games for the Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors in 2006-07, finishing the season with the Warriors and appearing in four playoff games. Powell averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game last season, establishing new career-highs in both categories.

Powell also tallied 10.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in five games played for the Warriors entry in the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles Clippers officially signed free agent guard Brevin Knight. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

A ten-year NBA veteran, Knight averaged 9.1 points, 6.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 45 games played for the Charlotte Bobcats last season. Knight started his NBA career with Cleveland in 1997-98 and has also played for Atlanta, Memphis, Phoenix and Washington. In 581 career NBA games, Knight has averaged 8.3 points, 6.8 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals.

In making the announcement Clippers? Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor said:  ?Brevin is one of the better defensive point guards in the league.  He?s also a gifted floor leader with a great assist-to-turnover ratio.  We like that he is good at running the offense and that he always looks to get his teammates involved.?

Free agent forward Josh Powell will sign a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Clippers today, HoopsHype.com has learned.

Los Angeles Clippers? forward Elton Brand underwent a successful procedure to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon on Tuesday morning at the Christiana Care?s Wilmington Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.

The surgery was conducted by Dr. Craig Morgan, a Wilmington-based orthopedic surgeon, who afterward consulted with Clippers? team physician Dr. Tony Daly.

Brand will wear a cast for six weeks, replaced by a walking boot for six weeks.  He will remain in the eastern United States for the next two weeks, after which he will return to Wilmington for a follow-up examination and a probable adjustment to his cast.

Mark Bartelstein, the agent for P.J. Brown and James Posey, said Brown is evaluating four to five teams, including the Mavs, and then will decide if he wants to retire or play.

The Suns, Celtics and Magic have all shown interest. The Clippers could also enter the mix after Elton Brand ruptured his left Achilles' tendon Friday.

Bartelstein said the Mavs have continued conversations about Posey despite signing Eddie Jones. "The door's not closed," Bartelstein said.