The Los Angeles Clippers are 20-11 this season, good for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

"They don't like each other," said one person who knows the Clippers' team well.

Josh Smith has agreed to sign with the Houston Rockets.

Smith was waived this week by the Detroit Pistons.

Smith has been promised a spot in the starting lineup and now has the opportunity to play beside former AAU teammate Dwight Howard. Smith only would consider clubs offering a starting spot, which limited his options to the Rockets and Miami Heat

Smith will likely sign a deal with the Rockets for the biannual exception of $2 million once he clears waivers at 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday. 

The Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings also had interest in Smith.

The Houston Rockets have improved their position as frontrunner to sign Josh Smith.

Beyond Smith's close friend Dwight Howard, there's confidence among Rockets' players that they'll be able to sign him.

The Rockets tried to acquire Smith in the 2013 offseason, but were unable to put together a sign-and-trade deal with the Atlanta Hawks. Before ultimately signing a four-year $56 million deal with Detroit, Smith had long had interest in finding a way to join the Rockets, sources said.

Houston can use its biannual exception, worth $2.077 million annually, to sign Smith.

The Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat also have interest in Smith.

The Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks will all have interest in signing Josh Smith once he clears waivers.

Smith was waived on Monday by the Detroit Pistons.

The Kings were interested in trading for Smith in the offseason.

Adrian Wojnarowski reports the Houston Rockets are also interested in Smith. The Rockets can offer Smith its bi-annual exception, which gives them an advantage over other clubs.

Stein added that the Miami Heat also have interest in signing Smith.

Corey Brewer has been placed back on the trading block by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers, sources said, remain the most interested suitors for Brewer, but have also been joined by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Flip Saunders, after calling Brewer "too valuable to trade" on Nov. 20, publicly acknowledged last week that the Wolves' many injuries and subsequent struggles to compete in the difficult West have forced Minnesota to concede that the team is shifting from a "retool" mode to a "rebuild."

The Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers have held preliminary trade talks on Lance Stephenson, according to sources. A deal is not imminent at this point.

The Hornets have been unwilling to attach a draft pick to Stephenson, which would have helped talks with the Pacers.

The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers have also researched Stephenson's time with the Hornets, but aren't serious at this point.

The Hornets signed Stephenson in the offseason.

Matt Barnes was fined $25,000 for kicking a water bottle into the stands and directing profane language at fans, the NBA announced.

The invident took place during the Los Angeles Clippers' game on Friday.

Jermaine O'Neal said he expects to make a definitive decision on his playing future early in 2015.

"I'm going to make a clear-cut decision after the holidays," O'Neal said.

O'Neal admitted he knows there are teams that are interested in a possible deal and he has not ruled out returning for what would be his 19th NBA season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors are among the teams that covet O'Neal should he play again.

O'Neal played for the Warriors last season.

DeAndre Jordan has continued to emerge as one of the best defensive big men in the NBA.

He could command nine-figure rich next summer in free agency, while presenting the first significant financial test of Steve Ballmer's ownership.

A maximum five-year contract for Jordan projected at $103.5 million would probably nudge the Clippers over the luxury tax threshold for a third consecutive season in 2015-16, triggering the dreaded repeater tax the following season.

Ballmer has intimated he would make whatever financial commitment was necessary to preserve the core of his team.

"I want the Clippers to be better than they've ever been and better than anybody else has ever been," Ballmer said.

LeBron James and Blake Griffin have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for games played between Nov. 24 and Nov. 30.

James won the award two weeks ago, while Griffin last won it on Mar. 17, 2014.

James led the Cavaliers to the East's only perfect record on the week at 3-0. He averaged 25.7 points (second in the conference), 8.7 assists (tied-fourth in the conference), 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals (tied-third in the conference). 

Griffin helped the Clippers to a 4-0 week behind averages of 23.8 points (fourth in the conference), 9.8 rebounds (seventh in the conference), and 5.0 assists.