Clippers Quickly Retain Nesby by Matching the Spurs’ Offer

For less than a day, restricted free agent Tyrone Nesby was a member of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. Then the Clippers brought him back to reality Monday, matching San Antonio’s offer sheet and signing him to a three-year contract worth $8.9 million.

Nesby, 23, made the league minimum of $287,500 last season as an undrafted rookie from Nevada Las Vegas.

Nesby, a 6-foot-6 swingman, was one of only two Clippers who played in all 50 games. He averaged 10.1 points and emerged as one of the team’s top defenders.

The Spurs had hoped to sign Nesby to help replace starting forward Sean Elliott, who needs a kidney transplant and probably will miss the 1999-2000 season.

The Clippers have three swingmen heading into the season, Nesby, the recently traded for Johnny Newman and Lamar Odom, the fourth pick overall in this year’s draft.

Elgin Baylor, vice president of basketball operations, said the Clippers would continue to seek a veteran point guard and a backup big man.