Martin Comes Back on 10-Day Contract

Turning to Plan B after their first choice hooked on elsewhere, the Clippers on Wednesday signed point guard Darrick Martin to a 10-day contract.

Martin, 33, is a former UCLA player who enjoyed his best NBA seasons with the Clippers in the late 1990s but blistered them after they declined to re-sign him after the lockout-shortened 1999 season.

“It’s not the coaches or the other players -- it’s mostly the organization and how you’re treated there,” Martin said after joining the Sacramento Kings. “Checks bouncing, not getting per diem on time, flights not there on time, flights without catered food -- just little things that make you feel appreciated.

“I think if you polled the Clippers who have left recently they would all say now, being part of another team, that they’re part of the NBA.”

The Clippers, in need of sound bodies at the point with Marko Jaric and Shaun Livingston sidelined because of injuries, had hoped to bring in Anthony Goldwire but were unable to reach agreement on a contract before Goldwire, waived in November by the Milwaukee Bucks, signed with the Detroit Pistons.

Martin played last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Chris Wilcox was put on the injured list, with Coach Mike Dunleavy saying the forward probably would be sidelined at least a month. Mamadou N’Diaye was activated.

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-- Jerry Crowe