Jordan Farmar trading jerseys but not the city

Jordan Farmar isn’t moving across the hallway as much as he’s moving up in stature.

Going from the Lakers to the Clippers in 2014 is like moving from a studio apartment to a spacious penthouse suite.

The Lakers have gone from NBA champions to compiling their worst record in L.A. in only four years. Meanwhile, the Clippers have gone from a 29-53 team to the two-time defending Pacific Division champions over that span.

“That’s life, man,” Farmar said after the end of the Clippers training camp session Friday in Las Vegas. “Change is inevitable. They had a great run. Right now the Clippers are in a great place and heading in the right direction.”

The former longtime Laker considered returning to the team with which he has spent five seasons over two stints, winning titles in 2009 and ‘10, before signing a two-year, $4.2-million contract with the Clippers that includes a player option for the second year.

The veteran point guard said he was intrigued by the Clippers’ potential and the opportunity to back up Chris Paul after the departure of Darren Collison.

Farmar leaves behind a legion of jilted fans who expressed their displeasure on Instagram (“It got a little out of control,” Farmar said. “But I understand they’re Laker fans.”) and longtime friend Nick Young, a former high school and college rival who re-signed with the Lakers over the summer.

“I told him, ‘It wouldn’t all be right in the world if we were on the same side,’ ” Farmar said. “We tried it for one season, and the Lakers had the worst season in their history.”

Farmar played in only 41 games last season after being sidelined with a torn left hamstring and a strained groin, but he was one of the team’s top shooters when healthy. He made 43.8% of his three-pointers, oddly shooting better from beyond the arc than inside it (39.7%).

The Clippers coveted Farmar, 27, for his shooting and his championship savvy; he and reserve forward Glen Davis are the only players on the team to have won an NBA title. The list of attributes Farmar said he wants to bring to the team is even longer.

“Leadership, experience, stability off the bench, shooting, scrappiness, feistiness, just anything I can, to be honest,” he said.

Farmar has also been an unofficial shooting coach for center DeAndre Jordan, staying after practice every day with the big man until he makes 100 free throws. (Yes, for those who are wondering, there are times when it can take a little while.)

“He just started shooting with me,” Farmar said, “and I said, ‘OK, we’ll make sure you make 100 every day, and you can walk out of the gym knowing I put the ball in the hole from this spot 100 times today.’ ”

Farmar hopes the latest stop on his tour of hometown teams is as productive as the previous ones. He won a L.A. City Section title at Woodland Hills Taft High and played in the national championship game at UCLA before winning those titles with the Lakers.

“I think we have a really great shot to be a special team here,” Farmar said. “I think I can really contribute to help and take it even further than they’ve gone before.”

Etc.

Coach Doc Rivers on Davis losing weight: “It’s like throwing a deck chair off the Queen Mary. … You don’t visually see it, but you can see it in his movement, for sure.” … The Clippers will hold a scrimmage that is free and open to the public at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Galen Center.

Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch