Culver City Observer -

The Clippers have retained four prominent reserves who had become free agents but will be without two who signed elsewhere.

Jamal Crawford, Austin Rivers, Wesley Johnson and Luke Mbah a Moute are coming back. However, Jeff Green signed with Orlando and Cole Aldrich signed with Minnesota.

The Clippers concentrated on Crawford, giving the 36-year-old guard a three-year contract for $42 million and Rivers, who will receive $35 million for three years.

These two are outstanding substitutes for backcourt starters Chris Paul and J.J. Redic.

Johnson is a forward who played a prominent role in the Clippers' 55-win season after Blake Griffin missed 45 games with injuries. Mbah a Moute is an NbA veteran and defensive star.

Without Aldrich the Clippers were in

need of a backup center but they quickly solved the problem by signing Marreese Speights to a one-year contract.

Although the 28-year-old Speights played behind starter Andrew Bogut he contributed to the Golden State Warriors' NBA championship a year ago and their record-breaking 73 wins in the regular season this time.

Speights will back up DeAndre Jordan for the Clippers. The Warriors have also lost their other backup center, Festus Ezeli, who signed a two-year deal with Portland.

The Clippers will miss Green's contribution although they're hoping 6-foot-10 first round draft choice Brice Jomson from North Carolina will earn important minutes.

Johnson and two second round choices are currently playing for the Clippers' team in the Orlando summer league. The team lost its first three games.