[Bryan88]

Clippers Team Report - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

They got some this week, when guard Shaun Livingston disclosed that he is very close to being able to play basketball for the first time in 16 months.

It has been that long since the 22-year Livingston suffered what initially was feared to be a career-ending left knee injury. But now, after surgery and many months of therapy and strength training, Livingston is on the threshold of being cleared by his medical team to play.

The Clippers’ 2004 lottery pick (drafted fourth overall out of Peoria Central High School in Illinois)came into the NBA with glittering potential. But starting with his rookie season, when he dislocated his right knee cap, Livingston has been snake-bitten by assorted injuries. In total, he has missed 181 out of a possible 324 games, due to injury, over his four-year career.

But Livingston’s knee reportedly is sound. The emphasis over the past several months has been to make certain that the muscle region around the knee was sufficiently strong.

Now, however, comes a tough decision for the Clippers to make. They either must tender Livingston a qualifying offer of $5.8 million, by June 30, otherwise Livingston would become an unrestricted free agent the following day.

It amounts to a gamble and ultimately, the final decision will be made by owner Donald T. Sterling. But that would be only after it has passed through vice president of basketball operations Elgin Baylor, coach Mike Dunleavy and team president Andy Roeser.

Neil Olshey, the Clippers’ director of player personnel, said the decision only would be rendered after consultation with trainer Jasen Powell, who has been monitoring Livingston’s rehabilitation since the surgery on Livingston’s knee in March 2007.

Regardless of what stage the Clippers believe Livingston to be at, they are expected to draft a guard with their seventh overall pick in this month’s NBA draft.