Thunder's Patrick Patterson: Bound for Clippers after buyout

Patterson and the Thunder reached an agreement Thursday on a buyout of the final year of his contract, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Patterson intends to sign with the Clippers once the buyout is completed, according to Wojnarowski.

The veteran had exercised his $5.71 million player option in advance of free agency, but he'll forfeit that money for an opportunity to become a free agent and join a Clippers squad that profiles as more of a contender in the Western Conference. The 30-year-old has struggled amid injuries over the last two years and is coming off consecutive seasons of shooting under 40 percent from the field. Still, he'll add valuable depth up front, and his services will likely come at a discount.