NBA teams
Baxter Holmes, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Lakers, Earl Clark close to deal

NBA, Los Angeles Lakers

LOS ANGELES -- In the wake of their third player being lost to a season-ending injury, the Los Angeles Lakers are working on finalizing a one-year, pro-rated veteran minimum deal with forward Earl Clark, league sources confirmed to ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Clark, who started 36 games with the Lakers in the 2012-13 season, has been averaging nearly 29 points per game in four appearances with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League.

Clark's arrival would come after the Lakers (3-11) lost reserve swingman Xavier Henry to a season-ending Achilles injury earlier this week. Steve Nash (back) and Julius Randle (leg) are also out for the season, and Ryan Kelly (hamstring) is currently sidelined with a hamstring tear.

Lakers coach Byron Scott said Tuesday that team officials were in contact with the league office about applying for a hardship exception from the NBA to add a 16th player to the roster, one more than the regular-season maximum. Once Kelly returns, the Lakers would need to trim their roster back down to 15.

The Lakers have already been granted two disabled player exceptions this season, one each for Randle ($1.5 million) and Nash ($4.8 million). The team can use the exception to sign or trade for a player, but the exceptions, which expire March 10, cannot be combined.

RealGM first reported on the Lakers and Clark working on a possible reunion.

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