When Clippers coach Doc Rivers said the signing of veteran forward Hedo Turkoglu is imminent, he also admitted to revealing one of the league’s worst-kept secrets.
“How do you pronounce his name?,” Rivers asked with a smile. “Because I may have to get used to that.”
Turkoglu has apparently passed enough informal entry tests and is a phyusical exam away from signing. Rivers said that Turkoglu’s 20-game suspension for banned substances was among the topics that were covered in the vetting.
“It’s no concern now for me,” Rivers said of the suspension. “He’s going to do his physicals whenever we finally get all the stuff done but we do anticipate signing him. At least we hope. Nothing’s official til it’s official. I usually don’t say stuff but I think everyone pretty much knows.
“You always address (all issues) when you bring guys in and you talk to them. You talk to them about anything that’s happened in his past, not only just that, but he was in Orlando and didn’t play. Every guy you bring in, that’s nothing new.”
Rivers added that if he’s signed, Turkoglu would be available to join the club for their seven-game East Coast road trip that begins Friday in New York. He’s confident Turkoglu will fit in with the club.
“Yeah, you never know how (locker room chemistry) goes,” Rivers said. “I think with the veterans it usually goes pretty well. Veterans are pretty easy to fit in in the locker room. Young guys for the most part don’t know what to do in the locker room. I don’t really have a concern when you bring veterans in.”