Clippers forward Rodney White was waived Friday after practice. With White gone, 7-foot forward/center Boniface Ndong is expected to make the team.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Shaun Livingston will be out four weeks because of a back injury.

A bone scan done Monday confirmed a stress reaction or weakened area of the vertebrae in Livingston's back, team physician Dr. Tony Daly said. It is not a fracture.

A second MRI exam of his back last week showed irritation in the injured area. Livingston has been sidelined since the start of training camp.

He missed 52 games in his rookie season because of knee and shoulder injuries.

Because of Livingston's injury, the Clippers signed point guard Anthony Goldwire. He has played parts of seven seasons in the NBA.

The Clippers added some needed depth to their backcourt, signing free agent guard Anthony Goldwire.

A seven-year NBA veteran, Goldwire played 33 games with Detroit and Milwaukee last season, averaging 5.2 points and 2.4 assists.

The signing of Goldwire comes on the heels of the Clippers receiving some more disappointing news regarding second-year guard Shaun Livingston. A tall, promising point guard with a somewhat frail physique, Livingston

Los Angeles Clippers guard Shaun Livingston, whose rookie season was curtailed by an injury, has a back ailment that will further delay his return to the court.

A tall, promising point guard with a somewhat frail physique, Livingston has been sidelined with a sore lower back since the beginning of training camp. On Friday, he was examined by back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins at Health South Sports Medicine.

Watkins also examined results of the MRI Livingston underwent Thursday and determined that a continued irritation remains in the injured area of his lower back. Livingston was advised to limit all basketball-related activity until the irritation subsides.

On Monday, Livingston, 20, is scheduled to undergo further tests with back specialist Dr. William Dillin to determine the extent of the injury.

A Los Angeles jury Thursday rejected a former employee's claims that Clipper owner Donald T. Sterling fired her after just 11 months on the job for resisting his sexual advances.

The jury found that Sterling did not sexually harass, retaliate against and then fire Sunmer Davenport, a property supervisor he hired in 2001 to help oversee apartments and other buildings owned by his Beverly Hills Properties.

Sterling's lawyer, Bob Platt, a senior partner in Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, called the jury verdict "a complete vindication." After a nine-week trial in downtown Los Angeles, "the jury found there was no merit to any of her claims," he said. Jurors believed Sterling's testimony over the woman's, the lawyer said.

Backup point guard Shaun Livingston, who sat out the first three exhibition games because of a lower back strain, said he still expected to be ready for the season opener Nov. 2 against the Seattle SuperSonics.

"My job on the court is to run the team, and I feel like I'm confident that it's going to come natural to me when I get back," the second-year player said. "I just feel like I've been doing it so long. It's obviously a task, I'm not say it's easy, but I feel like once I get a little flow, it's going to be good."

Coach Mike Dunleavy sent a message early in training camp to Chris Wilcox, saying the Clippers "would definitely make the playoffs" if the 6-foot-10, 235-pound forward-center had a great season.

"It's no secret, I've told the whole world, so it can't be lack of communication," Dunleavy said. "I've put it out there, 'Here, if you play this way, it's going to happen.' It's definitely clear."

"He has to be consistent with it," Dunleavy said. "It's about eating the glass every game. If you can defend and eat the glass, do that consistently, that's going to get you consistent playing time and consistent minutes.

"And things can happen for him offensively. He's got some tools. He can jump, and we've got some guys who can make plays."

That's fine with Wilcox.

"I'm trying to build on that every day, trying to make every day better than the last one," he said. "Especially getting closer [to the season opener], I want to step up and try to bring that energy.

"I want to be right on time. I don't want to be the type that just keeps that steady pace going. I want to keep going up and getting better. The whole team's level of play goes up when mine goes up, but I've got to provide that spark."

Shaun Livingston's sore back could become painful for the Clippers too.

The second-year point guard sat out the team's exhibition opener against Dallas, a 95-80 victory Wednesday, and is not expected to play tonight against Sacramento at Staples Center.

Livingston, sidelined 52 games in his rookie season because of knee and shoulder injuries, participated in limited activity during training camp at Santa Barbara City College because of the injury he suffered during informal workouts at the Spectrum health club in El Segundo.

There's no reason for concern to this point because "Shaun knows what he needs to do for us," Coach Mike Dunleavy said, "and there's still plenty of time for him to get ready before the season starts."

The Clippers plan for the 6-foot-7 player to have a major role this season as the backup to starter Sam Cassell, so their concern level would rise the longer Livingston was sidelined.

"You'd like for him to get a few games under his belt before the season starts," Dunleavy said. "You play and prepare like you're not going to have him, but he knows everything we do, so that's not an issue. And he's in good shape."

Sam Cassell said before the game he thought he would be wearing a Mavericks uniform this season. "I think it was close," Cassell said. "Real close."

Minnesota was shopping the point guard and finally dealt him to the Clippers for Marko Jaric.

"The Bill Duffy Timberwolves wouldn't allow me to go to Dallas," Cassell said, alluding to the fact the agent has worked several deals with Minnesota. Cassell played for the Mavericks in the mid-1990s.

Cassell, by the way, believes the Clippers will challenge for the playoffs this season. "It's better here than people think," he said. "All we need is an attitude." Which makes it a perfect fit for Cassell.

Although pleased with the progress of Yaroslav Korolev, the Clippers plan to ease in the rookie forward.

Korolev competed well in practice at Santa Barbara City College, Coach Mike Dunleavy said, displaying the skills that prompted the Clippers to select him with the 12th overall pick in the 2005 draft. Korolev impressed at times, especially passing, but the Clippers want to avoid "situations where it could be detrimental to his development," Dunleavy said. "As he grows and deserves more opportunities, then that's the way we'll go, but he's blended in pretty well."

However, the 6-foot-9, 203-pound player could face problems on defense that would limit his role this season.

"From an improvement standpoint, matching up against different NBA guys is the main area," Dunleavy said. "Not knowing a lot of guys and what they do, it's something he's learning. He got better as he played in camp."

The exhibition season is an opportunity, Korolev said.

"I want to play good defense. I want to play the best defense I can," he said. "I want to look for open shots, make some passes and get some rebounds.

"I was much [more] comfortable every day in camp. I've got to learn a lot of things, but I know I have to be here right now."