Travis Outlaw's debut with the Clippers was emblematic of his career in Portland.

Only a few minutes after entering the game Monday night, the small forward made a 22-foot jumper. He followed with a pair of three-point baskets in the second quarter to give the Clippers a 13-point lead during an eventual 98-94 victory over Charlotte.

The Portland Trail Blazers traded away their longest tenured player - Travis Outlaw - to the Los Angeles Clippers a week ago. Today he made his debut.

Outlaw got injured early in the season, and hadn't played for the Blazers since November 14 of 2009. Portland had to address the center position, and thus decided to trade Outlaw and Steve Blake in exchange for Marcus Camby. And with both Nicolas Batum and Martell Webster healthy and sharing significant minutes at the SF spot, the Blazers really wouldn't have found much time for Outlaw on the court.

With 56 games under his belt in Los Angeles, Rasual Butler is a relative mainstay for a Clippersteam that's seen a procession of players shuttle in and out of the locker room over the past week. Surrounded by new teammates and an interim head coach searching for only his second win in seven tries, Butler drained the big shot Monday night. The swingman's silky 3-pointer from the left corner pulled the Clippers even at 87-87.

Forward Travis Outlaw is expected to return to the Trail Blazers and play this month, perhaps as soon as the Feb. 21 home game against Utah.

"This is definitely a blessing,'' Outlaw said. "To come back this early, I would be happy.''

Outlaw, who broke his left foot Nov. 14 at Charlotte, has been cleared for contact drills beginning Feb. 15, the first day after the All-Star Break, general manager Kevin Pritchard said Tuesday. 

"I would imagine we'd like to get him on the court soon after that,'' Pritchard said with a smile.