After Amir Coffey dropped a then-career-high 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting in a victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 9, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said it: “Him coming in and playing the way he has just shows that he is ready for a deal, he is ready for a contract.”

On Saturday, the Clippers were ready to give it to him, converting his two-way deal into a regular contract – which will allow the third-year wing to be a part of the active playoff (and play-in) roster.

Xavier Moon will fill the two-way spot that Coffey vacates, calling up the 6-foot-2 point guard after a productive trio of 10-day deals with the Clippers and G League season with the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario.

To make room for Coffey on the roster, the Clippers waived Semi Ojeleye, whom they acquired along with veteran wing Rodney Hood in the trade deadline deal for Serge Ibaka. Hood remains on the Clippers’ roster.

The 24-year-old Coffey, a 6-foot-7 wing who was undrafted in 2019 out of Minnesota, earned a standard deal after playing 62 games, 28 of which he’s started – including Friday’s, when he led the Clippers with 21 points in a 122-97 loss to Philadelphia.

Coffey heatin’ up.

@BallySportWest | @coffeyshop_ pic.twitter.com/CoFbBFAXlq

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 26, 2022

Moon, 27, signed three 10-day contracts with the Clippers earlier this season when they were in the throes of health and safety protocols, impressing the team with his poise and energy – and his 5.5 points and 1.7 assists in 13.8 minutes per game.

“His will, his want-to” stuck out to Reggie Jackson, the Clippers starting point guard said following the end of Moon’s third 10-day stay. “How much he’s been about the team. He’s come in, he’s gotten better every day, hasn’t complained, fears no one, doesn’t back down, so it’s been fun to watch him compete. …

“He’s just always positive, optimistic. Not B.S. It’s nothing overdone, you can just tell he’s very optimistic, he’s very confident in what he does, and he definitely has a belief in the group, and it sucks that his time with us is over.”

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With Agua Caliente, Moon – the nephew of one-time Clipper Jamario Moon – averaged 18.8 points, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game, shooting 46% from the floor and 38% from three-point range.

Ojeleye, a 6-6 forward, appeared in 10 games for the Clippers, averaging 4.1 points and 1.6 rebounds.

The Clippers currently rank eighth in the Western Conference standings at 36-39. The team has seven games left on its schedule, including Tuesday’s against the Jazz (45-29) and Thursday’s with the Bulls (42-31).

Clippers might need to keep Xavier Moon just to be Reggie Jackson’s super amazing Vibe Guy. Reggie’s talked so much about his conversations with Xavier. https://t.co/2we4FiAHEa

— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) January 22, 2022

Super Amazing Vibe Guy Instagram exchange @FlyByKnite https://t.co/numfBLQLb4 pic.twitter.com/mjIqguckeC

— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) February 5, 2022