ESPN.com's Marc Stein is reporting that the Denver Nuggets have traded center Marcus Camby to the Los Angeles Clippers.
All the Nuggets get is a swap of second-round picks in 2010. Denver is clearly looking to shed salary.
Two thoughts:
I think this makes the West not as deep as the previous season. And it definitely opens the door for a team like Portland to get into the playoffs.
Take Camby away from Denver and the Nuggets could give up 120 points per game. He was their only good defensive player on what was a bad defensive team already.
The Clippers replace Elton Brand with Camby. Now where does the offense come from? Corey Maggette is gone. That leaves a nucleus of Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Camby, Al Thornton and draft pick Eric Gordon. Thornton and Davis can score, but Camby and Kaman are really the same -- good rebounders and defenders with limited offensive ability. Do the Clippers really expect Gordon to score a lot this season?
Don't be surprised to see the Clippers and Nuggets miss the playoffs next season. And the Warriors, who just missed the playoffs, aren't any better. Good news for Portland and keep an eye on the Sacramento Kings -- depending on how the Ron Artest situation gets resolved.
-- MIKE ROSE