Wed, Jul 14, 2004 at 12:00am

ELY, HOUSE TO CHARLOTTE

The Charlotte Bobcats acquired forward Melvin Ely and guard Eddie House from the Los Angeles Clippers for a second-round draft pick in 2005 and second-round draft pick in 2006.

What does it give the Charlotte Hornets
A passable point guard (finally) and another big body. The one thing the Bobcats don't have is quality guards, and by picking up House they at least have someone who can run a team. Ely has been a disappointment in his early career, but has the size and talent to become a good low-post presence if given the chance.

What does it give the Los Angeles Clippers
Cap room space for their foiled Kobe coup. The Clips found they were a few Million dollars per season out of the running for free agent Kobe Bryant, so they decided to cut some salary to get eligible. The ploy didn't work, as they lost the Kobe sweepstakes to their Staples Center cousins--the Lakers. Still, the move leaves them with a big pile of cash to give some lucky free agent--but don't expect owner Donald Sterling to spend it just for the sake of spending.

Fantasy impact