Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 12:00am

SAMB TO THE CLIPS

The Los Angeles Clippers acquired center Cheikh Samb and cash considerations from the Denver Nuggets for a conditional second-round draft pick.

What does it give the Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers recently waived reserve center Paul Davis, so Samb's arrival fits both that roster spot and need. Samb and Davis have similar low salaries so Clippers head coach / GM Mike Dunleavy Sr. seems to like the potential of the more-athletic Samb (who has major upside as a shot-blocker) more than that of the more-skilled Davis.

What does it give the Denver Nuggets
With backup center Chris Andersen playing well and with talented third pivot Steven Hunter making good strides in his recovery from knee surgery (according to the Rocky Mountain News), Samb was expendable. He was playing in the D-League at the time of the trade so will not be missed in the short term, and dropping his contract both gives the Nuggets more roster flexibility and helps Denver inch closer to getting under the NBA's luxury tax ceiling.

Fantasy impact