Clippers acquire Camby from Denver

LOS ANGELES — The Clippers acquired center Marcus Camby from the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday for the option to exchange second-round picks with Los Angeles in 2010.

Camby led the NBA in blocked shots with 3.61 per game last season, only the second player in league history to do so in three straight seasons.

He averaged 9.1 points and 13.1 rebounds playing a career-best 34.9 minutes per game for the Nuggets. Camby was the league's defensive player of the year in 2006-07.

He played the last six seasons in Denver after four years with the New York Knicks.

Camby is the second big-name player to land with the Clippers in less than a week. Baron Davis left Golden State to sign with his hometown team last Thursday on the heels of Elton Brand and leading scorer Corey Maggette departing as free agents.

Brand bolted to Philadelphia, while Maggette went to the Warriors. Davis signed a five-year deal worth $65 million.

The loss of Brand opened up the possibility of moving Camby to the Clippers.

"We felt like we needed to shake things up and do something a little bit radical to be able to create flexibility going forward," Nuggets vice president of player personnel Rex Chapman said in a conference call.

Camby will be counted on to help replace the 20 points and 10 rebounds that Brand has averaged from the power forward spot in his nine-year career. Camby will join center Chris Kaman, who had by far his best season, but was limited to 56 games by several injuries.

"I love this acquisition for the current makeup of our team," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We are getting a consummate pro who is maybe the best team defender in the league and who has 60 playoff games under his belt."

Camby comes to a team that finished 23-59 last season — their worst record in eight years.

"I think this is a very good addition for us, especially since we're getting a player who can really help us without having to give up a player in return," general manager Elgin Baylor said. "With him playing alongside Kaman, I think we will have a pair of excellent interior defenders and that will make us a formidable team."

The Nuggets will receive a $10 million trade exception due to the deal. It can be used for up to a year from the day the trade is completed.