Melvin Ely Is Available

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I mentioned earlier about trading for him.  He would provide
a low post and rebounding presence and seems to be long and mobile 
enough to play the Harter-O'Brien Naked Chicken defense.
The Clippers being the Clippers are looking for the usual: cap 
space/draft picks/young players with paltry contracts.  
With Baker likely subtracted and money saved, moving Mills 
in a deal shouldn't be discouted...

Friday, January 23, 2004 
Ely could be the one to go
Overstocked at the post position, the Clippers might try to trade the little-used second-year player. 
By ART THOMPSON III 
The Orange County Register 
LOS ANGELES  The NBA trading deadline is four weeks away.
With a glut at the post position, the Clippers are open to inquiries about second-year player Melvin Ely.
Since coming off the injured list last Friday, Ely has played a total of 17 minutes in two games. He has not seen any action in two other games, including Wednesday's victory over Golden State.
The Clippers are monitoring who might be available to improve their team, and the 6-foot-11, 245-pound Ely would be the most logical player to trade. The team is determined not to make any deals that would disrupt the salary-cap space they are trying to create this summer. 
"Right now Mel's not a guy who is in the top of the rotation," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said Thursday. "An injury can change that or bad play by someone in the group could change it where he gets a chance to play."
Ely missed the first game of the season with a shoulder injury but then played in 15 consecutive games with two starts. Since then, Ely has played in five of 23 games. He spent 12 games on the injured list because of influenza and lost 25 pounds.
Ely appeared to be the front-runner for the starting center position during training camp. But Chris Wilcox, rookie Chris Kaman and Peja Drobnjak moved ahead of him. Kaman plays center, but Wilcox and Drobnjak have rotated in giving starting power forward Elton Brand infrequent breaks. 
"It's hard to get all the minutes around at that position," Dunleavy said. "We have Brand, we have Kaman, Wilcox and Drobnjak. On a given night, you're only going to play three, maybe four guys."
Ely said he would welcome a trade if it came.
"A change of venue for me wouldn't matter," he said. "I'm not going to just accept that I'm in the league and I get paid a whole lot of money and be fine with that. I'm trying to be the best at my position. If somebody wants me and I go to another team, no hard feelings."