Patience could pay off for the Charlotte Bobcats, in regard to Emeka Okafor, after the Los Angeles Clippers made a big trade Tuesday.

The Clippers used up most of their room under the salary cap, absorbing the $11.2million salary of Denver Nuggets center Marcus Camby. The Nuggets, deep in luxury-tax territory, needed to reduce payroll, and accepted a second-round pick for Camby.

The Clippers previously had about $12million under the cap, and were a threat to sign Okafor, a restricted free agent, to an offer sheet.

“It eliminates a scenario,” said Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins, while watching his team play a summer-league game against the Golden State Warriors. “Still, it was just more speculation from our standpoint.”

By and large, the NBA teams with significant cap room have used it: The Philadelphia 76ers signed Elton Brand, the Clippers added Baron Davis and Camby and the Warriors signed Corey Maggette and committing offer-sheet money to Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf.

Higgins repeatedly has said the Bobcats intend to keep Okafor. His agent, Jeff Schwartz, has been on his honeymoon, according to Higgins, but the two will be having discussions.

Last summer Okafor turned down an extension that would have paid him more than $12 million a season. If Okafor doesn't sign long-term with Charlotte, he has the option of signing a one-year qualifying offer that would make him an unrestricted free agent the summer of 2009.

Posey wants four-year deal

James Posey, the Celtics' highest-priority unsigned veteran, is seeking a four-year contract, an NBA source said.

Posey, 31, is treating negotiations as if this could be his final contract and has been in talks with Detroit, the Lakers, New Orleans, and Washington. No team has been willing to offer a deal beyond three years.

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Gallinari learning the NBA is no Italian league

Danilo Gallinari was shaky, then strong, not brilliant but exceptionally resilient. He handled the ball like a point guard, shot like a shooting guard and got knocked around the paint like a still-maturing 19-year-old. He was, indeed, everything the Knicks expected when they drafted him last month.

Gallinari scored 14 points in his NBA summer league debut Monday, and showed he was a work in progress. He failed to score during the first half, missed his first five shots and collected five fouls in 30 minutes. But he made five of his final six shots, several from long distance, and showed the persistence that endeared him to the Knicks' front office.

“It kind of underlines what we kind of know,” coach Mike D'Antoni said. “He's a tough kid; he doesn't get bothered by stuff. We knew that. He's solid.”

D'Antoni cautioned that it was too soon to get excited, but said, “We're real pleased.”

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“It's a completely different game,” Gallinari said, “and also the referees, they are different. I was just trying to figure out how it is.”

Love scores 18 in debut

Kevin Love had 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds in his debut in a loss for the Minnesota Timberwolves at the NBA summer league.

The fifth overall selection in last month's draft, Love committed four fouls – the same number of points he scored – during the first quarter. “I had to get the jitters out,” Love said. “I was shaking out there a little bit because it hadn't sunk in that I was a NBA player.”

Walton to have surgery

Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton will have surgery Friday to remove bone spurs from his right ankle, the team announced.

Dr. David Thordarson, an orthopedic surgeon out of the University of Southwen California, will perform the surgery in Los Angeles. Bone spurs can occur as a result of trauma or jamming in the joint and surgery normally is required to remove them.

Warriors sign Randolph

The Golden State Warriors signed first-round pick Anthony Randolph. Based on the league's rookie scale, he will make about $1.4million his first season. .

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