Truth & Rumors > NBA

Why Nuggets dealt Camby

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With one Nuggets executive calling it a "chess move," the luxury tax-handcuffed Nuggets traded starting center Marcus Camby -- and his hefty contract -- to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday for the right to swap second-round picks in the 2010 draft. "He played great for us," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "A big hole to fill." The trade may not please Denver fans -- the idea of trading a star player for no player -- but it could help the Nuggets make another roster move down the road. The trade helps Denver's pocketbook immediately. The Nuggets, according to sources, were around $81 million with their salaries for next season. By getting rid of Camby's $10 million contract (with contractual bonuses), Denver suddenly is flirting with $71 million, which is the benchmark for the NBA's luxury tax. Teams who pay higher have to match that amount dollar-for-dollar to the league. With the intended signing of restricted free agent J.R. Smith, the Nuggets likely will be in the mid-$70 million range, as opposed to well over $80 million.

Denver Post

Marcus Camby, Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images Marcus Camby, Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
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July 16, 2008  07:06 AM ET

Why did Camby go to the Clippers instead of Golden State?
The Clippers already have a center (Kaman), whereas Golden State needs another big man. Golden State could have had Camby at center and Harrington at power forward, or vice versa. Either way would be fine, but they need a versatile big man, and Camby would have fit in fine.
Oh well.

July 16, 2008  07:09 AM ET

Okay, now I remember.
The Clippers have an opening for a big man, too, since they lost Elton Brand in the "trade" for Baron Davis. (It was not really a trade, since Brand went to Philly, but Baron eating up the salary cap caused him to go.)

July 16, 2008  07:10 AM ET

you need quality big men and Camby is better than Kaman. he is older but still better. hopefully Kaman will learn from Camby. this is if neither gets hurt.

July 16, 2008  07:19 AM ET

Yeah, I know. Now they have flexibility in terms of having at least one quality center out on the floor at all times - Camby can be out there when Kaman is resting and vice versa.
In fact, since Camby can play both center and power forward, it would also be okay to have them both out there at the same time as well.
Looks as if the Clippers will be a revamped team this season - lots of new faces.

Comment has been removed
July 16, 2008  08:05 AM ET

good move,camby can play PF(midrange shot) and is a much better defender than randolph

July 16, 2008  08:12 AM ET

Trades are usually exciting and fun to talk about but this trade doesn't make either team a contender so who really cares.

July 16, 2008  08:38 AM ET

I'm not into the math part but the Nuggest arnt stupid, they know what there doing, For years they have been a great team......oh wait

July 16, 2008  08:46 AM ET

the clippers have chris kaman and now marcus camby and they showed intrest in shawn marion and the heat need a center or a point guard so they could trade kaman or cambey to heat for marion

July 16, 2008  08:54 AM ET

the clippers have chris kaman and now marcus camby and they showed intrest in shawn marion and the heat need a center or a point guard so they could trade kaman or cambey to heat for marion
pass me the orange juice | 07/16/08, 08:46 AM

HEAT FAN IS BACK!

July 16, 2008  08:55 AM ET

I just don't understand how the Nuggets traded an NBA defensive player of the year and got... absolutely nothing. Surely a few teams would have given more in the way of draft picks, or a case of beer, something.

July 16, 2008  09:04 AM ET

I like trade for the Clippers because I really think Kamen and Camby can really coexist together. But the team that should have pulled the trigger on aquiring Marcus Camby should have been Charlotte.....Just think about it.....They trade Raymond Felton, Nazr Mohammed, and Jermareo Davidson for Marcus Camby and Taurean Green. That would have been a GREAT trade for them.

July 16, 2008  09:23 AM ET

Clippers got a good trade after losing such a good player..

July 16, 2008  09:26 AM ET

A team (Enver) that had one defensive minded player (Camby) trades him away for a 2nd round pick?? What the he*&???

Now I know $10 mil is huge off the books but what are you going to do about defense now? Without Camby's defensive presence they're opponents average wil be 115 next season. What a joke?

July 16, 2008  09:27 AM ET

lol@hank hill...thats right..

July 16, 2008  09:28 AM ET

Well they suck again... I guess 4 first round exits must have been too good for them. I do like the idea of getting rid of the best defender on the team, now we get to watch teams score in the high 130's a night instead of 120's. And Melo sucks big time, OVERRATED.

July 16, 2008  09:30 AM ET

I just don't understand how the Nuggets traded an NBA defensive player of the year and got... absolutely nothing. Surely a few teams would have given more in the way of draft picks, or a case of beer, something.
Tell it like it is
--------------------------------------------------------
Hehe; LOL !!
Seriously though - good point you made there.
If they wanted to save money, they could have traded him for future first-round draft picks and cash instead of just letting him go for a swap in second-round picks.

July 16, 2008  09:32 AM ET

the clippers have chris kaman and now marcus camby and they showed intrest in shawn marion and the heat need a center or a point guard so they could trade kaman or cambey to heat for marion
pass me the orange juice | 07/16/08, 08:46 AM

HEAT FAN IS BACK!
Tell it like it is
-----------------------------------------
Yes, but this time, the trade he proposes is actually reasonable and makes sense.

 
July 16, 2008  09:32 AM ET

I agree

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