Still no decision on the Marcus Camby front, as the veteran big man has cleared waivers and seemed to be heading to the Houston Rockets, but it seems the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat remain persistent contenders for the players, who still hasn’t made up his mind.
Camby ended the buyout business quickly with the Toronto Raptors. In fact, it was clear the day after the trade between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors was made Camby wasn’t going to play in Canada, his first NBA team.
He immediately announced he’d be trying to get out of his deal, and the Raptors didn’t fight too hard to keep him in place. Camby wants to play for a contender in his final days in the NBA. That was the plan when he signed with the New York Knicks on a three year deal worth $13 million, which seems kind of a lot for a 38-year old player (at the time; Camby will be 40 next March).
Now it’s off to the races to find the team that convinces him that the championship can be won with them. Obviously, the Miami Heat present the best chance of winning the NBA ring Camby covets, but he might be looking for a team that can give him more minutes.
Initially, it looked like the Rockets, according to Camby’s agent, will be his number one option, but the persistence of the Bulls to try and add him and give them a better rebounding presence off the bench (currently have Nazr Mohammed and Taj Gibson coming off the bench at 4 and 5) is keeping Camby undecided.
The Rockets have a backup center in Omer Asik, which is probably the main reason Camby is still hesitant. Despite playing in only 24 games last season, averaging 10.4 minutes a game, Camby wants a bit more playing time on the court. He played a lot of power forward last season for the Knicks, and the only concern with the Rockets for him is the amount of time he’ll get on the floor, although for the teams, the important thing is having him be ready and healthy for the playoffs, where he’ll be able to add some rebounding and defense for a few minutes.