From Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times, via TrueHoop:
“Mike Dunleavy said a trade involving center Marcus Camby — or anyone else — was not something he envisioned happening soon. I don’t see us probably making a deal imminently in any way, but you never know when a call could come in,’ he said, declining to specifically address trade rumors involving Camby. Asked if he would be reluctant to trade Camby, who ranks among the league leaders in rebounding and blocked shots, Dunleavy said, ‘When you have a stock that’s going up, you don’t want to sell it. When it’s going down, nobody wants to buy it. The only deals that get done are when teams somehow come to some equitable deal that makes sense to make people better for whatever the reason might be.’ Do the Clippers have a surplus of talent at Camby’s position? ‘Not the last time I checked,’ Dunleavy said.”
The NBA trade deadline isn’t until February 18th, but that won’t stop the inquiries and floating rumors regarding Marcus Camby. Let’s examine some of the reasons why Marcus Camby is so valuable on the trade market.
Expiring Contract
- Marcus Camby has been the best player on the floor in multiple games for the Clippers this year, but his value around the league has more to do with his expiring 9.15 million dollar contract than his impressive play. Expiring contracts are always valued commodities around the trade deadline, but this year they are practically gold. The 2010 free agency class, headlined by some fella named LeBron James, is easily the greatest the NBA has ever seen. Every team in the league would love to knock 9 million off the books and position themselves in the running for the services of a LeBron, Wade, or Bosh. Acquiring Camby would be smart for any team; it’s good for basketball and business alike.
Veteran Presence
- Camby exemplifies all the qualities that make the perfect veteran big man. At age 35, he remains one of the league’s premier rebounders and shot blockers and has shown he’s still more than capable of anchoring an entire defensive unit. In the playoff setting, where half court defensive stands and rebounding become paramount, Camby is the ideal frontline player. His extensive playoff experience means he’s battle tested and knows the level of intensity required for playoff success. At the tail end of a great yet championship free career, he’s likely extremely hungry for another crack at a ring as well. Remember how a running on empty P.J. Brown played during the Celtics championship run two years back? It’s easy to see Camby filling a similar role.
Ability to Mesh
- The main concern most general managers have with dealing at the trade deadline is how a player will mesh with his new surroundings. Team chemistry is a fickle thing, but Marcus Camby’s skill set all but alleviates any real concerns. Camby has proven he can be effective as both a power forward and a center and has shown no ego in regards to playing time. From an X’s and O’s standpoint, Camby can operate as a distributor at the high post, play around the rim, and act as the lone big man on the floor if necessary. Perhaps the most underrated aspect from a chemistry standpoint is that Marcus Camby doesn’t steal shots away from other players. Camby can be seamlessly inserted into most any lineup and given any role without the wheels stopping.
There’s no question that Camby is going to be pursued quite heavily by playoff contenders and teams looking to enter the free agency race, but what will the Clippers be asking in return for Camby?
For as valuable as he would be to a contender, his expiring contract makes him just as valuable to the Clippers. If the Clippers let Camby’s contract expire, they’ll have plenty of cap room to be a major player in this summer’s market. With Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman all locked up through the 2011 season, it seems logical that the Clippers would target a small forward to round out the starting lineup. Although Al Thornton has made improvements this year, it’s tough to argue that he meshes properly with the other four starters. Rasual Butler was supposed to be the answer at small forward, but with his jumper on the back of the milk carton he’s basically a glorified Mardy Collins. The reasoning behind the Butler signing was correct, but Butler hasn’t proven himself to be the outside shooter required to fill the role. So where should the Clippers go from here?
Do they let Camby’s contract expire, then make a run at a Joe Johnson type player in free agency? As enticing as that sounds, there’s the very real possibility that the Clippers aren’t able to secure a big name free agent and are left in the cold without anything to show for Camby. Would securing a better version of Butler during the season, like a Tayshaun Prince, be the way to go? If the Clippers have a chance to acquire someone on a long term deal from a team desperate for cap space, like a Luol Deng, should they take it? Any way you slice it, letting Camby’s contract expire is a serious gamble, as there will undoubtedly be plenty of attractive offers the Clippers would have to pass on.
So where exactly does LeBron James fit into this? Well, there’s gambling, and then there’s putting your life savings into lottery tickets. What are the chances of LeBron joining the Clippers? Close to zero, but they are zero unless the Clippers are able to cut salary, which could only really be accomplished by moving Kaman or Baron. That raises a whole different question altogether: Can Camby be used as the asset to unload a more undesirable contract?
Nearly all of it will depend on the stretch of basketball put together by the Clippers from early January (when Griffin returns) to early February. After that period, Dunleavy will have a more accurate gauge on whether the team will be able to contend for a playoff spot. If they are, it surely becomes more difficult to essentially punt the season away by trading your defensive standout, doesn’t it? This situation brings some of the difficulties of being solely responsible for all basketball decisions to light. With Griffin, and now again with Camby, Dunleavy would be wise to exercise some patience, even if he’s in a less than ideal situation to do so.
17 Responses
Couldn’t we move Telfair, Thornton or both and create enough cap space to sign a max player? Is moving Kaman or Baron the ONLY way we can do this?
D.J. Foster Reply:
December 14th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Here is what I know, but since the NBA hasn’t confirmed the salary cap numbers for the 2010-11 season it’s tough to tell. It’s being predicted that the cap will be 50 million, so we’ll assume that number is correct. A max contract is 30% of the salary cap, so that would mean a max contract would be right around 15 million for the first year. Apparently the projected BRI factors into this as well, but we’ll stick with 15 million for Lebron.
If Telfair stays and accepts his player option, the Clippers will have 39 million in salary. Even if he declines his player option (unlikely) and no qualifying offer is made to Mardy Collins, the Clippers would be at 36.3 mil. LeBron would have to take a slight pay cut off the maximum, which I guess he could do if he really wanted to come to L.A. At the end of the day, LeBron is going to go wherever he wants, regardless of the money.
Back to your original question: If the Clippers traded Thornton and Telfair and brought back no contracts in return, than yes, they’d sit 33.5 million and would have enough to offer a max contract. Remember though, including LeBron (I feel silly even typing that) they’d be right at the salary cap with only 6 players. Sterling would be paying some serious, serious luxury tax. I suppose the Clippers could use their mid level exception and bi annual exception, but you’re still looking at lots of luxury tax and at least 4 players on minimum or rookie scale contracts.
SHORT ANSWER: If the Clips moved both Telfair and Thornton they could likely sneak a max contract in, but not comfortably. If you need a silver lining, hope the salary cap projections for 2010-2011 are way, way low. That would be a start.
James Reply:
December 14th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
If we were to sign LeBron, It gives Baron, Gordon, Lebron, Blake, Kaman, Thornton…I think we could do a boston celtics and pick up a few veteran minimums to round out the roster, who wouldn’t want to play with those guys.
Trapp Reply:
December 14th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Thanks. That pretty much confirms what I was already figuring.
VH Reply:
December 15th, 2009 at 11:11 am
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4312837
this article from the summer said 50MM was the low of the low expectation. have you heard more recent news indicating that this is likely?
Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
do the clippers really have to unload baron or kaman to have a run at lebron in the summer? seems to me that they wouldn have sufficient cap space to offer a max deal without dealing baron or kaman for another expiring contract.
D.J. Foster Reply:
December 14th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Check above. It could happen minus Baron or Kaman’s contract, but otherwise it’s very, very unlikely.
All that being said, LeBron will play wherever he wants. If for some unknown reason he’s dying to play in Los Angeles, he’ll come here for a little less money.
Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
That’s a very sticky issue, and Dunleavy as GM has been pretty solid with his decisions. All things aside, there’s a lot of issues and “what ifs” to consider, but in my opinion, it’d be wise to hold on to Camby for the remainder of the year and go after a big name free agent.
If we can get around the 35 win total or more with the squad we have now, that’d be very enticing for free agents to come to LA (one of the biggest markets too!) and try to turn this team into a playoff contender if not more.
Although, I can’t see too many players being excited about playing under sterling let alone Dunleavy as coach. Pretty exciting things to look forward to in the future.
D.J. Foster Reply:
December 14th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
“Although, I can’t see too many players being excited about playing under sterling let alone Dunleavy as coach.”
There’s the rub. As long as the Coaching/GM/Owner situation is shaky, it’s hard to see a mega star like LeBron committing long term.
Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
The cold reality is that moving Camby or Kaman would be a dumb move. DJ is not ready, and probably never will be ready. This opinion may not sit well with fans of the very likeable young center, but lets face facts. I was at the game last night and watched DJ shoot free throws. He missed ten in a row before they merciifly pulled him off the line, That inability to shoot combined with a low BB IQ dooms his prospects more game time probably won’t help. He’s a nice kid and he’s long, but he’s not an NBA caliber player and most likely never wil be. All you really have right now in back of Kaman and Camby is under-sized G Smith and an injured prospect who has yet to play asingle NBA minute.
Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Good post RG. DJ needs at least one full playing year. DL did not rob anybody taking him in the second round.
Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
DJ can beast. It was evident in summer league as well as the preseason. Patience is a virtue…one all clips fans know a little too well. But I think it would be the wrong move to quit on him too soon.
Posted on December 14th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
my question to you is can the Clips trade off a few bench players like Skinner, R. Davis, Telfair, Smith for a solid big SF like a Melo or Lebron caliber along with a solid PF to backup Griffin?
Telfair isn’t really a good point, Smith i like him at times but makes completely dumb mistakes, and the other guys are really not great or put to use
Posted on December 15th, 2009 at 12:38 am
I’m glad I’m not the GM…Damned if you do, damned if you don’t…I don’t even want to think about Lebron….I’d settle for D Wade though! Dunleavy needs to fire himself and hire Lucas as the coach and remain the GM. If sterling was smart, he’d pay whatever the luxury tax is to get lebron and then some. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Give him whatever he wants, new coach? Done! New uni’s? done! Rename the staples center, Lebron’s Kingdom? Done! This is a chance to turn the franchise around for good! With a good young core, they can go deep in the playoffs even in the west! WoW! I can’t be the only one thinking this, right? I mean look at the yankees. They overpay but they have world series to show for it…I think that the luxury tax stuff will be recouped with one or two championships in the biggest market in the NBA. Can you imagine the marketing opportuniutes? the LA vs LA rivalry with Kobe? OMG, those hallway series would be on TV on xmas day every year! Am I out of my mind, here? C’mon Sterling! For once in your life take a chance and open the wallet!
Posted on December 15th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I think the idea that we can “dump” a few bench players is a lot harder than it seems. Everyone wants to do that, nobody wants to take them. Dunleavy has done a very good job recently moving unwanted contracts but as the 2010 FA period looms closer it will be harder and harder to dump anyone.
Posted on December 15th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Wouldn’t think trading Kaman’s contract would be a good idea unless you could get a legit low-post threat. $10 mil for a true 5 that’s productive is far from a bad contract. Any team looking to shed salary for next year is not going to take on longer contracts. Any teal looking for Camby’s talents in a playoff run is not likely to want to give up someone from their core. Everyone is banking on 2010, but giving up the farm for a lotto ticket is risky in my opinion. The Clips are in good position for a good pickup in free agency as is, although LBJ seems like a long shot whether Sterling can offer him a max contract or not.
Posted on December 15th, 2009 at 11:36 am
If we’re packaging, it should be Camby and Davis and Thornton and Kaman. If we could move all 4 of those contracts we’d be able to sign a ton of talent.
Camby and Davis we could send to Houston for TMacs deal ($22m) and have that off our books next season and retain his rights. Fat chance TMac gets another max deal next year though and personally dont even want him, but if you can move Barons deal… We could also move Camby and Davis to Philly for Elton and Dalembert, but then we are exposed at the point and packed in the paint and theres really no cap available for next year.
Thornton and Kaman ($14M roughly) could be spent getting Joe Johnson before trade deadline (and retaining Bird rights) or any other player in that range. Or we could trade Al and Chris to Memphis for Rudy Gay and one of their bad deals (Markos $8M) to make the difference up. Going for Gay who is QO next year could make sense, wed be in the drivers seat and could match anything offered and pray to the Gods other owners are as cheap as ours.
One thing on our side is the trade exceptions we still meaning we can absorb more in contracts on any potential trade before the trade deadline. We can take someones bad deal as a sweetener.
Posted on December 15th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Trackbacks