Making Sense of The Marcus Camby Trade

Marcus Camby is headed to the Clippers for a second-round pick. (Editor’s note: It’s worth clarifying the deal isn’t even that good. They actually traded for the option to exchange second-round picks with Los Angeles in 2010, as pointed out by a commenter.) That’s right, the Nuggets’ lone defensive presence has left the building, and will team up with German loyalist Chris Kaman to give Los Angeles its own version of the twin towers -- and salvage the Baron Davis era.↵
↵
↵The Camby/Kaman duo is weird, and it’s the least confusing thing about this whole situation. For one, the Clippers supposedly made the same offer for Zach Randolph, but Walsh wasn’t interested. He thinks the power forward and his bloated contract should be able to fetch more. Even if Z-Bo turns over a new leaf with D’Antoni, his paychecks put a major damper on the team’s future plans.↵
↵
↵Then there’s the question of what Denver’s thinking. Okay, so Camby wasn’t exactly infusing others with the spirit of defense. He doesn’t make a ton, but is getting older; the Nuggets are in perilous financial straits, and want to re-sign J.R. Smith. But all this just to ensure Smith’s return? It would also mean unabashedly giving up on one end of the court. What if this move is meant to clear up space for something big, like going after the supposedly available Ron Artest?↵
↵
↵Unfortunately, Artest doesn’t want to be a Nugget. The Nuggets need to make a change, and simply getting rid of Camby doesn’t exactly constitute one. Getting Artest would be, and could transform team spirit in ways Camby couldn’t. Whether it’s an option depends on how much you want to take Ron Ron at his word. And believe in a surreal starting five of Iverson, Melo, Artest, Smith and Nene.↵