C.a.m.b.y

The Knicks, according to sources, will make a strong push for Marcus Camby, who 11 years ago played a significant role in helping the Knicks reach the NBA Finals. Walsh has tried for two years to acquire the 7-foot Camby and last month lost out again when the Clippers traded him to Portland.

Although Camby turns 36 in two weeks, he still moves well and doesn't need the ball to make an impact. Instead, he is the shot-blocking, rebounding type of center Walsh and Mike D'Antoni covet.

"He only has great memories of New York," Camby's agent, Rick Kaplan, said on Friday in Toronto. "But he's having a great time in Portland. He really enjoys that team."

The Knicks' interest in Camby is a clear sign that management is convinced David Lee can't continue to play out of position at center. Although Lee's quickness gives him an advantage over most centers, his lack of size and girth under the basket have hurt the Knicks all season.

On Friday, Toronto scored 62 points in the paint despite All-Star power forward Chris Bosh missing the game with an upset stomach. Lee is neither a shot-blocker nor a player who is willing to draw charges. And when the Knicks' perimeter players are beaten off the dribble, Lee is vulnerable as the last line of defense.

"Sometimes I dream that I'm 7 feet tall," Lee joked with reporters following Friday's 102-96 loss.

Lee, however, did get defensive when asked about the Knicks' lack of an interior presence. The first-time All-Star seemed taken aback by the line of questioning after leading the Knicks with 23 points, 18 rebounds and two blocked shots.

"If you're looking for someone to blame I guess you can blame me for the defense," he said. "I'm doing my best at 6-9 and I'm going to continue to try and get better and control the paint better. A lot of times I'm playing guys five or six inches bigger than I am and 50 pounds heavier."

Lee is one of the league's most improved offensive players, but a fair criticism of his game is that he doesn't use his fouls judiciously, if at all. He had yet to commit a foul entering the fourth quarter against Toronto despite numerous chances to prevent layups and perhaps send a strong message.

And when it was suggested that it might benefit him to occasionally deliver a hard foul to a penetrating guard, Lee fired back, saying: "We got a Charles Oakley thing going here? I don't know what to say about that.

"We get two or three fouls on me and we have a 6-7 (guy) playing (center) and they continue to drive the ball. I see your point and I'm not opposed to it. You're right, it's definitely a weakness of our defense. It's a weakness of our team, the fact that we're not big at any position."

Lee would benefit from playing alongside someone like Camby. Of course, there is a possibility that Lee, who is a free agent, will sign elsewhere this summer.

He also agrees that he is better-suited to playing power forward, but Lee noted that during his first four years in the league he was criticized for being an offensive liability.

"People would say, 'You can put David at the four but if he plays with a (center) who is a post-up guy he can't space the floor because he can't shoot,'" Lee said. "So it's a little bit of a change. We have what, 21 games left? I'll battle at the five spot for 21 more games and we'll see what happens."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...07/2010-03-07_walsh_knicks_size_up_camby.html

Camby can come here

for like 3 million dollars a year

I want the knicks to pick up guys for 3-5 years none of this 2 yr crap like duhon. I remember back in the day we signed roll players to 5 year contracts to lock them up no matter what

mason, oak, starks, smith, houston, childs, ward, davis,

I mean these were roll players on contending teams, we gotta build a team and keep them together for a while so they can make the play offs, go deeper,a nd then hit the finals.

Camby does nothing to help us unless we make a real push next year for a title. If we are 2-3 years away from contending there is no point bringing him in. Camby would be a good last move after building a team...if we target him early Walsh needs to be fired.

I would much rather go after Williams, A. Randolph or D. Jordan. I like Camby but he is just too old to be of any value to a team rebuilding.

Depends on his sticker price. His agent is probably drooling that the Knicks are desperate for a big shot blocking center and thinks he can get Camby a big piece of that 30M cap space. I hope Walsh doesn't make Camby one of the max contract guys.

If we couldn't keep Crawford, Marbury (tentatively, based on him reforming himself) and draft Brook Lopez, as part of a push to get better, I don't see why we're supposed to sign an older, washed-up, choke-artist of a player, to do it in 2010. It seems a step backward from where we could have been, had we kept our players and had just given them the help in the middle that they needed.

This is why your criticisms, over the years, of guys like Crawford, Marbury, Randolph, Robinson, Harrington and others (excluding Lee and Gallo, of course) are myopic: The Knicks never gave them a real big man to play alongside. Now, you see many of these guys flourishing, within systems that have good bigs.

Also, it's kind of funny that this is only now becoming an issue, after people like me have been screaming for a competent center... since the end of the Ewing era. Again: in the NBA, your biggest weapon is a good center.

hmpf.. the NY Media will drive Lee out of NY

I really doubt Camby wants to come here. Not to mention Dolan would probably never sign off on bringing Camby back. Spree and Camby were removed because they were no longer wanted. Portland also has Camby's bird's rights.

Big C said:

I really doubt Camby wants to come here. Not to mention Dolan would probably never sign off on bringing Camby back. Spree and Camby were removed because they were no longer wanted. Portland also has Camby's bird's rights.

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He's a stop gap for Portland. They only signed him because Oden and Pryzbilla went down. Doubt if they'll care about his bird rights this off-season and he hasn't been playing that great up in Portland. Come to think of it his biggest value lately has been to clear cap space by getting rid of his contract for the last few teams he's been on.

tiger0330 said:

He's a stop gap for Portland. They only signed him because Oden and Pryzbilla went down. Doubt if they'll care about his bird rights this off-season and he hasn't been playing that great up in Portland. Come to think of it his biggest value lately has been to clear cap space by getting rid of his contract for the last few teams he's been on.

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I think they could hold on to him because Oden gets hurt every season. I would not be surprised it they are thinking of a way to get rid of Greg Oden. Every year it is the same thing with him. With Camby they know what they are getting into.

Not to throw a monkey wrench in Donnie's plans but Camby just sold his place in NY and moved to Houston. He was quoted on ESPN as saying he had considered finishing his career in Houston but he likes the situation in Portland because they need a center. Not saying he won't sign with the Knicks but there are reasons he might not come to NY unless he gets a ton of money.

http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_5298436

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=Blazers-100309

"I actually live in Houston in the offseason, so I always thought about in the latter part of my career playing down there. But I like the situation here in Portland. They're definitely in need of big men. So I'll just have to weigh my options."

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G.u.m.b.y.

Big C said:

I really doubt Camby wants to come here. Not to mention Dolan would probably never sign off on bringing Camby back. Spree and Camby were removed because they were no longer wanted. Portland also has Camby's bird's rights.

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Yep. #1 reason why Gumby won't be coming back here:
James F*ckhead Dolan.
:barf::gony:

just watched camby get his fifth blocked shot against the kings... he would have been nice to have when evans ran all over us in overtime and i was a big camby fan in his first run in new york so it would be great to see him in blue and orange again.

Even if they acquired Camby, he probably would just end up being traded for Antonio McDyess all over again.

You absolutely have to make sure that you don't overpay for someone like Camby. It happens at different times in different players' careers, but there is a steep dropoff when a player officially becomes 'old'. That player then becomes the scapegoat for the fanbase and everything gets all messy.

Kaizoku said:

You absolutely have to make sure that you don't overpay for someone like Camby. It happens at different times in different players' careers, but there is a steep dropoff when a player officially becomes 'old'. That player then becomes the scapegoat for the fanbase and everything gets all messy.

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Camby wont get more than 3 million a year and will only want a short deal. He can also retire. This will be a non-factor when deciding to offer Camby. Besides, an old, washed up Camby is much more effective defensivly than any other piece of garbage we have wasting air in the paint currently.

NYKnuniversity said:

Camby wont get more than 3 million a year and will only want a short deal. He can also retire. This will be a non-factor when deciding to offer Camby. Besides, an old, washed up Camby is much more effective defensivly than any other piece of garbage we have wasting air in the paint currently.

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Co-sign. I would rather have a defensive player like camby instead of someone like david lee.

Though Lee is a better scorer, his defense is disgusting.

SLY1984 said:

Co-sign. I would rather have a defensive player like camby instead of someone like david lee.

Though Lee is a better scorer, his defense is disgusting.

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camby over lee? lmaoooooooooooooooooooooooo
the things i read on this site lolol

The last thing we need on this team is another fragile big. Camby is no longer a full time player. If we have a real center, Camby will be a good backup and provide some good interior defense.

Camby, AI...T-Crap

lol beat goes on