bjtheman1
Bench Warmer
Los Angeles Clippers center Marcus Camby(notes) may have unknowingly attended his own farewell dinner on Monday night.
The Clippers are on the verge of completing a trade that will send Camby to the Portland Trail Blazers, league sources said, but the veteran center is not happy about the potential deal.
The proposed trade, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, will send Camby to Portland in exchange for forward Travis Outlaw(notes), guard Steve Blake(notes) and cash.
In town in advance of their Tuesday game against the Trail Blazers, the Clippers were having a team dinner at Portland’s Ringside steakhouse Monday night when Camby received a call on his cell phone from his agent, Rick Kaplan. Kaplan informed Camby that he will likely be traded to Portland.
One league source cautioned that the Blazers’ ownership had yet to sign off on the deal. The Denver Nuggets also are trying to make a last-ditch effort to bring back Camby before the Portland deal is finalized.
After taking the call from Kaplan, Camby immediately walked out of the restaurant. A source close to Camby says that while he recognizes the benefits of playing for a better team, he is upset because his family is comfortably settled in Los Angeles. He had hoped to re-sign with the Clippers this summer.
“He likes the Clippers, he likes the organization, he likes L.A.,” the source said. “His wife is happy in L.A. And he’s not one for change. He’s definitely not happy about this.”
Camby also was similarly upset when the Nuggets traded him to the Clippers before the start of last season.
Camby isn’t the only one angry.
Said one Clipper: “All the guys are upset because our best defensive player got traded basically for a backup point guard and money.”
Outlaw, 25, played in 11 games this season before breaking his left foot, and the Clippers are unsure when he’ll play again. Blake, 29, is averaging 7.6 points and four assists in 51 games.
The Blazers have been searching for some inside help to deflect the blow of losing centers Greg Oden(notes) and Joel Przybilla(notes). Some in the league also believe Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard wants to clear the way for Jerryd Bayless(notes) to get more time in the backcourt with Andre Miller(notes).
The Clippers, meanwhile, also have been shopping forward Al Thornton(notes), who was meeting with his agent Monday in Portland.
Camby, 35, is averaging 7.7 points and 12.1 rebounds for the Clippers. He is making $9.1 million this season in the final year of his contract. Just last week, he told Yahoo! Sports he hoped the Clippers wouldn’t trade him.
“It feels good to be a wanted man, but I like it here,” Camby said.
Camby left the restaurant without most of his teammates getting a chance to tell him goodbye. He is not believed to have finished his meal.
The Clippers are on the verge of completing a trade that will send Camby to the Portland Trail Blazers, league sources said, but the veteran center is not happy about the potential deal.
The proposed trade, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, will send Camby to Portland in exchange for forward Travis Outlaw(notes), guard Steve Blake(notes) and cash.
In town in advance of their Tuesday game against the Trail Blazers, the Clippers were having a team dinner at Portland’s Ringside steakhouse Monday night when Camby received a call on his cell phone from his agent, Rick Kaplan. Kaplan informed Camby that he will likely be traded to Portland.
One league source cautioned that the Blazers’ ownership had yet to sign off on the deal. The Denver Nuggets also are trying to make a last-ditch effort to bring back Camby before the Portland deal is finalized.
After taking the call from Kaplan, Camby immediately walked out of the restaurant. A source close to Camby says that while he recognizes the benefits of playing for a better team, he is upset because his family is comfortably settled in Los Angeles. He had hoped to re-sign with the Clippers this summer.
“He likes the Clippers, he likes the organization, he likes L.A.,” the source said. “His wife is happy in L.A. And he’s not one for change. He’s definitely not happy about this.”
Camby also was similarly upset when the Nuggets traded him to the Clippers before the start of last season.
Camby isn’t the only one angry.
Said one Clipper: “All the guys are upset because our best defensive player got traded basically for a backup point guard and money.”
Outlaw, 25, played in 11 games this season before breaking his left foot, and the Clippers are unsure when he’ll play again. Blake, 29, is averaging 7.6 points and four assists in 51 games.
The Blazers have been searching for some inside help to deflect the blow of losing centers Greg Oden(notes) and Joel Przybilla(notes). Some in the league also believe Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard wants to clear the way for Jerryd Bayless(notes) to get more time in the backcourt with Andre Miller(notes).
The Clippers, meanwhile, also have been shopping forward Al Thornton(notes), who was meeting with his agent Monday in Portland.
Camby, 35, is averaging 7.7 points and 12.1 rebounds for the Clippers. He is making $9.1 million this season in the final year of his contract. Just last week, he told Yahoo! Sports he hoped the Clippers wouldn’t trade him.
“It feels good to be a wanted man, but I like it here,” Camby said.
Camby left the restaurant without most of his teammates getting a chance to tell him goodbye. He is not believed to have finished his meal.
