Camby a Clipper

Thirty-four year old Marcus Camby was dumped as an aging diminishing return by Denver onto the Clippers. The Clippers assumed some salary in a Pyrrhic trade that gives Clipper fans the illusion of rebounding from the loss of Elton Brand.

As a Knicks fan I love Camby but he's done. The Clippers are a mediocre lot to begin with and reuniting Camby with Tim Thomas this many years later should give you a good idea of how old and out-of-touch the Clippers will be in the West.

The Knicks fans who demand instant gratification (usually the notion of giving away assets) are upset that Walsh didn't give Zach away -yawn-.

What they're missing -as usual- is the broader dynamic of fielding winning basketball and swapping asset for asset.

By moving Camby, Denver may be readying to move Iverson as well. I've spoken before about Karl being the kind of coach who might roll with Marbury as a last run for a title. Given Denver's trade exception, they might swap for Marbury whose contract would expire with Ivy's giving them a total rebuild option in a year or they might swap Ivey for Marbs to shake it up even more.

Likewise, Denver might just want a Zach kinda guy (20 & 10) now that Camby's gone. Karl wants a ring and Zach is a throwback to Seattle's glory days prototypes.

Finally, given Chandler and Gallo on board I don't anticipate an Artest move but it could happen. Ron-Ron is straddling the third rail out in Sacto and before long he'll be there for the taking for a second-rounder.

Maybe I'm crazy but I think Gallo is a year or two out before he contributes significantly. The bad back scare is a clue that he'll need time. And that's why a guy like Artest who adds muscle might actually give Gallo, Chandler, Curry, and Lee the breathing room to develop without getting too hammered. The Knicks could do worse than acquire an Artest.

It's very encouraging to hear that Q, Jeffries and the rest are showing up looking great. Isiah's team is a good one and many of them need a crisis free season to prove it.