Marcus Camby expected to sign with Rockets today

OTMax · Sep 5, 2013

He wants to play for 2 more years after this, that's great news :grin: really hope we keep him and he gets his ring! He deserves it and there's a great chance we win it in 2-3 years than this year anyway. Gotta stay fit though.

MosKeemYao · Sep 5, 2013

meh if you are reading this then i have failed with spoilers

Rashmon · Sep 5, 2013

Camby will be a great mentor for Dwight and Asik.

Sydeffect · Sep 5, 2013

MosKeemYao said: ↑

meh if you are reading this then i have failed with spoilers

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Or somebody clicked "show spoilers"

Z-Ro&Trae · Sep 6, 2013

Zalgiris said: ↑

he's no good. will take minutes from talented prospects.

if he gets to play that is
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He is good for an insurance policy at center just in case of injury, and we can always play him and Dwight together while Asik rests and Vice Verscia for Dwight Howard.

redhotrox · Sep 8, 2013

Rockets' Camby content to share NBA experience

To Marcus Camby, the time and place was finally right.

He would join the Rockets in his adopted hometown. He'd drive the kids to school in the morning, mentor the kids in the Rockets' locker room in the afternoon, play some defense and grab rebounds at night.

That was then. This time, he believes it will work out just the way it was supposed to the first time.

Happy as he was to play home games at home, and as the Rockets were to have him after the 2012 trade-deadline deal with the Trail Blazers, Camby tore ligaments in his wrist, the Rockets slumped late to miss the playoffs and by last summer, he no longer fit.

A second chance

Camby, a 6-11 center, understood when the Rockets remade themselves into the youngest, least-experienced team in the NBA. But a year later, they have been transformed again, changing enough that Camby, 39, fits the way he had when he was acquired for those 19 games in 2012.

"Being familiar with the city, this being my home, and being around the guys and the organization for those … games I was here a couple years ago, I felt that I was at the part of my career this was a good opportunity for me," Camby said of his return to the Rockets as a free agent this summer. "Having a chance to come back home and finish my career here was all pluses for me."

His return to the Rockets was something of a leap of faith with the center position crowded by the addition of Dwight Howard and return of Omer Asik and Greg Smith. Camby was marginalized with the Knicks last season when they were overloaded at center behind Tyson Chandler and, like last season's Rockets, often went to small lineups.

There was a time Camby, the second pick of the 1996 draft and four-time All-Defensive Team selection, would not have considered signing with a team that had just signed a franchise center. Now, after 17 NBA seasons, he was happy to play behind Howard and share his experiences with the young Rockets.

"Ten years ago, no," Camby said of signing on to a team that just acquired Howard. "Now, I just got off the phone with him. He's a great guy. Even before I signed, when I got my buyout in Toronto, he was one of the guys that was texting and calling me, trying to sell me on Houston. I told him he didn't have to.

"I still have a lot to offer to the game, not just playing, but with my mind and all the battles and all the years I've been through, being placed in a situation we have a chance of winning with the talent we have on this team with Dwight and of course James (Harden) and Chandler (Parsons) and all the young guys we have.

Elder statesman

"I think I can share my experiences throughout the league, what I've been through personally and what I've seen. Guys always come up to me, even guys on different teams, try to pick my brain about different things. If you look at our roster, it's real young. I'm not taking anything away from those guys, but (I'm) someone a little bit older who has been through a lot."

Camby was quick to add he can bring the defense and rebounding the Rockets lacked the last time he joined them and quickly took over as their starting center.

This time, Camby said coach Kevin McHale told him there will be games in which he does not play. Camby accepted the diminished role and will view his mentoring responsibilities as a step toward his post-playing career plan to go into coaching.

Camby said he has spoken with McHale and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey about those plans, though he added there are "no written agreements." Morey said he is more concerned with Camby as a player than as a future coach, but signing Camby does represent a huge shift in Morey's thinking.

Different philosophy

Morey previously had used his final roster spots to develop prospects. (Camby's teammates at the end of the 2011-12 season included Smith, Diamon Simpson and Courtney Fortson, who did not practice or play with the team.)

With the changes in the roster since then, Morey preferred Camby's veteran presence and ability to step into an emergency in a role similar to Dikembe Mutombo's at the end of his career.

"We're immediate, immediate," Morey said of the team's goals. "We're behind some teams, but we're trying to win the title and we have a team where it is not foolhardy to consider it. For sure, we're about winning now.

"He's one of the smarter players in the league, somebody who has a great feel for what it takes to win. It (Camby's coaching aspiration) is not something we're focused on. We're focused on the floor, but it's something I can see him doing."

With that in mind, Morey said he does value a player's influence, something he did not believe he had the luxury to consider when putting together previous rosters.

"If the player can't play, I put zero value on it," Morey said. "Marcus is a guy who can still help you win, and at the same time, we're short on guys with experience like his and leaders. I think he adds a lot because of that."

Camby played in just 24 games last season, averaging 1.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in an average of 10.4 minutes per game.

Second among active players (behind Tim Duncan) in career blocked shots, Camby said he is certain he can bring "the same thing I brought the last time I was here."

"I can still play," Camby said. "I can still be productive out there. I'm a guy that's not going to command a lot of shots. I bring my hard hat every night. I just want to play defense and rebound and lead by example. I still feel fresh and ready to go.

Career twilight

"At this stage of my career, I'm not worried about minutes. I just want to be a part of something special.

"Daryl is a wizard with the numbers and the books and putting teams together. Our roster is great. With Dwight here and him improving and hungry, (that) will be a key to our success. I'm ready to contribute and be a part of something special."

This time, he believes, the time is right.
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Noob Cake · Sep 8, 2013

Camby will be a mentor, locker room leader and 5 minute at a time player.

If we keep Asik, we can run Asik, Camby, Dwight to secure defensive rebounds on last plays.

djperm · Sep 8, 2013

redhotrox said: ↑

..."Ten years ago, no," Camby said of signing on to a team that just acquired Howard. "Now, I just got off the phone with him. He's a great guy. Even before I signed, when I got my buyout in Toronto, he was one of the guys that was texting and calling me, trying to sell me on Houston. I told him he didn't have to.

..."At this stage of my career, I'm not worried about minutes. I just want to be a part of something special.

"Daryl is a wizard with the numbers and the books and putting teams together. Our roster is great. With Dwight here and him improving and hungry, (that) will be a key to our success. I'm ready to contribute and be a part of something special."

This time, he believes, the time is right.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...y-content-to-share-NBA-experience-4795828.php
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+ Extra Brownie Points for Howard, Camby, The Wizard, & Feigen

Carl Herrera · Sep 8, 2013

Houston Chronicle said:

Camby said he has spoken with McHale and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey about those plans, though he added there are "no written agreements." Morey said he is more concerned with Camby as a player than as a future coach, but signing Camby does represent a huge shift in Morey's thinking.
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Kevin McHale knows better than most that there are things you don't put into a writing.

daywalker02 · Sep 8, 2013

Carl Herrera said: ↑

Kevin McHale knows better than most that there are things you don't put into a writing.
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Dropping dat ass should not be part of the writing

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