Marcus Camby moving back to the New York Knicks after 10 years – NBA News
Marcus Camby has reportedly agreed to a three year contract with the New York Knicks, which came as a result of a sign and trade deal with the Houston Rockets.
Camby will be paid $13.2 million over the course of his contract while Houston will receive guard Toney Douglas, forward Josh Harrellson and center Jerome Jordan, as well as second round picks in the 2014 and 2015 NBA Draft.
Camby was receiving interest from a number of teams throughout the free agency as a veteran center who has experience on his side. Miami Heat and the Brooklyn Nets were the other teams interested in Camby apart from New York, but
the Heat fell out of the equation after they offered their $3 million mini mid level exception to former Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen.
Camby had earlier said that he was looking forward to at least a mid level exception contract. The Knicks had a face to face meeting with Camby in Houston on Sunday, and both parties came out positive about the future.
The veteran played for the Madison Square Garden team from 1998 to 2002, and was the starting center for them when they reached the NBA Finals in 1999, only to lose to the San Antonio Spurs.
He was traded to the Houston Rockets by the Portland Trail Blazers at the trade deadline last season and averaged 7.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in the 19 games he played for the Rockets, of which he started 13.
He will be a valuable addition to the Knicks line-up as a back up to 2012 Defensive Player of the Year and Knicks starting center Tyson Chandler. Camby himself had won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2007.
The Knicks and Rockets are also competing for the services of restricted free agent point guard Jeremy Lin. The Knicks had hopes of signing Lin, who played as reserve guard for them last season. However, the Rockets, after letting
go Goran Dragic and trading Kyle Lowry to Toronto, put up a 4 year offer for Lin. The Knicks will now have a hard time matching that offer to retain his services as they are already on the edge in terms of salary cap space. The Knicks will have three days
from July 11th to match the Rockets offer.
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