Blazers Have Wealth Of Possibilities

Brian T. Smith summed it up pretty well, as the Blazers traded for Marcus Camby: “The Trail Blazers finally have a healthy, legitimate big man.”

And with that, Portland has a reasonable chance of getting out of the first round of the playoffs. A day ago, I wasn’t even sure the Blazers would make the playoffs, but Camby would seem to be a perfect addition.

More than anything, the trade points out the benefits of Paul Allen’s riches and his willingness to spend those riches. The Blazers sent Travis Outlaw, Steve Blake, and cash to the Clippers in exchange for Camby. Some reports say Portland provided $3 million, others say it was $1.5 million. Either way, it’s a deal that doesn’t get done without Allen’s money.

Don’t forget, in 2007, the Blazers got James Jones and the rights to Rudy Fernandez from Phoenix in exchange for cash. In 2008, they got the rights to Darrell Arthur in exchange for cash, and then turned Arthur and Joey Dorsey into Nicolas Batum. They also got Jerryd Bayless in a deal that included cash; same for the acquisition of Jeff Pendergraph.

The most important part of all this is selecting the proper players to spend money on. Portland has done that. But the caveat is this: With a lockout appearing possible and the league’s financial structure about to be revamped, the Blazers are in an enviable position because of Allen.