A ton of NBA players will be free agents this summer. Nearly every one of them with a recognizable name has been approached by New York media members seeking speculation on their July '10 plans. The only real variable in play is whether or not Free Agent X will provide a juicy answer. Enter Marcus Camby, who is practically spewing Kool-Aid. Alan Hahn:
Wednesday in Portland, Marcus Camby, a rental for the playoff-bound Trail Blazers, spoke openly about putting on a Knicks uniform again.
In fact, as he left the Rose Garden after Portland's 118-90 win over the Knicks - in which he had nine points and 10 rebounds in 25:41 - Camby walked out with a bag full of Knicks gear.
"It's appealing, going back home and going back to a city where I had a lot of great memories and a lot of great friends," said Camby, a key member of the 1999 NBA Finals team. "Definitely come July, I'll definitely give New York a look if they're interested."
Considering the Knicks' glaring lack of interior defense and length, there will be interest.
Now, it's not my place to tell you not to read into comments like that, but I certainly try not to. It's just not healthy. Athletes, media, and PR folks all understand that New York is the Mecca of desperation right now. If you want to get your name in the headlines, all it takes is a few words of Knick-appreciation, or better yet, the exact opposite. Really, though, these guys can say whatever the hell they please. Everybody gets needled about their impending free agency. Some, like Camby, stoke the speculation. Others dismiss it. Until ink hits paper, though, everything is subject to change, and for reasons we could never expect. To paraphrase the shrewd, flocculent Tas Melas, this man might have spent his free time babysitting Danny Ferry's kids, building a bond that forbids him from leaving Cleveland. Alternatively, he might have developed an addiction to Gray's Papaya. One never knows.
Our bestest bro Dan has been carefully and objectively documenting "LeBroptimism" (see the right sidebar) for almost three years, and just look at the peaks and valleys! Those wild swings tell me that anyone who's investing themselves in the words of free agents is at high risk for stroke. This goes for all of them, from those who shall not be named to those who shall be named Marcus Camby. It's certainly something to talk about, but I urge you to take what you see and hear with a shaker of salt. It's better for your health (provided you just take the salt and don't actually eat it).