Traded

News broke today that the Blazers are trading Steve Blake & Travis Outlaw to the Clippers for Marcus Camby. This trade makes a lot of sense and shows that the Blazers management have made reaching the playoffs a priority. Camby will fill the part of the significant gap left by Oden & Pryzbilla and should provide some decent shot-blocking defense and rebounding.

It's hard to see Blake & Outlaw go, but with their expiring contracts it was unlikely either of them would be around next year anyway. Blake leaving does put more pressure on Bayless to become a quality and consistent leader of the second unit. I feel good about this trade because it doesn't mortage Portland's future simply to make the playoffs for this year (no major pieces of the puzzle were given up). It gives this young team a fighting chance to make the playoffs and in turn gets them experience so they are better prepared for a champioinship run in the next couple years.