Blazers Top 100: A Blue Collar Veteran Helps Portland Heal

The Trail Blazers’ 50-year anniversary season is temporarily on pause as the NBA goes on hiatus to slow the spread of COVID-19. During that break, Blazer’s Edge is counting down the top 100 Blazers: players, executives, and other influencers who made the franchise what it is today.

No. 88 | Marcus Camby

Games Played with Blazers: 122 Regular Season, 12 Postseason

*PTS: 4.8| REB: 10.0 | ORB: 3.0 | FG%: 42.7

*Statistics are pulled from a player’s time in Portland

Joined Club: February 2010, acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers for Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake

Departed Club: March 2012, traded to the Houston Rockets for Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, and a second-round pick

Place in History: Marcus Camby’s best NBA seasons all happened before he arrived in Portland in March of 2010. Just on the cusp of turning 36, the former Defensive Player of the Year wasn’t getting around the court like he used to. His shot-blocking was diminishing, his shooting percentage about to nosedive. But Camby could still fill the lane and rebound in the old-school manner, with brains and positioning. It was just the tonic the Blazers needed at the time.

With former first-overall pick Greg Oden about to exit a career that barely began and superstar Brandon Roy on the last leg of his, neither the Trail Blazers nor their fans needed another false savior. They wanted reliability and heart in a large-sized package, someone who would leave room for LaMarcus Aldridge to shine while performing the blue-collar tasks that seemed to elude him. Camby was tailor-made. Initially acquired in an afterthought, mid-season trade, carrying an expiring contract and the right to become an unrestricted free agent, he would go on to start in 114 of his 122 Portland appearances.

Camby’s highlight reel would be filled smart rotations and offensive rebounds...hardly dazzling video. But Blazers fans knew which way was up. It took less than a month for them to figure out that the proper response to Camby’s efforts was this...so much of this:

For earning those chants at the exact moment fans expected to be cheering someone else (while averaging three offensive boards per night), Marcus Camby earns the 88th spot on our Top 100 list of Trail Blazers players and influencers.

Discuss your thoughts and memories of Camby below, and check back every day as we continue the countdown to No. 1.