Chris Broussard of ESPN.com writes...
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Last week a rumor surfaced about Camby and teammate Andre Miller going to Charlotte for D.J. Augustin and Gerald Wallace.Camby wasn’t happy about the rumor and would not take kindly to being traded to Charlotte or any other non-contending team, according to a person close to him. The 36-year-old Camby would even consider retirement if he’s traded to a mediocre or rebuilding team, the source said.
...
Even going to an elite team does not overly appeal to Camby, who is in his 15th season. His ultimate desire is to remain in Portland. After signing a two-year, $21 million extension with the Blazers last spring, Camby moved his family there and has his two young daughters enrolled in school. One team Camby wouldn’t mind going to is Houston, where he lives in the offseason.
...
While acquiring him is probably a long shot, Orlando is one team I’m told has an interest in Camby.
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Ed: bumped to front page

Great article on Mike Barrett's blog. The whole article is worth reading. But here's the money quote:

"I can't say enough about how good LaMarcus looks," says Bayno. "He hired a personal trainer in Dallas, a guy who works with a bunch of the Dallas Cowboys. He did that totally on his own. He's up to about 260, maybe 262 (Aldridge was listed at 240 before last season). He's stronger and bigger, and hasn't lost any of his quickness."

This sounds promising, though these kinds of articles are basically off-season cliches. So sez Mike Barrett:

"Haven't we heard this before, about these summer workouts with various players? What carries over, and what doesn't? The fact that it's coming from Bayno, should be enough for Blazer fans to get excited.

'I know this is going to transfer over to camp and the season,' says Bayno. 'He's coming to Portland, to stay, in two weeks. He's going to go nuts in September, getting ready. He's adding things to his game, that quite frankly, I don't think defenses are going to be ready for. They're not going to be able to double him as much this year, and attack him in the same way. His work this summer is going to pay huge dividends.

'He wants to be an all-star, and I wouldn't bet against him this year.'"

They're still hoping Lebron will sign Miami too, but if that falls through:

"As a possible contingency plan if they don’t get James, the Heat are planning to pursue the Portland Trail Blazers’ Andre Miller in a trade to play point guard for the team, a source said. The Heat could absorb Miller’s salary into their cap space. The Heat have had trade conversations since before the draft about sending point guard Mario Chalmers and a first-round pick to Portland for shooting guard Rudy Fernandez, according to a source. It’s possible the talks have now expanded with Heat forward Michael Beasley and Miller."

Transcript

His reaction to being signed and given the final roster spot.

Mills: Yeah man I think it's more than a sense of relief. It's like I got a few gorillas off my back. I can see the end of the tunnel now. It's a good feeling.

ABC: Was there a bit of a worry given the injury you suffered after getting drafted initially, did you think to yourself, "my chance is gone, my time is gone?"

Mills: It was definitely a tough time, no question about it. But you know it could have gone either way and obviously it went the way that I wanted it to go, but it could have easily gone down the other way and it still can I believe. So I've just got to make sure that I'm doing what I've been doing. I'm trying to get healthy first of all. But it has been tough, no doubt that that's crossed my mind. But you know, it shows a strong character can overcome adversity and move on.

ABC: You came back to Australia to get treatment on your broken foot, then you returned back to Portland. Did you think, I've got to prove myself that I'm really positive and I'll train well and get back into the best shape I can possibly be in?

Mills: Yeah without a team, that was the hardest thing about it. No waking up in the morning, there was nothing really except looking forward to practicing by yourself and pushing yourself cause there wasn't anyone there I was practicing with. Being in limbo was hard. It was really just a tough situation. And now that it's kind of paid off, all the hard work, it's good. It's really good.

ABC: When will you find out how much court time you're going to get?

Mills: Yeah, looking out at that it'll be down the road more. I guess it's how fast I can recover and how quickly I can get back to the form I was in when I broke my foot. But I strongly believe that if I can get back to that level of play that I should fit in fine with the team and that I should be able to bring a whole lot to the table for the Blazers. So that chance is what I'm really excited about but I still need to get healthy to be able to do that.

ABC: When do you expect to be able to train and play?

Mills: I just got my x-rays yesterday and talked to the doctor yesterday and he's very happy with how it's gone. He's been a little bit cautious, which is good, just to make sure I don't come in and break it again. For me there's no rush. The important is to just take the time and get it healthy and be as strong as it can be. Hopefully in a month or two months I'll be back on the court and in full action.

Here's the money quotes:

''This is amazing, it's such a good feeling,'' Mills said.

''It feels like I finally got the gorilla off my back.

''It was a massive gorilla and there were times when I thought I wasn't going to make it, but finally I've got rid of it and now I just want to be part of the team.''

Basketball Australia's Bill Baxter says although Mills is a talented player, luck was definitely on his side.

"He's done the unthinkable, he's gone to the preseason as an untested rookie, he's gotten injured in the first practice session he hasn't been on court since and today the Trail Blazers signed him to a two-year deal for just under a million US dollars," he said.

Veterans Juwan Howard and Stromile Swift will audition for the Trail Blazers next week as the team looks to sign a backup power forward before training camp opens at the end of the month.

Howard, a 15-year veteran, played in 42 games last season (three with Denver, 39 with Charlotte) and averaged 4.1 points and 1.8 rebounds.

Swift, an 8-year veteran, played in 19 games last season (six with New Jersey, 13 with Phoenix).

Both will scrimmage with current Blazers players over the next three weeks, and general manager Kevin Pritchard said he expects the team will sign one, or two, players before training camp starts on Sept. 28. The NBA allows teams to carry as many as 15 players; the Blazers have 12 players under contract, which doesn't include rookie Jeff Pendergraph, who Pritchard said is "getting close" to signing.

Pritchard said other free agents will also take part in Blazers scrimmages this month, including former Blazers summer league standout Zendon Hamilton, but Howard and Swift have the biggest resumes.

Travis Outlaw will enter training camp as the backup power forward, and rookie Dante Cunningham will also add depth at the position, but Pritchard said he is specifically looking to add a power forward with the available roster spots.

"We want a competitive camp,'' Pritchard said.

Howard, 36, has played with seven different NBA teams and is a former All-Star. Two seasons ago he played a key reserve role with Houston, averaging 9.7 points and 5.9 rebounds.

"We really like him,'' Pritchard said. "We like his leadership. Everywhere he has been he has been a great influence, and we think he can still play.''

Swift, 29, was the second overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, but he never materialized into a star. His best season was his second, when he averaged 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds for Memphis.

Note: Pritchard said the team continues to negotiate with starting power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who is eligible for a contract extension. The team has until Oct. 31 to sign Aldridge to a one-to-five year extension, or else he will become a restricted free agent after this season. "We're talking,'' Pritchard said. "We're definitely working at it.''

I think Miller would be a great pick up for Portland. Here’s why:

- On offense, he’s the anti-Aaron Brooks point guard. He punishes those smaller, quick guys in the post. He even punishes decent-sized PGs in the post. If you don’t believe me, re-watch the Philadelphia at Portland game and see him school Blake on several possessions. If the double comes, he’s an outstanding passer.

- He’s a fantastic finisher despite a lack of jets and hops. He’s deadly inside 10 feet with his midrange jumper despite an unorthodox delivery, and he is able to effectively use angles and screens to drive and finish at the hole when not posting up.

- Even if he looks like he moves sluggishly in the half court, he is fantastic at running the fast break and setting up more athletic teammates, like an Andre Igoudala or LaMarcus Aldridge, Nic Batum, Jerryd Bayless, Rudy Fernandez, Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, etc. If you thought you were going to miss those Spanish Armada alley-oops, think again. Miller is one of the best oopers in the league.

- He’s tough. He’s played all 82 games over multiple seasons, playing through injuries if needed. Last year he played a 82-game career year despite a nagging calf injury.

- As has been pointed out elsewhere, nobody can guard Tony Parker. By themselves that is. So even if Miller was an ace defender (which he isn’t), it woudn’t matter if the team he played with didn’t play team defense. A decent defender should know his limits and know how to force quicker players to where he knows help from his teammates is waiting. Trading for a point guard that can keep up with the Tony Parkers of the league won’t matter the least bit if the team doesn’t learn how to play team defense and defend the pick and roll. Every perimeter defender is at a disadvantage with the NBA's new hand checking rules. Besides, he's a slight upgrade over Blake defensively at least if considering points allowed per possession (see below).

- Three point shooting is overrated. Even the best teams can go cold. Ask the Magic. Re-watch the first half of the Philadelphia at Portland game where Philly embarrassed Portland by getting to the hole at will while our shooters continuously chucked up brick after from beyond the arc. There’s simply no substitute for getting the ball to the hole. Miller is a floor general that can feed the post, run the break, throw alley-oops, pick and roll, post up smaller players, etc. He has unique skills that make him a headache for a lot of teams.

- Jerryd Bayless currently SUCKS as a point guard. The back-up point guard position was his for the taking last year, but he sucked even worse than Sergio, so Nate had to swallow his words and reinstate Sergio after a couple games. During the Summer League, Bayless was a disappointment. He is Jarrett Jack 2.0. This doesn't mean Jack or Bayless aren't good players in there own way, just that neither is a point guard. We should stop trying to convert undersized twos into ones.

- Portland needs another playmaker alongside Roy. The front office obviously knows this considering they offered Turkey-glue a 5/$50 contract. Bayless is not the answer, and won't be for another couple years. Rudy might be able to fill that role, but he's got to prove it first. Blake, while playing well off Roy, is very limited. As Ben recently pointed out, he's probably the worst starting point guard in the Western Conference. Portland has no other potential play makers besides these guys except for maybe Patty Mills, who is also combo-guardish and an inevitably turnover prone rookie.

- Miller's value has gone down. He's reportedly willing to sign a shorter deal (two to three years) at a lower cost. This is a low risk aquisition. Miller is 33, but he's only played 10 years and 815 games. He's below the 1000 game mark. Compare that to Kevin Garnett who's the same age, but has played 1055 games and is paying for it with his knees. Age isn't the only indicator when looking at players in decline. Miller plays a low impact style. While front court guys like Duncan (13 years and 899 games not including extensive playoff runs) and Garnett are falling apart at this age, while guys like Miller still have gas left in the tank for another run or two perhaps.

Some other stats, comparing Miller, Hinrich, and Blake (thanks to Kevin):

Shooting % - Miller has the highest shooting %, then Hinrich, then Blake. That is very heavily related to the number of 3’s they take. Miller seldom shoots threes, and shoots a very low %. Hinrich and Blake shoot the same amount, and Hinrich is slightly higher %.

True Shooting % - This is essentially a measure of points per shot attempt. Miller is slightly better than the other 2, but the difference is minimal.

FTA and FT% - Miller shoots 4.7 per 36 minutes, Hinrich 2.9, Blake 1.4. Hinrich makes 81.5%, Miller 80, Blake 78%. This is a big measure of pick and roll.

Assist % - Miller easily generates the highest % of the three. His assist % is 35.4, Hinrich, 30, and Blake 26.

Turnover rate - Miller will generate 16.4 TO/100 plays, Hinrich 14.7, Blake 16.5.

Rebound rate - % of rebounds by player while on the floor. Miller is highest at 7%, Hinrich 5.6%, Blake 4.8%.

Points produced per 100 possessions
Miller - 110
Blake - 108
Hinrich - 107

Points allowed per 100 possessions
Hinrich - 105
Miller - 107
Blake - 111

Wins produced per full season as a starter (36 minutes 82 games)
Miller - 7.66
Hinrich - 7.07
Blake - 4.18

Here's the complete chat: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27361

Just the Blazer bits:

trader205 (Portland)

Paying a guy $8-10 mill a year to backup Aldridge- has KP lost his mind? Is the Millsap rumor just a veiled threat to Bass' camp?

John Hollinger (3:14 PM)

Portland really wants to get tougher and more physical -- that's why they drafted Pendergraph and Cunningham. So you can see how Millsap fits the plan that way. I'd imagine Przybilla would play a lot less in that scenario and might even be a trade candidate if Oden proves to be healthy. I still think a sign-and-trade of Millsap and Harpring for Outlaw and the rights to Freeland and/or Koponen is a great deal for both sides -- preserves some cap for Portland while getting their player, and gets Utah out from the tax man.

Matt (Portland)

If Outlaw goes to the Jazz in your proposed sign and trade, does that kill any chance that the Blazers can land Captain Kirk?

John Hollinger (3:31 PM)

Still works if the Bulls would accept Harpring. If that was the goal, though, it would work best as a three-way trade.

Seth (SF)

What kind of sign and trade options do the Sixers have with Miller?

John Hollinger (3:37 PM)

Not a lot. They need to take back expiring contracts only, and they don't want to take back as much money as Miller is hoping to make. So the scenarios are fairly limited. A deal with Portland for Blake or Outlaw is the best-case scenario, but the Blazers don't seem very interested in him.

MC Welk (SLC)

Why would the Blazers/Jazz agree to a sign-and-trade? Their offer for Millsap creates some bad blood. Plus, Jazz want to keep 'Sap and dump Boozer.

John Hollinger (3:39 PM)

That's obviously the question -- do they like Millsap enough to go $12 million over the tax this year? If so, then there's no need to agree to a sign-and-trade.

John (Portland)

If Portland signs Milsap without sign and trade, then they deal Prizbilla and Outlaw to Pistons for Prince. Makes sense for both teams doesn't it?

John Hollinger (3:41 PM)

I like Prince a lot for Portland, yes, and that would clean up the jam in the frontcourt, but I think the Blazers would be very skittish about trading Joel until they see Oden make it through a season in one piece.

Sam (Chicago)

Do you see next year as 6 teams really trying to win a championship? Mavs, Spurs, Laker in the West and Celtics, Cavs, Magic in the East? Those 6 teams seem to be making bold moves and nobody else seems to really be trying to get in the mix.

John Hollinger (3:45 PM)

I'd mostly agree, except that I think Washington and Portland are trying very hard to join them and that Denver still has to be taken seriously. By the way, Denver' starting five alone will be a luxury tax team next year... that's why they're not exactly going crazy on free agent signings this summer.

Joe ((NY))

any truth to boozer to chicago rumors?

John Hollinger (4:00 PM)

I've had about ten people ask me in here about Boozer to Chicago or three-way deals to Portland, but I haven't heard a peep yet.

Sam (NYC)

any chance of Sessions to Portland?

John Hollinger (4:15 PM)

I'd classify that as possible, but not very likely. Blazers would have to go a few more rungs down their free agent list before they get to him.