Blazers turn Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby into draft picks and salary cap room with trades

SP.WALLACECAMBY.JPGGerald Wallace and Marcus Camby, whose acquisitions were keys to the Blazers making the playoffs the last two seasons, were traded Thursday.

The

, who've used trade-deadline-day deals to fuel runs to the playoffs the last two seasons, made two trades Thursday that pointed their aim toward the future.

Forward

and center

– whose deadline-day acquisitions made such strong impacts for the Blazers that fans at the Rose Garden chanted their names – were traded in separate deals Thursday.

After the Blazers' recent struggles, including a 1-4 start on their current road trip in which all four losses came by double-digit margins, the time had come to turn the franchise's focus, interim general manager Chad Buchanan said.

"I think as we evaluated our team in the last couple weeks, we've been very displeased with our performance on the court," Buchanan said. "It's not Trail Blazer basketball. It was very disappointing. And that's kind of where we got to the decision today."

In moves designed to gain the Blazers draft picks and salary cap space, Wallace was sent to New Jersey for center Mehmet Okur, forward Shawne Williams and a first-round draft pick; and Camby was dealt to Houston for center Hasheem Thabeet, point guard Jonny Flynn and a second-round draft pick.

Although the deals were quickly overshadowed

, they netted something that could become valuable this off-season: draft picks. The pick from New Jersey is considered particularly valuable as it is top-three protected for this summer. That means if New Jersey gets one of the top three picks in the draft lottery, it would keep the pick this season. Otherwise, the Blazers would get it.

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If the Nets get a top-three pick this summer, the pick becomes top-two protected in 2013, then top-one in 2014 and unprotected in 2015. New Jersey has the sixth worst record in the NBA.

"It is a very attractive pick and it's a very strong draft class coming up," Buchanan said. "Granted, there's no guarantee you get it this year, but moving forward, it remains an attractive draft pick, not only to us, but to other teams around the league as well."

To complete the deals, the Blazers had to clear room on their roster to receive four players, so they waived injured center Greg Oden -- the former No. 1 pick -- and second-year big man Chris Johnson. Williams, a little-used fifth-year forward, could also be bought out of his contract, Buchanan said.

Buchanan said Okur, a veteran center who played the last seven seasons for Utah before being traded to New Jersey this season, will not play because of a back injury, and he becomes a unrestricted free agent after the season. He was included to help match the salaries in the deal, Buchanan said.

The Blazers did not trade point guard Raymond Felton, whose mediocre play this season has drawn the ire of some fans. Buchanan, asked if he tried to trade Felton, said he explored many deals.

"We expect Raymond to finish out the season the last 22 games, hope that he can bounce back," Buchanan said. "I know he's a been frustrated with his play. But we hope for him to bounce back and play well down the stretch for us."

Thabeet and Flynn are former high draft picks whose stock has fallen badly. Thabeet was the No. 2 overall pick in 2009, but struggled as a rookie for Memphis and became the highest draft pick ever sent to the NBA Development League. Flynn, the No. 6 pick in 2009, started 81 games for Minnesota as a rookie, but after off-season hip surgery in 2010, has

never regained his rookie form.

Buchanan said that while Thabeet and Flynn both become unrestricted free agents after the season, both will be given the opportunity to show that they deserve extensions.

"They are two young players at positions that we're going to have to try to address, point guard and center," Buchanan said. "And it's basically 22 games to see what they can provide. Obviously those two guys haven't maybe played up to their draft position, but it was a good opportunity for us to take a look at two young players."

Neither player is expected to play until the Blazers return from their road trip, which continues tonight in Chicago.

Wallace, 29, came to Portland last season at the trade deadline from Charlotte in a deal that sent Joel Przybilla, Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks and a first-round pick to the Bobcats. His acquisition was a key to Portland's late-season surge that landed it a third consecutive playoff berth.

Camby's big impact came in 2010, when the Blazers acquired him from the Clippers for Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw. His veteran presence, shot-blocking and rebounding steadied the Blazers in a season in which they were besieged by injuries to their post players.

New Jersey's eagerness to make a deal before the deadline might have been affected by the decision of Orlando center Dwight Howard to exercise his option with the Magic for next season. Howard was believed to have been leaning toward teaming with Nets point guard Deron Williams. But Howard made a late decision to remain in Orlando through next season, and the Nets scrambled to piece together a deal that could entice Williams to stay with them. Williams can opt out of his contract this summer and become an unrestricted free agent.

Buchanan said he did not know if the Nets' situation affected the Blazers being able to get the deal done. He said the Nets put no condition on Wallace agreeing to exercise his player option for next season before making the deal.

"He has until July 15 to make that decision, and that's a risk they were willing to take on that," Buchanan said. "Ultimately, I don't think Gerald's made up his mind anyway at this point."

Buchanan said he expects the Blazers to have about $15 million to $20 million in salary cap space this summer, depending on which draft picks they end up with.

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