Houston Bought Camby During a Playoff Push
Houston acquired veteran center Marcus Camby from Portland on March 15, 2012. The Rockets sent Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn and a conditional 2012 second-round choice to the Trail Blazers. That selection ultimately conveyed as the No. 40 pick and became Will Barton. Unlike an unfulfilled future-pick promise, this trade produced a named drafted player on Portland's incoming side. Houston's objective was immediate frontcourt help rather than waiting for a second-round prospect to mature.
Camby Supplied Short-Term Frontcourt Depth
Camby was an established rebounding and defensive center by the time the Rockets acquired him. His usefulness lay in immediate NBA minutes, not the beginning of a new multi-year Houston core. Thabeet and Flynn had struggled to establish themselves in their previous situations, so their departure carried a different kind of roster cost than losing a starter in his prime. Houston did obtain a real veteran player, even though his stay wasn't enough to dominate the longer-term outcome.
The No. 40 Choice Became Portland’s Best Asset
Portland took in Thabeet, Flynn and the draft choice later used on Barton. The selected guard developed into a far more durable NBA contributor than either of the two incoming reclamation projects, making the pick the defining part of Portland's realized side. That doesn't mean every later Barton achievement on other teams belongs to Portland, but the club controlled a valuable incoming second-round asset at the time of conversion. Its broader player-and-pick package outlasted Houston's brief Camby return.
Final Verdict
Blazers Win. Portland earns A for receiving the pick that became Will Barton alongside Hasheem Thabeet and Jonny Flynn. Houston receives C- for veteran Marcus Camby's short-term help. The completed outcomes favor Portland's draft asset, not a claim that Camby lacked NBA ability.