LOS ANGELES -- The New Jersey Nets claimed center Elden Campbell off waivers on Friday, two days after he was released by
the Utah Jazz.
"We're really excited that we've had the good fortune to pick
up a player of his caliber," coach Lawrence Frank said before
Friday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. "He's always
been a very capable low-post scorer with a big body, and he's a big
presence out there."
Campbell, a 16-year veteran who won an NBA championship last
year with the Detroit Pistons, spent his first nine seasons with
the Lakers before he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets during the
1998-99 campaign. He later played for Seattle before signing with
Detroit prior to last season.
"We've always had a hard time defending him because he's a
skill guy -- not only as a low-post scorer, but he's a good passer
and he shoots it very well from 15-17 feet," Frank said. "And
with the loss of Aaron Williams and Alonzo Mourning (because of the
Vince Carter trade), we thought we needed some size. He helped
Detroit, especially against the Lakers in the finals."
Campbell averaged 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 21 games for
the Pistons this season. The sleepy-eyed 7-footer was traded to
Utah on Jan. 21 for point guard Carlos Arroyo and a first-round
draft pick.
"Our chances for getting a big [man] didn't look real good at
this time. But he was on waivers, we could make a claim, so we
did," said Nets CEO Rod Thorn, whose team entered Friday last in
the Atlantic Division -- but only four games behind first-place
Boston.
"Campbell's the best big [man] available, so I feel he can come
in, play minutes for us and help us. We're not going to punt the
season and give up. We still have a very good opportunity in our
division, We've got a couple of top-flight players here and we feel
he can be an asset to us."
Campbell was hoping to clear waivers so that he could return to
the Pistons. Thorn, who had to use a $5 million exception for the
right to claim Campbell off waivers, will speak with him on the
phone Saturday morning and try to convince him to prolong his
career. If he doesn't, the Nets would lose the $5 million
regardless.
"I don't have any indication one way or the other right now,
but I assume that he will join the team," Thorn said. "As far as
I'm concerned, he's property of the Nets. Obviously, he has the
prerogative of retiring, but we're going to have a conversation
with him and see what transpires. I don't think he wants to
retire."