Marcus Camby cancels visit with Miami Heat, Knicks look to be front-runner

Marcus Camby can only see himself going to the Heat in a sign-and-trade now, and the Knicks are in the lead to sign the free agent. (Cameron Browne/Getty Images)

Marcus Camby canceled his scheduled visit with the Miami Heat on Saturday, a move that puts the Knicks out in front to land the free-agent center.

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson reported Saturday afternoon that Camby had postponed his meeting with the Heat after the team agreed to a contract with free-agent guard Ray Allen. The Heat gave Allen its full $3.1 million mid-level exception, and Camby now will wait and see if the Heat can complete a sign-and-trade deal with the Houston Rockets.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Camby is looking for a starting salary around $3 million and a multi-year contract. The Knicks could still offer Camby their mid-level exception — if they complete a sign-and-trade for point guard Jason Kidd with the Dallas Mavericks. Or they could work out a sign-and-trade with the Rockets and give Kidd, with whom they agreed to terms on a deal this week, their mid-level exception.

A crucial point in the Camby sweepstakes is that the Rockets are reportedly willing to execute a sign-and-trade with the Knicks but not the Heat because they are more interested in the Knicks' potential package, ESPN's Windhorst reported. That would mean Miami could only offer the veteran-minimum salary of $1.4 million, less than half of what the Knicks could give Camby.

The Miami Herald's Jackson reported that the Heat have offered Joel Anthony, Norris Cole and a future first-round draft picks to the Rockets. The Knicks could send the expiring contract of point guard Toney Douglas, center Josh Harrelson, and the non-guaranteed contract of Dan Gadzuric, Jackson reported.