Many Nuggets fans will take a look at the headline and probably think "I was not aware the defense did anything but rest." Partially true and totally funny.

Two days have passed since Camby was traded to Los Angeles and it has been one day since the hurt displayed in Camby's comments became palpable to anyone paying attention. The wound is still fresh but as we look beyond the next two days to the next two months, it will become even more apparent that in the short term, at least in my estimation, the Nuggets will be worse off without Camby.

The move did allow them to get a $10 million midlevel exception. Putting that to use and signing somebody of respectable significance may lessen the blow of losing Camby. That being said, due to the luxury tax and it's dollar for dollar penalty in exceeding it, anybody they sign for $10 million is actually a $20 million hit against the cap. That makes it more and more likely they will not sign anybody under this guideline. So, the situation remains the same. They lose the 2006-2007 Defensive Player of The Year and get maybe nothing in return.

A salary dump is completely rationalized by the Nuggets here, but how can they justify losing their best defender when their most glaring overall weakness is defense? They want Nene Hilario to step in and help inside, but how long must they wait for him to develop? I ask you, who is a better bargain? Camby at $10 million or Hilario at $10 million? Obviously, judging by who the Nuggets chose, I must agree to disagree on with them on this one.

-"z"