Blazers shuffle around Camby’s injury

News of Marcus Camby’s impending knee surgery is a low blow to a franchise that has taken more than its share to the solar plexus in recent years.

Camby is the best combination rebounder/shot blocker in the Western Conference. With the veteran center lost for at least a month after arthroscopic surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee, the Blazers lose a major weapon. This could be the blow that knocks them off stride enough that they’ll fail to make the playoffs.

Coach Nate McMillan may choose to start Joel Przybilla, but the veteran center isn’t fully back yet after a pair of surgeries to his right knee during the past year.

Przybilla made his most meaningful contribution of the season in Monday’s win over Minnesota, collecting six points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.

But the 7-1 veteran, who is in the final season of his contract, admits his NBA future is uncertain.

“Retirement is a possibility,” says Przybilla, 31. “My wife (Noelle) and I have talked about it a lot.”

Just as he was about to come back from the two knee operations, Przybilla suffered a badly sprained ankle that delayed his return for a couple of weeks.

“Between the knee and the ankle, there’s still some pain there,” he says. “I’m not 100 percent, and I don’t know if (the knee) will ever be 100 percent. My biggest thing this year was to just get through the season, then have a good summer. I don’t want to get injured again and have to go through the rehab process again.”