Summer League Training Camp
posted: 7/2/2006 at 10:30 PM
The Trail Blazers summer league team is in Lake Tahoe preparing for the Las Vegas Summer League. Things got underway on Saturday, and continued on Sunday. Brian Wheeler is with the team in Tahoe, and filed his first report with me on Saturday night.
Before I get into Wheels' Sunday report, I should tell you that I ran into Jarrett Jack today at the Blazers practice facility in Tualatin. He is going to Las Vegas with the team (something I wasn't sure about), but won't be playing due to his recent ankle surgery. I'm happy to report that he looked good yesterday when I saw him, and he said he has recently been cleared to begin shooting and light workouts. I watched him for about 30 minutes, and he looked to be coming along nicely from surgery. We were the only two people at the practice facility and when I yelled at him across the court he jumped a mile. I don't think he expected anyone else to be there on a warm Sunday afternoon. We also talked about what the Blazers did on draft night, and his eyes lit up. Trading Sebastian Telfair was a big endorsement for him, and he realizes that.
A very interesting situation to watch at summer league is how Brandon Roy fares at the point guard spot. He's not really considered a point, but he feels he can play three different positions. With no Telfair at summer league we'll get a good idea, early, how Roy handles the point. It's nice to know he'll have Jarrett there with him, to perhaps guide him a bit and help him with some of the basics of the offense.
We've already seen a couple of suprising signings on the free agent market (well, not signings because you can't sign until July 12th, but they've agreed to deals) and we could be seeing more this week. I know Blazers fans are closely watching the Joel Przybilla sweepstakes. I spoke with Joel on the phone last night and he said he's handling all of this well, and just wants to know where he's playing next season. He's told us, on several occasions, he wants to get this over with and is uncomfortable with all the uncertainty.
You probably know this, but it appears the Blazers' biggest competition in this race for his services are Chicago and San Antonio. The Bulls are going hard at Ben Wallace, and hopefully they're successful in that quest. That'll take them out of the Joel equation. The Spurs are interested, but can't offer quite as much as Portland can. Still, the prospect of playing next to Tim Duncan has to be bouncing around in Joel's mind. He is also very excited about what Portland did in the draft, and I know for a fact he wouldn't at all mind a return to the Blazers. His agent, Bill Duffy, has been quoted as saying just that in the last couple of days, which I find a bit interesting. They're just preparing for anything at this point, and that's actually a positive sign for us.
Now, for a quick Wheels report from Sunday in Lake Tahoe.
"It was another beautiful day in Tahoe, and the Trail Blazers went through two practices. They'll do that again tomorrow. The only guys still missing are LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy. They still haven't signed their contracts yet, but that should be taken care of by tomorrow hopefully, and then they can get here and begin working out with the rest of the team. There are just some little details that need to be worked out, and this isn't unusual.
Joel Freeland, the other first-round pick, is here, and took part in the workouts today. I talked to him about playing in the NBA next season versus another season back in Europe. Freeland told me he definitely wants to stay in the states, even if that means a trip to the developmental league.
During our break between workouts today, Bill Harrah, the owner of the Harrah's casino chain, took some members of the Blazers travelling party out on Lake Tahoe on his boat. I was fortunate enough to be included on the cruise.
I'll be at both practices again tomorrow and will have much more for you following those workouts."
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I can't believe what you answer to Ragmon in the previous blog. Sergio it's not expected to play here next season??? It can't be true!!!!! Sergio it's nowadays better than Dickau, Jack or Blake with no discussion. I can't understand why the north americans despreciate european players. Jack and Blake are mid-low level point guards and don't expect Dickau to be better than Telfair. It's unbelivable that the Blazers close the door to his best point guard of the roster, and knowing (I'm starting to think that you don't know) that he has enough potential to be one of the ten best point guards in the league in two or three years. That's incredible!!!!!!
Thanks for the comment. I want to stress that we don't really know whether Sergio will be signed and playing for the Trail Blazers next season. To my knowledge, this hasn't been ruled out. You obviously have great respect for his game, and the Trail Blazers do as well, or they wouldn't have drafted him in the first round. In fact, they made the trade with Phoenix simply because they were so impressed with Sergio. You haven't heard us discussing him as much because he's not going to summer league with the rest of the draft picks. As you know, he's staying to play with his national team, which was the right thing to do. I'm researching this situation further, and will let you know what I find out. I will get an official answer for you. Once again, our scouts love Sergio and that's why they sacrificed so much to get him. Don't forget that. It's an incredible compliment to him that he was selected in the first round of the draft.
I said I'd get you an answer to the Sergio questions, but I didn't think I'd get it this quickly. You'll be happy to know that Sergio Rodriguez IS going to come to the NBA next season. He's going sign with the Trail Blazers on Wednesday, and is even going to be at Summer League in Las Vegas for at least one afternoon. He isn't going to play. He will return to Europe on the 10th and then will play with his national team in the World Championships in Japan. He will then return to Portland and get ready for training camp with the Blazers. I'll have more details in tomorrow's blog, I just wanted to get you this breaking news.
MB
I really hope Joel will stay with the Blazers, with Portland's awesome draft, this is how I see the Blazers starting line up. C. Joel Przybilla, PF. Lamarcus Aldridge, SF. Martell Webster, SG. Brandon Roy, PG Jaret Jack.
Joel will be very important in that line up, and this line up will be a power house soon, and very positive.
also I know Sergio will be great for the Blazers as well and freeland.
Can't wait for the season to see how the summer league works out, and the season to start
I, for one applaud the Blazers' efforts on draft day. It seems like most of the national media feels the same. I think it's tough to listen to the local sports radio trashing on the the execs for the moves that were made. They had the big "draft the Stache" campaign and now that the team has gone in another direction, they comment on how Steve Patterson and Kevin Pritchard will get fired for taking SUCH A CHANCE on Aldridge and passing up on Morrison. Nearly every moch draft I read had Aldrige rated number ONE or two and Morrison rated anywhere from 3 to 5. I really thought Morrison would have been fun to root for, but unlike the boys on the radio, I know that fans pulling for Adam Morrison is nice, but if the team wins 25-30 games again this year, the seats at the Rose Garden will remain empty. The ONLY way to put fans back in the seats is to JUST WIN BABY!!! Hopefully, the team can do that with an exiting, uptempo brand of basketball. SO, to Mr. Patterson and Mr. Pritchard -stay the course. Sign quality people with good attitudes and work ethics and no matter what it takes, get rid of Randolph and Miles!!!!! Don't bring in any more thugs, gangstas, losers, or mercenaries! Mike V
I guess this would mean the dan D will be cut.
So who is Portland's PG?
The cluster at the one spot was a major burden last season. Bring in Sergio and we'll have 4. No way. So who's leading? I'm torn on the subject. Jack is capable, and he deserves it, but so does Blake. Dickau My home town boy from vancouver has showed he's capable. Then there's Sergio. I knew nothing of "spanish chocolate" before we drafted him at twenty seven. From everything I've read since from people like aitor14vn, He's gods gift to assists, and we should feel honored to have him. I'm intriuged. If Paul Allen will shell out four million dollars to Phoenix for him he must be good. We've never known Mr. Allen to throw away money on potential have we?
Mike- Will you keep us up to date with how certain players are doing in workouts? I want to know if Outlaw & HA have improved at ALL. How do Roy & Aldridge look playing with Webster? Does Freeland have any chance of being on the team this year (skill wise)? Thanks for your work!
on draft night i found video of sergio and he can definitely handle the ball and pass. he seems to be a pass-first floor-leader type but he made a 3 with nice form. so we'll see.
The point guard situation that we have we can't have at the beginning of the season. It will really mess with the chemistry. I think we need to package Dickau in either a miles or randolph deal because he's cheap, and if need be, start out with Sergio in the developmental league. After that, I really think that Jack should start over blake, as he plays very well with Martell. Thanks for the update, but please some player reports. Especially on Martell, Travis and the 3 rooks.
Thanks a lot
Mike,
So what do these rookies pack? They show up at the draft, then have to fly to a team and then on to summer camp. it must be a total wohirlwind for them. I can't imagine what they show up in NY with.
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