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Mike Barrett
Television play-by-play voice of the Blazers on KGW-TV 8 and Fox Sports Net
Stream Courtside LIVE on Thursday's at 6:00pm on 750am KXL
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Mike,
You pumped this one up as though the sky was falling, is there more news than this? Is there more to be announced this evening? If not, it seems that this simply moves our logjam from PG to Center. Thoughts?
Terrific Deal!!
It really seems that another move is going to have to be made with such a front court heavy roster. Mike, any insight if there are more deals in the works>
I am extremely happy about this. Jammal is a GOOD solid center. Maybe he should start over pryz. Don't know yet. Hes a 9 points 9 rebounds guy. Hustles. Like ruben patterson though he wants minuets and will complain if not given them. This frees up space though and like u said Mike frees up the point guard jam a little. I want to see Jack and spanish chocolate play. Poor Aldrige though. Hes really going to have to fight for minuets. Well I am very proud of the organization right now and they are working their butts off to win. Thats what matters to me.
PS. MIKE YOU RULE
Wow, did Portland ever FLEECE the Bucks on this one. A genuine starting center for a third-string PG and two STIFFS. Great move for the 'Blazers... dismal move for Milwaukee!!
This is great news! This should really help the team. It'll clear up the log jam of PG's, but make a little log jam for the 5 position! Overall this will definately help the Trail Blazers organization!
Mike, this is what Im thinking!
Magloire: Big Benefit!
This should really help the Blazers out! The log jam of PG's will be a little cleared up. However, Aldridge wont get as much playing time, but he is young and underweight and could use time anyways. Overall, I do think that this trade will help us win more games.
This makes the roster an imbalanced mess. I can already foresee several unhappy malcontents, Magloire first among them. A solid point-guard tandem, featuring Steve Blake - a good-guy, clutch player who was good in the community and would have happily come off the bench with the continued emergence of Jack - is now broken up. This had BETTER be the precursor to another trade that will correct the problems created by this one. If not, a misguided Whitsitt-style disappointment. If so, it could turn out great.
How can anyone complain about this one? We gave up a point guard who had a career year and was a great guy, but big men just don't become available everyday. Blake will never reach All-Star status and Jamaal already has. It is a no-brainer. The only way you can question this move is if you are/were a Bucks fan.
Lance
this deal is definitely one in the blazer's favor, but they obviously have a great deal of confidence in JJ being the man at the 1 spot, and roy backing him up. aldridge was never going to get lots of minutes this year, but now has a great bunch of guys to learn from. i cant see any negatives in this deal, because this really gives the blazers the best front court in the division.
keep up the great work mike!
Portland now has a solid team. I dont think Ha will ever be more than a third string C, if he can make it that far. I dont get people complaining that now there is a logjam at the 5?? The Blazers now have 5 players they can USE at the 5, but Raef will most likely back up at the 4 and Aldridge is also a 4 that may be able to play some 5. Blake was a good guy that I wish could have stayed, but this is a trade that could not be passed up. I am starting to get excited about the blazers for the first time in several years.
Portland now has a solid team. I dont think Ha will ever be more than a third string C, if he can make it that far. I dont get people complaining that now there is a logjam at the 5?? The Blazers now have 5 players they can USE at the 5, but Raef will most likely back up at the 4 and Aldridge is also a 4 that may be able to play some 5. Blake was a good guy that I wish could have stayed, but this is a trade that could not be passed up. I am starting to get excited about the blazers for the first time in several years.
Mike,
This is good news. We got two solid centers! I even think Mags will win out the starting job over Pryz. He is a much better scorer who can create. He also is a great O and D Rebounder! Now, All we have to do is move Miles and maybe another big. More importantly Move Miles!!..lol. Great job on the Blogs by the way, keep em comin!
--LTG.
Ha Seung Jin? Fine. But only because it means more playing time for him. I felt that Skinner had established his role akin to Reuben Patterson in driving to the board and firing up the team. PG log jam? What log jam? Blake is gone … Telfair is gone …
Hey, why don’t you trade Juan away in the midst of your breakdown: let’s make it a Trifecta. I mean, how many layers of the onion have to be peeled? Was I naive in assuming that a multi-year contract for Joel translated into a starting position? Now what? I don’t think the team will ever achieve its former greatness until the “Braille –Mazers” in the front office stop feeling their way around the market, focus on capital (as opposed to liquid) assets, and start valuing Chemistry over Cash. (And I thought Wittsit was bad.) I got a new one: Fire Patterson. Fans, I got news. Just because a player is an All-Star for someone else’s team, doesn’t mean he’ll be one for yours.
P.S. Remember the Maine (and “The Pippen”) !!!
Pippen was always a number two guy to MJ and was only as good as he was because of MJ. Pippen came along towards the end of his career and nobody expected him to carry the team, only help guide it. I was on a Bucks blog page and not one person thought this was even close to a good deal for them, and that was on Friday when it was just a rumor. There is absolutely NO downside to this deal. Jamaale doesn't have to be an All-Star for this trade to work. He just has to do the work required of him...rebound and play 'D'. I am amazed how people have ripped the Blazers for all the bad character people over the last few years and now they have made great strides to change that now they complain about something else. Not only have they changed the character, but they added talent which is not an easy thing to do.
Be happy. We are moving in the right direction.
GroceryBag,
You have got to be kidding me? This is a terrific move for the organization. We bring in a talented player as well as a good guy. Mags complained about playing time as his was diminished in the playoffs to give the youth movement (i.e., Bogut) some experience. I'm not too worried about a player who wants to play in the playoffs after starting every game, it's what we like to call a competitor. Plus, now we have a big who can teach the young guys a thing or two about playing in the paint. I'll miss Blake, but not enough to not want Mags on this roster.
I am excited to see an "all star talent" big man coming to P-Town, however I see a familiar situation developing here that I dont think we as fans can ignore. Aldridge is now the new Jermaine O'Neil. I see the Blazers doing what they always have done, playing the older vet in place of an emerging young talent just to bring the franchise back to the "close but no cigar" days so they can make their money. If this club is serious about being winners again and not just resembling being winners, we need to take this young Aldridge and play him till he becomes what he eventually will be... The starting all star center for the East. Miss you Jermaine.
What we have is more flexability now. As said, Ha will never be more than a 3rd stringer. Skinner has played on 7 teams now, and Blake, though good and positive had to be traded to make the deal pan out. Now that Roy proved he can play point and Sergio coming to town, Blakes loss can be more easily absorbed.
Our flexibility really comes at the 4-5. Aldrige will more than likely be brought on slowly unless they can deal Randolph. Raef can play the 4-5, but now seems to lean more to the 4. Magaloire could battle Pryzbilla for the starting spot.
One must wonder if one more trade is in the works. Raef or Jamaal and maybe Miles for somebody? Who knows, but the consensus is that we aren't done yet.
I'm loving this offseason so far, it'll be a brand new team by fall.
Grocerybag . . . are you saying this could be the best Blazer former all-star big man since Dale Davis? A second coming, perhaps? I sure hope not.
Can anyone spell Aldridge, correctly?
Good Luck with Magloire. Last season he was the worst pickup here in Milwaukee! He's slow, never jumps, and lazy! Oh yeah get used to him missing free throws when you need them, and has stone hands.
Good Luck and Thanks for taking him!!!
I am most definitely curious to see what the Blazers starting lineup will look like this year. I'm thinking somewhere alone the lines of Jarret Jack/Brandon Roy at PG. Juan Dixon/Brandon Roy at the two hole. I'm kind of confused what the Blazers will do with the three spot. Maybe Martell? Maybe Z-Bo will play as the Small Forward and the Blazers will go with Jamaal and Przybilla in the last two spots? Maybe Portland will make another move before the season starts to clear up some of these questions?
Phe Le
Jamaal Magloire to Portland? It's good to hear that the blazers had made some great deals.
Omigod! tell me we are not going to lose Aldridge just to dump Miles. I just read: http://blogs.foxsports.com/DimeMagazine/2006/07/29/Operation_Get_Yours
they are saying NBA "GMS" are saying any deal wont get done we will not dump Miles unless we add Adridge. They say that is why we got Magliore to cover our butts! Help me out! Pray or something! I know we gotta be left in the dark but I just got up, its 5am central in KC and its still dark outside!! Pritchard wouldnt do this would he? I'll be listening to your streamcast!
Hi Mike,
Isn't it great that we made the trade for *CENSORED*! *DELETED* will add so much to the Blazers' *EDITED*.
That's a great picture of *WITHHELD*, too.
Mike, I feel kind of bad for you in situations like this, especially when it happens on a weekend. You hear all these details first, but you can't say a word about it until the NBA League Office opens on Monday morning at 9AM to process the paperwork. I know you have to be dying to talk about the *EXPURGATED* deal.
I can't wait to *BLEEP* in a Blazers Uniform!
By the way, considering recent developments, could you ask Kevin Pritchard tonight if we might be seeing LaMarcus Aldridge occasionally getting minutes at SF against bigger line-ups? Thanks.
Mike,
I haven't been writing lately, but of course i have still been reading. First thing at work this morning i about had a heart attack reading your cliff haanger of a blog. I CANNOT wait until tonight. Canzano's article in today's Oregonian put some ideas into my head as well, but lately I have more faith than usual in my Blazers. Finally, i think they realized major changes were needed. and they've made so many already. and now even more. how lucky for those blazer fans, those TRUE blazer fans, like you and i that we are here to witness the wild ride of this off-season. i can't wait for your show tonight. thanks for everything mike!
-Liz-
Kansagonian,
Aldridge isn't going anywhere, don't worry. This deal has nothing to do with that. I wouldn't look for LaMarcus to get a ton of minutes right off the bat, but his upside is tremendous. That's why the team worked so hard to move up to #2 to select him. By the way, is it true that people from Kansas are taking over the world? That's what Pritchard told me yesterday.
Afs,
Nobody censored me. That was just me at 11pm last night with photoshop, trying to be creative. I think I failed. This has not been a very well-kept secret and I was just having some fun with it. Yes, I'm looking forward to talking in detail tonight on the show.
Thanks for all your comments..
MB
Great job as usual. I think the magloire trade is a great one. It will definitely help balance out the roster. I think Brandon Roy is going to be an outstanding player but i still think trading Telfair will come back to haunt us. Kinda how Jermaine Oneal did. Oh well, now that Telfair's gone keep the trades coming!!!
Hey Mike!
Are you allowed to talk about whether Portland intends to keep Magloire or use him as trade bait?
Will you ask Pritchard how Joel feels about the trade tonight please.
Also, Raef has to be a little skeptical... It seems like he's the obvious candidate to be the odd man out:
Zach - 35 minutes at PF.
Aldridge - 13 minutes at PF.
Magloire - 28 minutes at C.
Joel - 20 minutes at C.
Thoughts?
Hey MB,
I'm getting really excited about JJ's progress.
Lets hope he kicks butt this year, and remind him how much we hate the Lakers. Ask him what school Georgia Tech students hate the most, and say thats 1/6th the hatred we have for the Lakers.
(ok, thats probably not true, but just tell him we'd love it if he had huge games against the Lakers and lead us to wins against them. Mother of Pete, we hate the Lakers.)
Was it a mistake for Jack to play last year on his injured ankle? Would it been 85% unhealthy tissue if he didn't play and had the surgery earlier? Will this ankle be a chronic problem for him or should this take care of it?
Btw, I really respect him for playing injured last year and am a big fan of his, so don't get me wrong I'm just wonder if it would have been best for him not to do it.
Zach looks really great! He looks and sounds like he's dedicated to having a great season. I'm a big fan of his as well and look forward to seeing him tear it up this season!
You can delete this part but why do I have to make a blog of my own just to make a simple post? I had a user name but it wouldn't accept my password is this why? There was no other option for choosing a identity but as a blogger. Why? I'm the biggest Blazer fan you could find but man this just is right. I guess you don't want people to be interactive?
Mike, as always, thanks so much for keeping us all in the loop! As has been stated on many occasions, yours is the best source for getting the "skinny" on all things Blazers-related. Thanks again.
Oh, I was truly hoping to hook-up with you guys yesterday while you were in town. OK, I'll let it go.....this time. ;) Seriously, though, I know you had far more important things to do, and take care of, than accommodate my Blazer Jones.
Hope to see you sometime this coming season. We're already working on the next Blazer Bash!!
ABM
KEEP WORKIN' ZACH!
October (pre-season) cant come soon enough!
Check out what R.Kamla from NBA.com has to say about Roy and Aldridge:
http://www.nba.com/features/livinglasvegas_060726.html
Webster is the Man! Look at that guy. Keep Working Martell!
I cringe whenever I hear anything about Zach having a "career year". Zach's main problems are that he's too selfish on offense, refuses to play any semblence of defence and he seems more concerned about stats than winning. I've never doubted he would be OK physically, but he needs a complete mental adjustment about his approach to the team and how he plays.
Great to see Zack with his daughter. Much better than hearing stories about him "thugging" about and carrying guns. I think this guy is a champion with fire in his heart. I send him my best. --shepp
Wow, Mike, nice legs...
You've got a great looking Blog MB, I was hoping they'd hook you up like this when you started blogging. Nice to see they've added comments and rss, as well.
Keep up the good work!
It's great to see Zbo and Jack looking fit.
I hope Travis takes over the SF spot this season. If Outlaw has a break out year we may be in for some good basketball.
1. Jack, Dickau, Rodriguez.
2. Roy, Dixon, Lenard.
3. Outlaw, Webster, Miles.
4. Randolph, Aldridge,LaFrentz.
5. Przybila, Magloire.
D. Miles is probably our most talented small forward. Z Bo is a great talent and presence in the post. If both of these players are able to have a team first mentality, on and off the court, I'll be the first to admit I was wrong when calling and hoping for them both to be traded. Prove me wrong guys, I really want to be.
I've always been a fan of Jacks, and am really looking forward to seeing him and Blake have great careers at the point.
Love the blog, thanks again for a great update Mike.
As always, thanks for the great info. Your blogs provide us with inside info that we cant get anywhere else!
Great to read that Zbo is working hard and has the desire to improve. This is a big season for Zach. He needs to step it up and prove to Trail Blazer nation that he wants to be a part of the future of this team and become a leader. Trail Blazer fans hope he returns to the 20 & 10 guy we all loved a few years ago.
Good news about Zach. I have been more than a little skeptical about him, but I haven't given up hope. With Jarrett and Martell maturing, Blake, Joel, Raef, and Brian each providing a solid and professional veteran presence, the addition of Brandon and LaMarcus, and your reports of his off-season progress, it's getting easier and easier to believe in the possibility of Zach having a monster year.
If you see Tim while you're there, tell him The Wookie says "hello."
And you can delete this part if you like before publishing my comment: It struck me that generally speaking, using the words "red-eye" and "Zach" in the same blog entry, no matter the context, may be ill-advised, lol...
A steady stream of positive news continues... thanks, Mike.
However, I have found one negative that makes this is a sad day in Blazerland, I'm afraid. I don't see Desiree on the new Blazer Dancers roster! Time-out entertainment will never be the same!
Thanks Mike for the updates. The interview with Raef was good and with Nate even better. Good to hear of Zach's work ethic. Jarrett has his priorities right to get his college degree. I hope LaMarcus is paying attention!
Wondering though - Nate is the defense coach for the USA team and not one question about our defense for him on Courtside?
Pritchard had time for golf? I thought he already took his 15 minute break for the summer. I hope he brought his cell phone. You know, when making the incredibly grand premature leap that KP could somehow find himself as the next blazer GM, i often wonder who would replace him as Director of Player Personnel.
Thanks for the update on Sergio. It's good to get that news from a trusted source. Realgm mispelled Aldridge as Albridge three times in the same story they had breaking down our draft night. For some reason, i don't exactly feel compelled to rely on what i hear from there.
Sounds like a great show is lined up for tonight. I think Raef is probably the most underrated change to the roster so far this off season. I'm really interested as to what he'll have to say.
Of course, the show-maker would be to have Nate give us an update on Team USA. So, i'm really hoping you can make that happen. Our coach is one of the biggest studs in professional sports. Anytime you can get him on, it's a definite plus.
As for your trip to Alanta, i'm intrigued. You get paid for this? Wow, i used to think Quick had the best job in the world, but i'd have to say, now, he comes in way behind you. Don't think you're getting any sympathy for your job woe of not being able to fully unpack from a trip to Vegas before heading off to Atlanta. Really now, Mike.
Hey MB,
Enjoy the heat of Atlanta.
Ian maybe your friend, but I'm not sure if he did a "good job as always"...unless his radio show is pure shtick (which I know is common among radio shows. Just do things to get ratings).
Good to hear Zach is doing good, BUT...we've heard this before about other former Blazers who weren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Last year Travis worked out with Kobe (or whatever it was), and didn't show any evidence of that.
I hope Zach is working out, but I'm not going to put the cart before the horse. Zach has to show the improvement during the season before I get excited that he's working out during the summer. That means playing smarter defense, and smarter on offense.
And no offense to Zach, he hasn't really shown the cognitive ability to do that for long stretches of time.
Hey Mike- did you guys at Oregon.live blazer forum get a blowout from the california servers that shredded myspace? I am now unable to post though I can read the forum, from here in KC. Does anyone have an answer or theory for me? did I get bounced? Was I NOT supposed to post my blog site on the forum? Others have. Im new but now Im befuddled too!
thekansagonian@mchsi.com
So when is KP going to get the GM position?
Hey, Mike, next time you bring up Nate and his involvement as an assistant coach for the first ever USA Basketball Senior National Team, could you give us your personal view as to how well you think Team USA will do? As a huge basketball fan and patriot of this country, i've been very disappointed in the results the USA has had in international play, recently. Do you believe it will be fairly easy for the United States to reclaim its dominance in the sport with the development of the new national team?
It's extremely hard to believe that Team USA will have much trouble given some of the line-ups that are possible with its current roster. Especially since the players will have a chance to generate some chemistry over the course of a few years. I'm extremely interested to see how it will play out.
I know this is a blazer site, but we do have the connection with Nate. I'm extremely proud that the head coach of my beloved blazers is willing to give up a large chunk of what little time he has of his own to be part of the team that represents this country in international play. It's all very exciting.
Hey Mike, Great show! I wish i could have been there. You and Rice have great chemistry together. Good job with Prizz. It's great to have him back. I always look forward to your blog and i am extremely grateful that you take the time to answer some of our comments (especially the one of mine). I was wondering if you could give any insight regarding Paul Allen and the team being for sale. It seems to be an unanswered question and any information would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU!!
You rock, you rule, Mike! Any chance you can post a link Antonio's "put this one in the cooler" call? I seriously want to use that as a ring-tone...
Hey Mike,
Tell Rice if he's going to say, "Stay tuned, I've got trade rumors", he better have trade rumors.
Seriously, it's a lame way to keep people listening.
I'll try and answer a few of your questions.
Mike,
I'm not sure about Pritchard and the GM position. He had a heck of a draft day, and as I've talked about, was huge in getting Joel re-signed. I'll let you know when I hear anything.
MrBlazer,
I'm hoping to get Nate on Courtside next week, as I have some similar questions about Team USA. I think everyone has been disappointed with the national team's showings as of late. And, you're right about Nate giving up a lot of free time to help out with Team USA, and it's not just this summer, but is a three-year committment, right through the Olympics in China.
Chris in Hawaii,
I haven't heard any new news on the Paul Allen situation. He was so instrumental on draft day, and was very excited. Let's hope that's a good sign. Not many NBA owners could have pulled off what he did in the draft.
Wookie,
I'll work on getting a link up here to Antonio's infamous call. Thanks, as always, for the compliments.
Ribbon,
I'll beat on Rice for his "tease" during the show. The guy lives for trade rumors, and next week I'll make him come through with some and not just talk about it. I think he actually had some last night, but he's getting up there in years and probably just forgot them. I'm going to suggest some medication for him.
MB
WOW!! Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. I hope Paul Allen stays as the Blazers owner. I think he is doing a good job. His willingness and commitment to making the team better is very rare. maybe you can make him one of those DVD's that worked for Joel. Your a super nice guy. Talk to you again soon.
Great to have Joel staying for the long haul. Now, to finish off this perfect off-season, we need to ship Miles. Everyday I scan the headlines waiting for "Miles has been traded to ?? for??" this is our last move...he does not want to be here so we should move him as soon as we can. Any talks in the works about this..cmon Mike I know you have heard something..let us hear it. By the way great job doin the vegas recaps and the blogs have been great as well.
Hey, Mike, i don't expect you to post this, but i did want to say thank you for your blog. It is the best in the NBA. This team site is way out in front of any other NBA franchise, and your contribution to it is one of the biggest reasons. I'm glad to be a part of it in its infancy because it won't be long and you'll have way to many of these posts to deal with. Thanks again.
BTW, papers in this state, like the Oregonian, are the only papers in the nation that list KP as the "director of player personnel". According to the rest of the country, he already has the GM position.
Yea....I TOTALLY agree that we should move miles....and also, whats the deal with z-bo? is he gonna stay or go.
STAY
How much of Joel's Defensive presence and shot blocking ability do we owe to Theo? Also, it seemed every time Przybilla blocked a shot it wound up going back to the offense for a High percentage field goal. How will they fix that this year? Is it really just a matter of boxing out?
Package Miles, Randolph, and whoever/whatever else it takes to get Kevin Garnet!
Hey, I can dream can't I?
Thanks again, Mike!
Mike, is Sergio signed or what? I know he isn't Joel Przybilla, and he was a late first round pick, but could we get an update? Seems almost disrespectful that realgm and Marentette's blog are the ones informing the public about his status as a blazer. To get beat to the punch by those guys is embarassing. If Allen is excited about him enough to buy out his contract and sign him here, then the rest of the organization should get on the same page and show the guy some love.
I've heard virtually nothing from anyone employed by the blazers about him (save a little from you and KP). Is there a negative consensus toward him as a player or person, or is everyone just uninformed? If the latter is the case, i suggest people get up to date. This guy is going to be part of this team, and my guess is he'll be an instant fan favorite if he plays in the preseason.
He has one of the most wicked behind the back cross-overs i have ever seen. What i like about him most from watching his highlights is that almost every fancy move or pass he does has a purpose. When you watch old highlights of Jason Williams, many times the play could have been done just as effectively without making a high risk move. I don't think that is the case with Sergio. One highlight i saw had him doing a perfectly timed around the back pass to a teammate for a bucket. I watched it several times, and the only way the pass could get to where it needed to be was to do what he did. Truly one of the finest passes i've had the pleasure of viewing.
What Are Your Projected Starting Line Ups Next Year Blazer Fans?
Hi Mike
Love your show and your work with the Blazers. I'm a delivery driver and on draft night I listen to courtside and the fan. I hated the 'Fan' couvrage and loved what you and Rice and the rest of the gang.
If I was GM for the day I would trade Miles, Zack and Outlaw or one of our pt. guards...For KG and their first round draft pick for next season. Let me know what you think... could we make this happen!!!
Thank you
Jon from Beaverton
i have heard rumors about zach being traded, i have one in mind that could probably help both teams and could take place after aug 28th. z bo, raef lafrentz and maybe throw in travis outlaw to philly for chris webber and kyle korver. it would make philly a little younger and possible get them in the playoffs and would give us a young "nate guy" to push darius in korver with a shooting touch, defense and hustle. then webber has a shorter contract and plays similar to z-bo but better passer. he could be a stop gap for aldridge. it would help break up that webber iverson fued. what do you think.
You said the Kevin and Steve Patterson should be commended for "selling Joel the vision"
Usually Mike you are right on, but they didn't sell squat. Joel knows nothing but loyalty, and on top of that he's getting more money and more playing time here than anywhere else. Joel would have stayed if he were the only guy in town, and I commend him for that--not Kevin and Steve.
On a more positive note, thanks for the updates on summer league--sounds like Roy is going to be a STUD muffin. He is getting crazy numbers in hardly any minutes, so I am looking forward to a GREAT career from him. If the Blazers have half an ounce of sense, we better keep him for at least 10 years, not get rid of him like we did Jermaine...
Prez,
Thanks for the comments. Good or bad, I appreciate them. I'm hearing you say that you don't think it made a real difference to Joel who was running things, and what the future plans are in Portland. I disagree with you here. I was actually at that dinner table a few weeks ago when Kevin Pritchard laid out his plan and his "vision" to Joel. I then drove Joel back to his hotel, and we talked all the way there about the direction of the franchise. That dinner, and KP's message, were huge factors in Joel's decision. There wasn't much difference in money between Detroit and Portland, and the San Antonio offer was very attractive as well. And, playing time? Joel would have been the starting center for the Spurs or Pistons next season. You're correct that Joel is very loyal, but winning is also very important to him. I saw him grind through last season on a daily basis, and it wasn't easy for him. It was only his belief in the direction of the team, and trust in those in charge, that led him to re-sign.
Mike, now that you have let the cat out of the bag and told us all that you know KP's vision of our beloved franchise's future, could you let us know, too, this vision, and do your best to "sell" us on it, as well? I know, you can't. But, i'll definitely be one fan that tries to read between the lines of your blog from now on.
I definitely agree with you, Mike. The front office deserves a ton of credit for Przybilla's decision to resign. First, we gave him a chance when nobody else would. We then gave him the playing time he needed to grow as a player (he had a long way to go when he got here). Finally, he let it be known that changes and a new direction for the franchise would need to be seen before he would resign with us. He was certainly obliged, again, on draft day by the front office. What more can an organization do for a player?
Personally, i would have been shocked if Joel would have played somewhere else for the same money. I really don't think he did anything extra special other than just doing the right thing (which isn't as common by NBA players as you'd hope). I believe our organization earned its chance given by Joel. If there is one area we have been good these last couple seasons, it is the area involving Joel Przybilla. I'm happy that he has chosen to be a stand up guy.
hey MB,
you forgot to ask joel if he understood that his song being born in Oregon, meant he couldn't leave the state under penalty of constant ridcule.
Make Zach Play With His Back To The Basket.
Martell For Strong Forward.
Roy for ROY.
Przybilla For Mayor!
FIRST COMMENT WOOT! Yea...i'm SO happy we got Joel. His work ethic is terrific and his defense and rebounding was huge for hte blazers. I'm really hoping he can improve his foul shooting and offense a little during hte offseason althought i'd be happy to have the old joel back as well... big move by the blazers THUMBS UP!
Mike,
i can't believe joel decided to stay. well i can and i am elated. back at the end of the regular season (which hopefully wont be til june next year!) you said this:
"I love this team, love this franchise, love the coaches, and call me crazy, but I have this strong belief in everything connected to the Blazers."
and i just wanted to let you know i don't think i will every forget it and i agree TOTALLY and i can't wait until the rest of portland does again as well!
I am elated that we got Joel back it will do numbers for our defense this year, especially after losing Victor and Theo. I think Aldridge and Joel together will make a deadly combo. I am probably more happy just knowing that Steven Smith of ESPN is WRONG. He said on draft night that there is now way Joel will come back to Portland. I guess he underestimated a little thing called loyalty. Here's to a wonderful and exciting season.
Happy Przybilla Day Portland!
Mike,
Is Martell going to be able to play the 3? I know it has been mentioned a couple of times, but no one has really discussed it in detail. Nate McMillan said that Roy won't be playing much point during the season, and it appears he may be ready to take some of the 2 guard minutes from Martell and Dixon. I know Martell has the heigth to play the 3 but is he comfortable in that position, did he play it at all last year, and if so how did he do? I love the Blazers draft choices this year and can't waith to come to some games this fall!!!
Hey Mike,
I am excited to have Joel back. I am not a native of Portland...I am from California. I have been a fan ever since 1991. I love the Blazers. I think this is one of the best off seasons we have had In my time being a fan. Now, we need to finish this great off season..by making some crucial trades. C an you give us some insight on what rumors or possabilities are out there? We have to get this Miles situation settled and move him on...the question is, who can we get in return?
L.T.G
Something tells me Mike won't be comenting on trades until they become official. If you want some trade hype check out the Oregon Live Blazers Forum. The bloggers there are diverse and opinionated and debate around the clock. As far as credibility goes, They're all over the map.
Mike - since family is very important to Joel and Noel how about posting a family picture here from the signing?
Joel - thanks friend. You bring class and integrity to a great city. We are not all about performance but yours is greatly appreciated also. I hope your celebration is great.
Sorry Noelle - I'll get it right!
Lee,
I'll absolutely post some pictures of the event on Monday. Family is very important to Joel, and where they live is important. That's a big reason why he chose to remain in Portland.
L.T.G.,
I wish I had more information on trades for you. There were just six of them on draft day, remember. If you're someone who wants a Miles trade to happen, I wouldn't get your hopes up, at least for now. There always seems to be a little quiet period following the draft and summer league, that's what we're in right now.
Crude,
We're always up for talking trade rumors, and that seems like about all we do on the Courtside Monday Night radio show. I love the forums and check them out all the time. You're certainly right about them being opinionated, and passionate. The personal attacks are a little much, but I enjoy the banter. And, you're correct about the credibility being all over the place. But, that's fine because it's just conversation. Some trade rumors, like last week's that had Darius going to Minnesota, we heard about in Las Vegas, I knew wasn't true and therefore didn't have a lot to say about it. I was sitting with Kevin Pritchard, having lunch, when I got a call asking me about the supposed trade. Kevin laughed, and then I had a pretty good idea nothing was cooking. I may not always have a source like Kevin sitting with me when these rumors come up, but I'll certainly always be able to do a little investigating. If it's a worthy rumor, I'll try and have something on it. But, sometimes things are kept secret for good reasons, and news leaking out about a particular trade can often times kill it. That's why teams are careful at times.
Long answer, but there you go.
MB
When a team is doing badly in the regular season, sometimes we look forward to the off-season. This off-season has been very exciting. The draft night achievments and resigning Joel were highlights, as well as the play of our young guys in Vegas. Now likely after one more trade we will be getting into the real off-season, where there won't be much to report. Time to pull out my old VHS tapes of Clyde The Glide I guess. I Gotta Have My Black And Red! RIP CITY!
Mike-
I look forward to reading your blog everyday. It provides a temporary relief from my blazer addiction. Can't wait until the regular season starts...4 months is WAY too long.
I am pleased with Roys performances. It shows he can play in the nba well. Yes its only the summer league but...I am also plzed with outlaw and aldrige and Webster when hes on fire. When hes cold its nice to see others stepp up. Thats what a team is. Helpin others out a little. Its all good in the hood fine on the vine sweet on the street. If i had the money i would buy season tickets for life.
Mike,
Just wanted to say great read. I wish I could of been down there . I can't wait for the season to start.The Blazers are going to be fun this year.Just wanted to Thank everyone at the Blazers for all of your hard work . Even my season ticket reb Todd : }GO BLAZERS !!!
Hey Mike,
Thanks for the great reports from Vegas. Sounds like everyone had a good time. Can't wait for the preseason so I can see Roy in action. As a former Huskey, I had hoped Roy would do well down there, but he has exceeded my expectations. Hopefully Nate can figure out a way to keep Roy and Martell on the floor at the same time.
Summer league is over and we finished 3-2. I have a real good feeling about this season and cant wait for it to start. Great work Mike on the updates through out the off season.
man I miss Portland.(except the rain)I'm a Blazer fan who now lives in LA but I still keep track of whats going on with the Blazers, and it looks like everything is coming together for them. I'm happy for that.getting Lemarcus and Roy was great moves. I kinda felt sad to see Telfair leave Portland but I know it will turn out good for our team in the long run.....GO BLAZERS!!
Mike great article, but where's the box score? I need to know what Martell did against Phoenix, please. Boy Roy and LaMarcus are certainly showing why they had all the hype!! I think this might go down as 1 of the best drafts for the Blazers in quite sometime. Keep up the good work.
Mike,
I enjoy your blog and your work on the air. I have to take "lisght" exception to your criticsm of Vegas and it's smokers. Yes, smoking is allowed in all casinos. There have been efforts to outlaw it, but the operators are paranoid that that might mean they'll lose customers.
As for grocerie stores, smoking is not allowed in shopping areas as you implied. There usually is smoking allowed in the gambling areas, which are almost always slightly more private areas (and also areas children are not allowed.)
What I'm trying to say, probably not very well, is that there are a lot of good people who call Las Vegas home. I'm one of them. I mean, I call this my home, good is a relative term. The broad strokes you seem to be using to paint us all are grossly unfair.
I don't know which store you were in, but there are a multitude of great places to shop and buy groceries in Las Vegas, and if I knew the one you had your experience with, I would cease to buy there.
Who doesn't eat Teddy Grahams and Cheeze-its late at night??? Sounds like some fun rookie hazing opportunities with Aldridge here....thanks for the great blog - laughed out lound
Ken,
Thanks for your response. We had a terrific time in Las Vegas, as I said all week, and it's an incredibly unique place. Our stories are reflection of that. The grocery store incident was actually very amusing, and it's one of our favorite memories, as strange as that sounds. There's just so much that happens there that's out of the ordinary, and I actually think it's kind of refreshing. Anything goes, and that's obviously been a big part of their tourism advertising campaign. The smoking thing is just so different from what we're used to in the Northwest, where people aren't allowed to smoke anywhere. I don't smoke, and it actually doesn't really bother me to be around others who do. It's just so unusual to see, when you compare it to what we see up here in the NW. I'm kind of more "live and let live" so to see relaxed rules, on everything, I don't think is necessarily an evil thing. As I said earlier in the week, for people watching, there's no place like Vegas. That was one of my favorite parts of the trip. And, we were always treated very, very well by everyone in Vegas. We travelled with the team to the Salt Lake City summer league for the first couple of years, and for the last two have been in Vegas. What a contrast.
Start making your signs Blazer Fans, "Roy 4 RoY". The performance he had to end the summer league will silence all the critics for a long time. We finally have a draft pick who has the ability change the direction that this team had been heading in. Nate is going to finally be able to pprove that he is the great coach Portland hired last year.
Four Months.... *weeps* i can't believe its that far away...oh well good luck to us!!!!!!
Mike, Just listened to the interviews, good stuff. Another advantage to having a guy like roy on the team i just realized is nate can really give sergio a first class crash course on defence!
What a great start to this off-season. I think the important part will be once the summer league is over today and once everyone has some "time off" that they just stay in portland and WORK WORK WORK to keep on improving, especially all of our young guys. i think the font office is working to do its part, but now the tough part begins with the players using their talent that we all know they have! i'm excited for it! Thanks for the awesome interviews also!
Martell in the Phoenix where were you? Did you let Vegas distract you...1-11 from the field 0-4 from the 3
How can you not get distracted in Vegas? He's bound to have a tough game and they have played quite a few in the past week, so perhaps fatigue set in. How did Aldrige and Roy do?
Hey Mike, I am so excited about the
new guys... Roy and Aldridge and the returning young guys. I just can't wait for the season to begin.
Now, what about them "bad dudes" ..
were do they fit in with all these
excitement? I can't wait... GO BLAZERS.... MY BLAZERS!!!!!
Thanks for all your hard work. I will be listening to the show live on KXL.com. It's going to be about 3:00pm here in Hawaii. I can't wait to hear the question about Roy playing the point. All i have heard are good things about his passing, ability to find the open man and his overall decision making. I don't see why he wouldn't get a significant amount of minutes there especially if he gives us the best chance of winning. I know we already have jack, Blake and Dickau. From what you have seen in summer league do you think Roy is good enough to beat them out for the starting or backup point position if given the opportunity? THANKS!!
Thanks for your comments Chris. I encourage you to listen to the interviews with both Brandon and coach McMillan, as both have addressed the point-guard questions. Click on Summer League Central, and then select the different game highlights and interviews we have posted. I'm curious to see what will happen come the regular season, and it was nice to hear Brandon has a healthy perspective realizing this is just summer league, and things obviously will get a little tougher come November when the season begins. That being said, everything has gone possibly better than expected here in Vegas with the young guys.
Hey Mike,
Thanks for the great reports. This has got to be one the best covered summer leagues that I can remember for the Blazers.
It's clear Martell can shoot the lights out, which is excellent..but tell him to work on his attacking the basket! He's an athletic, hard working kid, and if he can become as good of a slasher as he is a shooter..he's going to be unstoppable.
Hey Mike, keep up the good work on covering the up and coming Blazers. I'm curious as to why Brandon Roy doesn't shoot more often. It seems like he can do so much more with his offensive skills for the team. Maybe that's a credit to his incredible unselfishness, but shooting 66% when the most number of shots he's attempted per game is 9? That's a bit odd. I would love to see him be more aggressive!
Thanks!
That's a good point Protein, and I've been waiting for him to look a little bit more for his own shot as well. I think the obvious reason he hasn't been, is he's been playing point guard, and is trying to get his teammates involved. He's shown us he can get to the hoop just about anytime he wants, and also gets to the free throw line. He reminds me a bit of Rod Strickland when he gets into the paint, in that he really never seems to get his shot blocked. Rod was always so good at that, and I think is one of the best point guards ever at finishing at the rim. And, yes, you're right, things will get tougher when the regular season arrives. Brandon has told me that several times this week. He knows this is just summer league.
Mike, ditto on the reporting and kudo's to the orginization for setting up the delayed broadcasts and overall fan access to the summer league. I think Roy has been exactly the kind of aggressive player he should be at point guard. Aggresive for his own shot as needed and aggresive to get his teammate's good shots and to keep them into the flow of the game. The comments i've read are alot of "good descision making, every dribble has a purpose, not alot of wasted movements" are the ones that have me excited about our new blazer. His high shooting percentage is further evidence of not only his physical abilities but his descision making abilities as well. Just look how much better the whole team does as soon as he steps on the floor. From what i got out of nate's comments was he wants his scoring gaurd to be able to bring the same types of abilities his point does (last season he did put two points in at the same time alot) I can't wait to see him next season when he will be at the scoring gaurd position. whith the abilities he has shown to create and finish his own shot and his unselfish and smart play i see alot of open shots in webster's future!
Hey Mike I'm really excited about the big 4 we have 1)Roy 2)Webster 3)Aldridge and 4)Outlaw in the league and all are doing whats expected, but I'm wondering about Ha and him not playing much? Also it seems Hector Romero is playing pretty well, what do you or your' readers think?, and What are we ever going to do with Nedzed Sinanovic? Please clear up this, I know you can if anyone can!!!
Hey Mike I forgot to ask a question, How long after we draft a player and they play overseas AKA Nedzad Sinanovic do we hold onto their rights? Thanks.
The consensus around the watercooler is one of optimism. We really feel they are assembling a talented young group. Roy just keeps us licking our chops and Aldridge is showing us why we got him-defense.
Defensively we should be much improved in my eyes, with the addition of Roy and especially Aldridge, whom already has more blocks in the Summer League than Randolph had all of last year. Seriously, he and Joel will combine to make a pretty nasty tandem next year and will alter more than a few shots.
I think this group is intelligent enough to communicate, something the boys lacked last year. I heard a lot about how we lacked basketball smarts. Again with the addition of our new recruits, we haved upped our B-ball I.Q.a notch and that will hopefully lead to more W's.
Man, how many more months until the season tips off?
Too Long. Still, our guys need time to prepare. so, I can be patient...I guess. Just keep up the coverage guys. RIP CITY
Hey mike! Im a homer too and im very proud of it. the fans i dont care for are the ones who say "yeah im a blazer fan when there winning". much respect to all you blazer homers out there!!
Your title says it all. The point gaurd running the show that everyone has a key role in. Looking at Roy's vs Foy's numbers looks more like Foy was a 2. Too many times we have seen "scoring" point gaurds (including one homegrown rookie of the year) do wonderfull jobs at scoring while playing point just to see the opposing team win. Roy's ability and intelligence to quickly adapt his game to bring what portland needed to WIN has me giddy over the possibility that portland might (cross my fingers) have actually started making winning descisions.
brandon roy in my opinion is the most complete player in the 2006 draft . he can pass, shoot , dribble, rebound, and is agrressive and this is only the start because he will keeping getting BETTTER and BETTER
I agree with you happycamper. I do think Randy Foye is a great player. But, as I mentioned, with Garnett and Ricky Davis the Wolves need a floor general (not that Foye doesn't have this ability). He's got 77 points now in the summer league and just 2 assists. And, I've read this morning that some people believe Foye got the better of Roy in the game last night. I don't know how anyone who watched that game could honestly think that. Foye had 24 points, but 12 of them came in garbage time when Portland was well in control. Roy held Foye in check in the first half when Portland built its lead, and was able to go by Foye just about anytime he wanted to on the offensive end. When Roy didn't get a lay up, he drew fouls, often times on the help defenders. He shot 9 free throws in the game. And, again, Roy is not going to be playing point guard much for Portland, so we won't see this Foye-Roy head-to-head matchup in the regular season much. And, I've also heard some national writers saying Foye is their favorite to win Rookie of the Year. I just don't see how he's going to get enough shots in that Minnesota offense to consistently post big numbers. I don't think it would be a good thing for them if he is. I'd rather see KG and Davis get the bulk of the shots if I'm them. This is nothing against Foye, but I just disagree with some of the things that were said, and written, after last night's game.
Hey I have noticed that Hector Romero has been very solid in the past 2 games. I know that the blazers dont want to sign another contract and save that 15th roster spot but if he has a few spectacular games do you think they could sign him? (he is a forward, it could help)
Hey I have noticed that Hector Romero has been very solid in the past 2 games. I know that the blazers dont want to sign another contract and save that 15th roster spot but if he has a few spectacular games do you think they could sign him? (he is a forward, it could help)
Mike,
In college Roy was explosive and had those 35 point games back to back that made everyone go "wow." Hopefully he can do that this year for us. But I think Martell is going to have the best season or at least best-improved season out of our young bunch of players. With regards to Roy, what about him ever playing point during the regular season? With his success so far (although it is only summer league) do you think he'll ever see time there? Already we have 2, and 3 with Sergio. If only we were so stacked at all positions we would be in great shape!
thanks mike
i missed the radio of this game but i wont miss todays!
Oh i have my own summer league squas and i will send it to csmn!
pg: antonio harvey
sg: nate mcmillian
sf: mike barrett
pf: mike rice
c: brian wheeler
yep I know all the hype around Roy and all the new guys, but if there's a guy you really have to keep an eye on its Hector Romero. maybe he wasn't drafted, but this guy has PROVED himself on the profesional basketball. he was an all star on his college years in New Orleans and its the captain of the Venezuelan national team (which by the way its going to the world champ. in Japan this summer) he has played in europe and againts others though national teams such as team USA and argentina, overshadowing Manu ginobli. If I was part of the Trailblazer management I will definetely add this guy to the roster. Romero has the potential of not only being a reserve..but a regular.
whatever happen till the season starts, i do beleive that the portland management have something in their hats when they do the overtime works in the draft day. I;m sure,Roy, Aldridge and the new guys are capable of bringing back the glory what the portland had few years ago. The Old guys well we are looking for them as good mentors for these rookies. GOOD LUCK to you all
All i can say is that the new guys do have a lot of potential. They got the skills, height, touch, etc. All they need is a few games to get their acts in harmony. With the oLD GUYS in their side, I,m crossing my fingers playoffs is in our sight. The portlad management, of course, has a reason when they work overtime in the draft day. I'm in their side... i've seen them play, ang i can't wait to see them banging against the greatest players in the world..... GOOD LUCK PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
You can't make too much out of Summer League, but the new Blazers are already showing me why I'll be by their side. This is a group to root for. They are positive, hard working individuals. Give them some time and they could be scary in a few years. Patience......
Mike, thanks for the great blog and keeping us diehard fans hungry all summer long.
Simply said, Roy is the bestof the 06 draft. I'm so grateful for the pick of Brandon. When the Blazers picked Foye my heart dropped, to rise again when the trade was announced. The pain of the last seasons are leaving with much anticipation with the future. It will be fun watching the youth get up to speed win or whatever. COME BACK FANS!! The future is now, & don't forget to vote.
I'm loving brandon roy...my deal is...lets throw him at the 2 or 3... i want to see just how many this kid can put up...this is where he's gonna be playing anyways right...just one night thats all i ask...its all it will take
Coming to Vegas and seeing the players up close has been awesome. I can personally say that Roy, Webster and all of the players and those who are associated with the Blazer organization have been wonderful and very personable. Portland Roy, Aldridge are the real deal. Webster has been a leader out on the floor on offense and especially on defence. Tonight against the Wizards he was talking and explaining to Aldridge about defending the post and why he was (Aldridge) called for the foul. Also tonight in the fourth quarter when the game was close Roy, Webster, Aldridge and Outlaw showed great confidence in themselves and each other and hustled till the final whistle.
Portland get ready, because I think Rip City is coming back. We as fans have been pleading with management for a team to stand behind again. I feel they have really laid down a solid foundation with this draft, now it is our turn to step up.
Thanks for Your coverage Mike.
I hope the recent excitement in the Rose City has increased season ticket sales. We Portland fans are Hungry for W's.
Man, I was excited about getting Aldridge, but now I am getting really excited about Brandon Roy. I cant wait to see him in action. Congrats to the Blazers organization for some great moves on draft day. I am also very excited for Jarret Jack to get more of an oppertunity now that Telfair has moved on.
Chris Thorson
Man, I was excited about getting Aldridge, but now I am getting really excited about Brandon Roy. I cant wait to see him in action. Congrats to the Blazers organization for some great moves on draft day. I am also very excited for Jarret Jack to get more of an oppertunity now that Telfair has moved on.
Chris Thorson
Great update Mike. As nervous and confused as I was by the draft it really feels like we have made some great moves. I am more excited about this season than I have been in a long time. I'm excited and I feel we can have a 35 win season.
Tell Coach McMillan to unleash the beast, HA. I want to see what he can do this season. Then we will see who has the last laugh. Get it? HA....last laugh.....
hello mike! it's sounding more and more like Brandon Roy could be our starting point guard this coming season. I will be watching the two summer league games being coverd on NBA t.v. i cant wait to see all our guys in action. TAKE CARE MIKE!!
assuming we can lose Randolph and Miles and add just one veteran forward to the mix in their place, i feel we are two years from contention and if we play our cards right, possibly remaining one for the better part of a decade. Imagine if you will Pryzbilla at Center, Aldridge Outlaw Webster and said veteran in the frontcourt, Roy Blake and Jack and one more in the backcourt. That blazer fans is a team to fear in the near future.
DANG i'm lovin brandon roy...why play him at the point tho? we have blake and jarret at point...put roy where he's comfy...at the 2 or 3.
Hey, Mike, i think it's fantastic that Portland has the games available to be heard on the radio. I'm surprised there are no other franchises that are doing the same. It goes a long way in showing the organization is committed to the fans.
It also seems that Portland is the most active in reporting what is going on in the league. For die hard Blazer fans hoping to hear something everyday, it's great to see the enthusiasm is matched by the organization. Usually, it's not this easy to follow the maturation of rookies and young players until at least preseason.
Did you think Foye dominated Roy in the 1-1 as ESPN said in their cover story!
Did you think Foye dominated Roy in the 1-1 as ESPN said in their cover story!
mr.blazer said it right. We die hard fans love the coverage. Thanks again.
Roy vs Foye update- Roy 4.0 assists/per -Foye .07 assists/per how's ERSPN gonna spin those digits? Front page... or Page 2... Comment?
i wonder if dan dickau has any harsh feelings with this franchise since his last stop here.Also what did joel freeland do in the second game if he even played?
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They sound good Mike, I for one am stoked about the upcoming season. Positive, hard-working kids are sooo much better than thugs-let's hope their attitudes rub off on Miles- nah, let's just dump him! Peace. I'm out like Mike Rice's slot tokens...
I notice Roy has been playing the point all during the summer league. Are they planning on playing him at point during the year or moving him to the 2 guard and puttting martell at the 3 and putting Jack at the 1?
Come start of the season, are they planning on leaving Roy at the point or moving him to the 2, martell to the 3, and leaving Jack at the point?
Have you seen any other teams play? who looks like they picked good in the draft? I saw this video of Renaldo Balkman that makes Isiah look like he did his homework!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=S8M5TCUHxNA&feature=Views&page=3&t=t&f=b
By the Way i am very impressed with the new blazers website. Your blog is great and provides lots of behind the scene info that normal media can't get a hold of. I greatly appreciate all the work you do for the fans here!
Hey M.B.,
I wonder if you might be able to also give us an idea about what these young guys do in their "off" time down there in Sin City. I think only a few of them might be over 21 but in Las Vegas age doesn't really matter as much as being a professional ball player. Are they given opportunities to go out unchaperoned or are things pretty strict as far as where and what they can and cannot do?
Hey M.B.,
I wonder if you might be able to also give us an idea about what these young guys do in their "off" time down there in Sin City. I think only a few of them might be over 21 but in Las Vegas age doesn't really matter as much as being a professional ball player. Are they given opportunities to go out unchaperoned or are things pretty strict as far as where and what they can and cannot do?
To answer your question yellowjackets, I'm not sure they really know. Roy is playing the point in the summer league out of need. With Telfair traded, and Jarrett recovering from surgery, they really didn't have any choice. Roy has played some at the off-guard spot, but has mostly played the point. This is just showing us how versatile he is. Jarrett, by the way, is looking good. He told me today he feels great and will be going full speed by August.
Also, blazerbelieverforever, you are exactly right about Kaleb Canales. I'm not sure I know anyone who is as hard-working and as well-liked as Kaleb. He's extremely humble, and gets embarassed when I tell him how important he is to this franchise. The role of video coordinator is vital. Kaleb does just about everything else too.
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Mike,
I am enjoying your blogs very much. I am an older fan and have been a Blazer ever since their inception into the league. I'm very excited about the prospects of the team this year, especially after the disappointing season last year.
Keep up the good work.
Mike,
I am enjoying your blogs very much. I am an older fan and have been a Blazer ever since their inception into the league. I'm very excited about the prospects of the team this year, especially after the disappointing season last year.
Keep up the good work.
Great story. Webster got 29 points? Insane! I, for one, am very excited to hear of his improvement. I hope he is able to bring that level of play to the table this year. Roy was roy, you know we are all going to be holding signs up "Roy for ROY!" this year. A little disappointed in Aldridge's performance but, it is only one game. I hope these kids mesh well together and learn the nba game well. I think the future is bright, bright and bright. (This is coming from someone who has always disliked the blazers. Watching how they did their draft and their trades, I have a whole new outlook.)
Keep us up to date
I know Martell would come alive from behind the arc. My friends keep yapping about lack of outsid shooting, and I know that Webster would improve and will continue to for a while to come. With the friendship of Webster and Roy, the blazers will open up the low post for Joel, Raef and Zack. This is going to be a great summer league and an even better year!
I know Martell would come alive from behind the arc. My friends keep yapping about lack of outsid shooting, and I know that Webster would improve and will continue to for a while to come. With the friendship of Webster and Roy, the blazers will open up the low post for Joel, Raef and Zack. This is going to be a great summer league and an even better year!
Sounds like some positives, eases a lot of my PMD (post-Morrison depression).
Nice story Mike, sounds like fun down there with Rice and co. Your blog is sweet! Keep it up.
Thanks Mike. This is what great coverage is all about. You are the best. Now if our friends at the Oregonian can take note maybe they will become more positive too (they are today).
For all our Spanish friends here is one Oregonian looking forward to having Sergio with us this year. The summer league is a chance for new players and guys wanting to get extra work but the real work seems to be in training camp. Thanks for the support. 0h - and we will all be watching for Spain in the world championship this year, hoping you do well except when you play USA of course.
RIP CITY!
the blazers didn't drat adam morrison and now i am no longer a fan for two years. o and by the way they traded my two favorite players in telfair and khryapa. Thanks a lot guys...see u in 2 years
I am not sure about the logjam we now have at point guard? CAn Roy play small forward?
Hey Mike, you and rice are a great team. I love the post game interview. I hope rice still has some money left after the trip. you guys are doing an outstanding job. THANK YOU!!!
Hey Mike....could we possibly get some video or a detailed description of Joel from today's game against the warriors...I really think from what I have read that Joel has the right attitude about the game of basketball, sounds very aggressive and thinks he is and plays bigger than he really is (weight wise)...great coverage from you guys, keep it up
Ray,
This is a great beginning for the organization. I've always admire Martell and i hope he may bring it to the NBA and be consistent. For Roy and LeMarcus not bad, but not great. I hope they will perfom great in the summer league as well as the NBA.
Ray,
This is a great beginning for the organization. I've always admire Martell and i hope he may bring it to the NBA and be consistent. For Roy and LeMarcus not bad, but not great. I hope they will perfom great in the summer league as well as the NBA. Where is the Spanish Chocolate? Joe Freeland and Travis Outlaw your better than that.
Mike, no need to sugarcoat it. Travis Outlaw was absolutely horrible. I watched the game. He looked out of control and totally bogged down the Blazer offense. He doesn't make anyone better because he doesn't seem to be able to process multiple things at the same time. When he gets it in his head he is going to shoot, a shot is going up, whether it is in the offense or not. I like Travis a lot as a person, but I think the window is closing on Outlaw. Soon, the "great potential" tag is going to get dropped, and other teams are going to see him as just another athletic guy that doesn't understand the game and can't translate athleticism into basketball skill.
Mike,
Pass on heaps of praise to the management. I am so looking forward to the coming season.
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS 2006-07 opening day starting line up!
(C) Lamarcus Aldridge
(PF)Travis Outlaw
(SF)Martell Webster
(SG)Brandon Roy
(PG)Jarret Jack
YOUNG RUN AND GUN
Replaced at the 5 to 7 min mark (TIMEOUT) of the 1st quarter by.
(C) Joel Przybilla
(PF) R. Lafrentz/B. Skinner
(SF) Zach Randolf
(SG) Juan Dixon
(PG) Steve Blake
VETRAN GRIND IT OUT
AND LET THE PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS (Y) TEAM AND THE PTB (A) TEAM DUKE IT OUT ALL YEAR FOR BEST PER 48 MIN. STATS.
CAN YOU SAY SOLD OUT SOLD OUT SOLD OUT SOLD OUT SOLD OUT SOLD OUT!!!!
Hey Mike--what ever happened to Kevin Pittsnoggle? I was hoping that the Blazers might pick him up as a free agent since he wasn't drafted--I was hoping we would take him in the second round, so for him to be still available...or is he?
You guys are getting me all hyped up for the season to begin and the end of oct seems like an eternity away!blzr fan 77
I can't wait for our new Blazers to show off their stuff. I hear that Amare will be playing for Phoenix's summer league team this year - it would be awesome to see Lamarcus and Amare battle it out on Wednesday. And to all those who are worried that Foye will turn out to be a better draft pick than Roy, we'll see for ourselves in a couple days. I can't wait!
Mike I feel like I've found a treasure in finding your blog. I love what you're taking the time to do - it's golden. Will Sergio sign a contract tomorrow? I know that you said previously he would sign Wednesday, but in the latest it just said the team announced him and that he'd come to Vegas. I am trying to figure out what we'll do with our glut at PG if he signs. Dickau can't be traded for 90 days after the draft-day trade can he?
I can't wait no more for watching Sergio playing with the Blazers, it will be amazing. I hope he adapts to the country, the culture and the team as soon as possible because it will be very important for a young man like him, and he will be able to play his best next season. Be patient with him and take care of him, he is absolutely crazy about playing in the Trail Blazers and he won't dissapoint you. Don't expect him to make a great impact in his first year, but if he gets minutes and confidence he won't need more than two years to be the starting point guard in any NBA team.
I have to congratulate Mike for this blog and the Blazers organization for the magnificient web page.
When will be Sergio's 11 jersey available? How much will it cost? I'm starting to save money to buy it......
Bradley - good question about Dan Dickau. The 3 month moritorium on trades is if a veteran free agent signs a contract he then cannot be traded for 3 months from signing. Dickau signed with Boston last year so I think this will not apply. (Article VII, section 8 (d))
Mike - thanks for the coverage. Will be listening tonight.
its always a pleasure to read your blog. I know you said people outside the area can log on to hear the games live but were you going to post a recap or mp3 of the games on your blog? thanks again!!!
Mike,
Your blogs get better and better. It's the first thing I read in the morning and I wouldn't miss it. I wish I could be in Vegas as well instead of work in Portland! I think this summer league is SO exciting and the perfect chance for the start of the NEW Blazer team to show it's face. Is there anyway to find out the NBA TV schedule so that I can catch some of the games? I have looked and can't find it so far, but I don't want to miss out. I love listening on the radio, but it's just not the same. Thanks! and thanks again for the great blogs!!
*Liz*
Have you seen Sergio's face when posing with his Blazer jersey? He seems to be over the moon about being there in Portland. He's just a kid, almost like the ones that surround him, but don't get fooled by his appearance because my man can kill anyone with his moves when he's on the court.
He's lovely guy. And you guys in Portland are gonna love my countryman fella. We already do over here in Spain.
Well It looks like we have taken care of the Draft, Pryz, one thing left to do... Get rid of huge contracts to overpaid players. Maybe package Lafrents and Miles or Randolph and miles for some expiring contracts.
I am getting more and more excited for the season. With the recent draft picks and trades, I can't remember a more active and postive summer, then this one. Management has set some very exciting and positive things in motion. Also, it is more interesting and fun listening to people that know the team, like you and Rice, then others on the OTHER Sports radio station, that just rant when they don't get their way....
Keep up the great work, and so far, this summer has been an A+. I look forward to hearing the games this summer on radio, whereas in the past, I could care less.
wow. talk about growing up. already here comes the new martell webster. 29 points on 10/19 shooting. wow i can't wait for the regular season!!!!
Great work on on the Blog so far. Any news or scenarios on trades or the future of Randolph or Miles?
-LTG.
Great idea to cover the summer league..you guys are doin great! I am excited for this new look team!
It was always my dream to have my favorite college player (B.Roy) to play for my favorite basketball team. During the draft night after all the trades, when I heard Brandon Roy will be traded to Portland or Randy Foye, I fell to my knees and cried. Im so excited for next season, I kinda wish summer was over! I feel like we have a whole new team and I think that if our new playre play together under coaches wing this team will carry us somewhere in the playoffs in the next couple of years!
Samantha
wow thats awesome looking forward to wins this coming season i love the blazers
Hello mike! now that joel has agreed to re-sign and we have 4 new rookies joining us the roster is at 16 players. what is the next move going to be?
Can I tag-along in you suitcase?
what a great day for the Blazers. I am absolutly thrilled that Joel sighed and we have some great positive players on the roster now. Really helped Joel to decide to come back, I remember how Joel was upset last year, maybe this year we have a lineup that will want to play hard no matter what.
even if we have a bad year like last year, but play hard together as a team, all the lineup will get better because of that and grow together.
GO BLAZERS, win or lose you still ROCK!!!!! humble, great natured, positive, friendly, hard working and more. you guys are all ready winners.
Can't wait to see Sergio next year, i am going to keep looking at the series in Japan, and root for sergio to rule
I'm so pleased that Joel decided to stay. It shows a lot of foresight in what we're doing here. He'd be in a rebuilding situation in San Antonio in a few years anyway. I feel really good about this team. I'm wondering if we'll package Randolph and Miles for some veteran leadership.
Mike,
Love your blog. Keep up the great work!
Quick question, do you know if nbatv is replaying any of the Blazer summer leagues games?
Go Blazers!
just gotta say that im so excited that joel chose to stay, even over going to championship caliber teams likes san antonio or detroit. I'm a huge joel fan, i love the way he plays and the way he presents himself off the court. i think he brings teh right kind of talent and personality to this blazers team and for him to choose to come back shows how loyal he is. Joel is the perfect example of player that the blazers need to have. welcome home joel!
P.S. Love the blog mike
Hey Mike~
I am stoked that Joel is coming back. I know that he will be happy with his decision.
I just looked at the videos of Sergio, and all I can say is WOW! we all know what Steve Nash can do as a player, Sergio has those same skills. can't wait for next year for him to play. Pheonix made a huge mistake letting the rights for sergio to go, and Blazers made another great draft day move to get him.
I know this is a young team, but with the team players we have and the attitudes, "the team" is going to be scary for opponants, from the starting line up, to the reserves, there is no seperation from ability and good attitude, the reserves will be scary too.
for me I can't think of how I have ever been so exited about the blazers, even in the era of Drexler and team. This is the team that I love and repsect more then ever, from the GM and coach to the players.
GO BLAZERS!!
I am thrilled that Joel decided to stay with us. He is an awesome player. I am excited for the season to begin. Thanks again to Martel for being "one of the guys" at the draft party. Our team is so impressive, I dare ESPN to bad mouth us!!
like chris said we now have like 17 players and only 12 of them can be on the roster, are we going to keep all these players? or are they going to put some of these players with all the hype on the reserve?
Thank you Mike!!! I was expecting a blog new like this, since the draft night. Sergio needs and deserve everyone to know him, and anything better than news, news, and motre news about him. He won't dissapoint you, Blazers fans, be sure of that.
Brandon Bowman scored the 8th best as an athlete in Orlando Pre-draft camp this year. With a 34 in vertical and 24 bench reps he will also be intertesting to watch. Any word on if he is signed by the Blazers or just on the summer league team?
sergio rodriguez is the best playmayker in portland trail blazers and in the draft 06
Hi Mike & company!!! Here I am writing in your blog again from Spain, something that I'm very happy of.
Apparently, Sergio Rodriguez will be flying out to Portland by the time you get this from me. And I gotta tell you that according to what I've read and heard in the papers and radios over here, he is eager to come over to Portland to get to know the city and his new teammates-to-be. And of course, the coach Nate and the rest of the staff too.
To all those who don't know Sergio's character, I'll tell you that he will come across to tou as a down-to-earth and very likeable guy that you Blazers'fans are gonna love forever. I can assure that.
If Sergio is dying for the next NBA season to get started, I can't tell you in words how eager we all Spanish basketball fans are too!!!! We are all loking forward to it!!!
And finally, this might sound romantic, but it's true: a piece of our hearts is a Blazer from now on. GO BLAZERS, GO!!!!!
whats the deal with bowman and dockery?
Mike,
I was just writing to say Thanks for your Blog. I enjoy reading it each day. It fills us in on what we need to know. Thanks
Its great to hear HA is doing well, i liked him since his first game with the Reign, I hope he does great in the Summer League! GO BLAZERS!
ps nice info on Freeland too.
Several years ago in spain we were sure Pau was going to be an important player in NBA and now we think Sergio is born to play there (like Navarro , Garbajosa, Calderon or Fran Vazquez),by the way remenber: the next pearl from spain in nba draft 2007 will be Rudy Fernandez. Perhaps due to his age and his physichal weakness it will take him two or three years but his skills are NBA for sure.
Does anybody know if Nedzad Sinanovic can play at all? If Joel heads to detroit (or San Antonio) it seems like he might be a cheap stop-gap for the season if portland winds up high and dry at center. Also, if HA isn't yet ready to play even a back-up center roll, is he ever going to be? We could sure use some minutes from him at the 5 spot this season. Is Nedzad Sinanovic such a project that he can't even sit the bench for portland but HA can? I think that Nikoloz Tskitishvili sounds interesting too, has never really been given minutes in the NBA from what I can tell. He's listed as a forward but who knows?
Love the blog mike, me and my family cant wait to be watching the new blazers this season with you calling the games!
It's good to see that somebody is interested in reporting us about Sergio. Because in the web is difficult to be in the know about that. In Spain, news arrives with a bit 'lag', so.. Thanks Mike!!
P.D. Did you see what a enormous receiving has any word about Sergio? We are expecting....
One more from me today now that I've heard the news that Przybilla is staying. What a day! The new look Blazers will have a welcomed familier face starting at the center spot!! I think that Joel will stay healthy this year and have the best season of his career. Everytime I see Joel swat away a lay-up or grab his fifth rebound of the first quarter I sure am glad we have the big guy down there. I doubt that Joel ever reads these but just in case I have to say: THANK YOU JOEL! Looking forward to see you in the blazers starting line up for the next few seasons at least!
Hey Mike, I wonder if you think that Nate is going to give Travis Outlaw more playing time this season?. He did really good on the last few game before the season end. And due to you, he has improved alot, I think he deserve more minutes.
Thanks for all of the info Mike!
Please pass the word on to Joel that we in Portland really appreciate his excellent play and welcome him back with open arms. We are thrilled he has commited to sign with the Blazers for the next few years!! Please tell him he made a great decision and with him at the post our future looks much brighter and things will progress quicker than any of us thought. Thanks for all of the good work!!
Scott
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.
Sergio Rodriguez is new player of Portland.Why dont appear at this official web? Nothing appear, is menosprecied because is spanish.You respet him, because he´s the best young player from Spain and will be a great player of NBA in the next years.
Please comments about Sergio in this blog and web
You mentioned how fit Martell looks. Last year he was said to become a 2 guard. But with Roy, and martell's increased strength, will he be the 3. If so, who are the blazers trying to get as the PF? And what about center, is aldridge going to start from the getgo?
Nice report, Wheels. Looking forward to reading your take on the summer league in the coming weeks. Very nice to hear Martell has been keeping himself busy in the gym, and in the weight room. Keep up the good work.
Thanks a lot Wheels and Mike, I look forward to the more in-depth report tonight. I'm very excited to hear that Martell looks solid and I hope that him, Travis, and the new rookies just dominate the summer league as well as the other players at practice. It'd be great if you could give lots of info on how Martell, Travis, Brandon and Lamarcus play throughout these practices and the Summer league. Thanks alot- From a very loyal Blazer fan.
Great report. Thanks, Wheels.
No surprise that Martell is the best player in the camp. He's going to be an amazing player. I hope Travis is coming along, too. Is he still under contract with the Blazers? I thought it ran out at the end of the season, but maybe he signed a extension I didn't know about. I hate to be so negative here, but I don't think Ha is a basketball player. I really don't know what the Blazers see in him. From what I've seen, he has a 7'3" body and some mobility, but horrible skills and decision making. His drawbacks are much bigger than his worth IMO.
I'm also not expecting much from Sinonovic or Tskitishvili. I didn't even know that Blazers were still looking into Sinonovic. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Go Blazers!
ramgon: I don't think Sergio is expected to play in the States this year. If he wasn't mentioned on the site, that may be why.
Great work wheels. I would like to see this posted daily on the new things going on in portland. I liked the draft, some are mad about morrison but I think aldridge had much more long term upside, especially if we do resign Joel and trade zach for a good point gaurd. I see roy or martel being interchangeable at SG and SF and, while I don't see them winning a lot this year (smell Greg Oden?), I do expect to see them progress into a very solid team over time (think this decades bulls). Please keep us up to date on stats, information and overall commentary about the progress you see and what our newer players do and display.
As always, great job, guys!!
I'll be looking each and every day for "nuggets" of info and insights.
Here's to (at the very least) an entertaining Blazer season!
Looking forward to the next Blazer Bash! (V)
Thank you all Portland and all of the front office workers! I love this trade. Hopefully it will get Zach off of his lazy a** and lose whight and wokr harder, and hopefully it will mean that Mills will be gone, or vis versa, one of them 2 need to get outta town. I can't wait to see, Aldridge working his a** off with Joel and Jamaal. Put Martell and Roy in the line-up and let them do there magic. All I know out of the last 6 years, I am the most excited about this season, and the new players. I also hope that Portland will be able to resign Jamaal this off season, and that he will see that this area loves there basketball, there team, there players!
Tyler - vancouver
This transaction is super for Sergio. I'm very happy about that, because it means that Portland is really interested in Sergio. Now he will have to fight with Jack and Dickau to get as minutes as possible, but why he couldn't be the starting point guard????? I'm very excited about the new season!!!! When will be the official Sergio's 11 jersey available??? I'm crazy about getting it!!!
Mike, Bird rights do not give the team the right to match any offer. That would be restricted free agency. Bird rights allow a team to exceed the salary cap to re-sign the player, thus offering more potentially than many other teams can do.
Mike, i think you may have been mistaken about Mags' contract situation. Won't he be an unrestricted free agent at the season's end? Meaning even if the team who owns his "bird rights" matches another team's offer, Mags can decide to play wherever he wants. Also, his "bird rights" owner can opt to not only match another team's offer but also go as high as the maximum length and salary for his situation as a player. I think that is correct, right?
Anyway, you wrote that the "entire" Pritchard interview is available, but only half of it is available to me. I was a little surprised to hear KP say that most of this trade was orchestrated by Steve Patterson. I guess he is the acting GM.
Can we get an update on the "search" for our next GM. Don't tell me this is the kind of thing that is kept secret like it's a matter of national security, is it? Can we at least be told if the process has started?
I am looking forward to this season and I think the Blazers have done an outstanding job during the off season. So good job from Afghanistan.
It seemed like of Pritchard's acquisitions, Blake bought into the new notion of the Blazers as a 'family' more than anyone.
As alluded to in the Oregonian, it seems that Blake was pretty hurt by the trade, especially given his wifes September due date.
Has anything been said by the Blazers organization to Steve Blake along the lines of 'we want you to sign with us' next year? Or does Dickau's contract (having 2 seasons left) and the drafting of Sergio essentially rule out this classy guy coming back to the team?
As much I am excited about obtaining Magloire, I will miss Steve Blake. I feel really bad for Blake. He and his wife loved it here. They embraced the community, and became very active within it both publicly and privately.
I realize this is a busines, and trades are sometimes a harsh reality. And, all in all, I'd love to have Blakes troubles; Making large amounts of money to play a game I love, married to a beuatifull woman, expecting my first child, and competing for the starting point guard position on a playoff team.
It does suck though. I'll miss you Mr. Blake, and I think the team will too.
Lee D, and Mr.Blazer,
You guys are correct on Magloire's contract situation. I was wrong. Reading it again, it's pretty obvious. I guess it was a late night, and having a one-year old, they have been early mornings too.
Thanks for the correction.
MB
I'm just not sure what the point of this trade is when compared to the other moves we have made in this offseason. We drafted LaMarcus Aldridge, brought in Raef LaFrentz, re-signed Joel Przybilla and already had Zach Randolph. I just don't see how this group can co-exist with the bringing in of Jamaal Magloire. When you consider that Randolph, Przybilla and Magloire will eat up a huge portion of those minutes, where does that leave the others?
I guess my question is why did we really draft LaMarcus if we were just going to bring in another big anyway? Supposedly we have a problem at SF (two actually, considering that Darius Miles is STILL on the team), so why didn't we instead take a guy like Adam Morrison would could immediately fill a void on this team? Maybe Pritchard & Co. will prove me wrong in the end, and I hope they do. But when players like Steve Blake leave the team and guys like Darius Miles remain on it, it makes you wonder why the priorities aren't in order.
Hmmm, gotta say jury out. For me it is a wait and see. No question Magloire is a good grab, but Blake could have been a poster child for what portland is trying to do. Consistant good smart play combined with a quality person. Blake was not only a fan favorite, he had good offence, defence, and game savy. I know we might have lost him to free agency anyways, but i still think we should have kept him. Look what loyalty brought us with Joel, and loyalty is a two way street. No dis on Mags, but I don't like it.
Whats done is done. Now it looks on paper that we have a deep talented frontcourt. The jury will rule with chemistry. Right now, the team has no leader. When the team's leader emerges next year it won't nescesarily be the team captain, the veteran, or the most talented player. The leader will be the one everyone follows. Will Miles still be around acting like he deserves better without earning it? Will one of our two starting centers be happy to come off the bench? Can Zack get back to the hustle, 2nd chance- offensive rebounding, 6th man of the year that earned the contract he has or will he keep trying to be something different? While all this is going on which one of these vererans will the incredibly talented young people we have start to watch and learn from?
My hope is that either the trading isn't done yet, or Mags and Joel become inseperable partners, even with the depth Nate still gets Aldridge enough playtime to maximize his development, (if they stay) Zack and Miles grow up (Zack so far seems to be on the right track), Jack, Outlaw, and Webster have breakout years, and -knock on wood- Roy not only develops into the best player on the team, but his natural leadership tendancies bring the team to follow his lead.
K with these doubters ubove. Hmm lets see boys Miles has a very hard to trade contract for one. blake didn't. 2 Joel is an injury prone player. Jammal played 82 games last year. 3. Blake was not the future. Jack, Sergio are. 4. Mcmillian said Aldrige was "very raw" so following Jammal and Joel will be good for him. So yes geniuses the blazers priorities are in the right order. Mike thanks for these blogs.
Ok...i like this trade..but steve... I'll miss you bud. i loved his ethic and aggresiveness. I'm with others...if we decide to keep jamaal, then randolf has GOT to go. We can't pull another juggle. We tried that, and it didn't work, lets see what the blazers will do.
I think this was a good trade. It was good to get rid of Ha he just isnt developing the way they had hoped. I will miss steve but I think we have enough talent at that position. Now if we can just rid ourselves of Zach and Darius we would really be moving in a postive direction!!
The Blazers have the right foot forward and the management team is doing their job as well. I still believe from a marketing standpoint that we need a "STAR" player to sell tickets and get us back to the promsied land. With the tools and depth in place, we need to make a run at AI or baron Davis, someone with marketablilty and a champions poise. Thanks MB
Of all the people to get let go, Steve Blake? Man that one hurts. Watching the games when Steve was in them he was the heart and soul of that team. His unselfish play was what kept them in many a game last season with the lackluster effort that most of the team was giving last season.
Steve will be missed.
Two main points here: 1, I worried earlier on this site about the imbalanced roster this trade created and expressed the hope that a follow-up trade will correct the imbalance. But I see criticism and want to say that, overall, I am very impressed by the team's moves in the offseason. Good work. And good blog, Mike.
2, Blazer Employee wrote about greatness, and was right about its importance. Greatness, however, must come from within an organization. For one thing, to build a team around a great player or two takes time (years). Also, that team that you build around the great player requires time to develop chemistry and on-court cohesion. Third, a truly great player WILL NOT be traded, or if so, very rarely and for half a team. The Blazers are approaching greatness the right way. Having committed to a rebuilding process, they have given themselves a luxury: time. So now they have picked up Aldridge and Roy through the draft to complement Webster. For the Blazers to be a great team, it is from here that their great player(s) must emerge. AI or Baron Davis would not take this team to the "promised land" - but maybe Aldridge, Webster, and/or Roy will. In the meantime, management is building a decent team around them. Have patience.
Miles, Randolph, and whatever else it takes for Kevin Garnett. Tickets sell out, and we go from worst record to the playoffs.
How about this...Randolph,Miles and Magloire for Garnett in the next trade.
Starting Five will be;
Center: Joel Priyzbilla
P-Forward: Kevin Garnett
S-Forward:Martell Webster
S-Guard:Brandon Roy
P-Guard:Jarrett Jack
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