Has Portland decided to move on without Koponen?

Hippo let us know that some of Koponen's people were saying The Finnagler will be in the NBA next season, Trailblazers or not.

Today ESPN's Chris Sheridan reported some rumors that "not" may be more likely. If Portland's attempt to nab Brendan Haywood is any indication, they aren't placing a ton of value on Koponen's rights these days:

"Portland is the team out there seeking a big man, but they are not offering a lot. I am told the best offer they make for Brendan Haywood was Steve Blake and the rights to Petteri Koponen. I'm sure they could get Diop for less, but he is owed nearly $21 milion over the next three years, so I don't see Portland or anyone else having much interest."

Obviously that happened before Haywood was included in Washington's deal to the Mavericks. That is a pretty weak offer on Portland's end, to the point where it looks like they weren't really serious. I'm not sure any NBA team would give up a solid defensive center for Steve Blake's expiring contract and the un-NBA tested Koponen. Still, if there is truth the rumor, it could mean Portland has decided Petteri's greatest value will be realized in a trade as opposed to in their uniform. If that's the case this blog may just explode.

Portland signs Andre Miller

Further evidence that Kevin Pritchard hates DeceptivelyQuick, just one day after I put up this post he goes and signs a new starting point guard.

With respect to the thoughts that may be circulating through the minds' of Steve Blake and Jerryd Bayless, initial reactions to Portland's "Plan C" seem pretty positive. I imagine some of us are just happy that after starting the summer 0-2 the Blazers finally nabbed a targeted free agent.

It feels like a solid move. The addition of Andre Miller means that Portland will always have an additional ball handler to help keep pressure off of Roy. Severing the head of the offense by doubling Everything (Roy) up top will be much more of a gamble now.

This move means more of a traditionally defined offense this season. It will still be the Brandon Roy show when it matters, but expect a more equal opportunity offense overall. This is a probably a good thing for everyone.

I know Miller isn't as good of a 3 point shooter as Blake. Don't worry about it. Miller is on a different level than Blake when it comes to creating for himself and others. He is much more of an offensive threat and consequently demands much more attention from defenses. Plus, and I want the vocal minority that have already started lamenting this move as a result of the 3 point/Blake issue, Steve Blake is still on this team. His services have not been lost. He has just become one of the best back up points in the League and is still an excellent fit. Think of him as a mini-Przybilla. (Although if you're like me you can only think of him as I, Robot.)

The age concern has the most face validity. Its hard to see how a 33 year old meshes in with the timeline of this roster. Don't worry about any of this, either. Miller's production has yet to drop off and Portland only has to keep him for two seasons (team option for a third). This move makes the Blazers young crew even more competitive and, dare I say, something of a dangerously legit playoff team. When Miller's contract is up the team can either hand the reigns off to some point guard they've developed (I actually laughed as I typed that) or bring the right player in and keep the party going.

Now, drink and be Merry.

Into the equatorial qualms we go. Hey, ESPN TradeMachine!

When the cover of the local sports page is devoted to the possibility of your team signing Ime Udoka, you know its slow in NBA Land. Summer League is over. The big sexy sandwichy free-agent pool has come and gone. Training camp hasn't started yet.

In other words, this is an excellent time to waste hours on the ESPN Trade Machine. The goal? Make the moves to get your Portland Trailblazers to a perfect 82 win season. Bonus points for keeping the Roy-Aldridge-Oden foundation together.

Half the team for Lebron and Dwight Howard will only get you to 75 wins. Howard, Durant, and O.J. Mayo nets the same. I thought it couldn't get any weirder than this. Then I did this. (At least somebody still has Jarryd Bayless' back.)

My best result isn't quite cutting it, putting Portland at 77-5. I swear once, late one intoxicated evening, I got the Blazers to 78 wins. Sadly I can present no evidence to support this claim. Is a perfect season even possible in the statistical world?

I suppose I need a Paul Millsap entry

I really don't want to get my Blazers blog certification revoked, so here is my required Millsap entry. The delay wasn't entirely due to my laziness this time around. Since the rumors first surfaced I have felt conflicted. It always seems like less fun to write about things that make you confused.

The deal can work. Adding Millsap to the bench would make Portland's already badass front court rotation even badassier. Millsap is talented, versatile, and fits perfectly with the roster age-wise. He would not, as I have heard many Portland fans claim, be simply a back-up power forward. Portland would not have offered that amount of money to him if that was all he could be. While he will not be the starter, he will get 30 minutes per game. We will see him sharing the court with many starters throughout the game.

I like point-forwards for the non-traditionalist spirit, and Millsap to Portland means we will see another novelty-rich concept I like to call the long-forward. That is what Rashard Lewis is in Orlando, what Rasheed has been after leaving Rip City, and what Nate McMillan will undoubtedly experiment with using LaMarcus Aldridge as with Millsap and Oden/Billa down low.

The conflict I feel over the proposal comes from the high cost and the fact that it will not at all address the most glaring team needs. Millsap in the rotation will not make it harder for teams to double Roy up top and sever the head of this offense. It will not give Portland another play maker on the perimeter.

Adding Millsap means Przybilla will become the second big off the bench if and when Oden is ready to start. Even if Joel hangs on to the starting job, his minutes will still have to be cut. This will reduce the role of a player who has proven to be very instrumental in producing wins. The case that the benefits Millsap will provide outweigh those provided by Joel is not hard to make. However, with more Millsap and less Billa Portland will be losing a long and capable defender of the rim. I'm not certain that Portland needs what Millsap brings more than they need what Przybilla has. (Also something to remember, this is already the best rebounding team in the League.)

Over the course of the next week Utah could decide to match Portland's "toxic" offer and none of this will matter. It is being widely reported that Utah is very much trying to trade Boozer to clear some cap space. Don't sleep on them sending Andre Kirilenko somewhere, either.

Peace to Sergio Rodriguez

I know you want to read about some of the more exciting draft developments. Trust that the interwebs have them covered.

DeceptivelyQuick owes at least one entry to the Sergio Rodriguez Trailblazer journey. (Rodriguez and the #38 pick to Sacramento for the #31 pick.) We should probably let it hang through the weekend. Such an anti-climatic end seems unsatisfying after such a dramatically up and down tenure. How quickly we will all forget that at one point the entire city (minus one Nate McMillan) was convinced that Sergio was not only the solution at point guard, but possibly even an NBA All-Star as well.

It came a bit out of nowhere in the 2006-07 season. In spite of limited minutes and some glaring weaknesses in his game, Sergio cast a spell on Portland. This seriously happened: local media were comparing his potential to that of Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, and Tony Parker. Nate McMillan was not amused.

The Blazers decided to give Sergio the reigns to the summer league team. It did not go well. Although nearly two years would pass between that experience and his trade, it seems like Rodriguez's expendibility was determined that summer. Everything that followed was like a slow walk down a long dark stair case for Rodriguez. His role with the team was reduced even further. He got left off the Spanish National team. He got mistaken for a golfer. It was no surprise when Sergio started grumbling for a trade.

So it has ended for Sergio in Portland. All that hype, pressure, and disappointment just to see him shipped to Sacramento for a second round pick. We wish nothing but the best for Spanish Chocolate in his new situation; bountiful playing time and and opportunity to salvage his potential.

Trade Deadline Day, Michael Ruffin!

With all the rumors that the Blazers have been in it would be kind of funny if their only trade ended up being Ike Diogu for Michael Ruffin. It sounded like a decent basketball deal at first, while Diogu is probably the better player the Blazers rarely play him. Portland also needed another center on the roster, especially with Oden's injuries. Then I realized Ruffin is actually smaller than Diogu. Being that Diogu is considered a bit undersized for a power forward, I have a hard time thinking Ruffin has the size to be the extra center Portland needs. I could be wrong, I really know nothing about the man other than his dimensions.

But this deal wasn't really about what happens on the court. As explained by Blazer's Edge, the Diogu/Ruffin exchange saves the Blazers about 4 million dollars. Portland also gained a $3 million trade exception, which is nice.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled trade deadline hysteria. If you want to avoid work, follow along with me. Your boss doesn't appreciate you anyways.

UPDATE: It's all over now, and Portland has indeed decided to stand pat outside of the Diogu deal. I think we all deserve a nap.

I Can't Stop Giving Trade Rumor Updates: The Carter Edition

The latest hysteria from ESPN:

Meanwhile the Blazers have moved into the fray with perhaps a more enticing offer. LaFrentz's $12.7 million comes off the books this summer and Outlaw is an upgrade to the Nets situation at the three. As for the Blazers, adding Carter gives them a veteran small forward who has more playoff experience than most of the players on Portland's roster.

The Blazers also have been shopping Channing Frye, who also could be included in a Blazers-Nets trade if New Jersey added on one or two spare parts from the trio of Stromile Swift (expiring $6.2 million contract), Sean Williams (1.52M this season, 1.62M next season) and Hassell ($4.35 million player option for next season).

I'm steadily gaining acceptance of the notion that the Blazers will pull the trigger on a trade before the deadline. With the economy in the tank, a lot of NBA owners are hurting and eager to dump salary. The owner of the Blazers, meanwhile, is busy building himself a space station. That puts Portland in an advantageous position.

Additionally, Raef LaFrentz:

The hottest name at the trade deadline? A guy who hasn't played a game this season: Raef LaFrentz of the Portland Trail Blazers.

"If you asked owners in the league who they'd rather have right now, LaFrentz or Stoudemire, I think more than half of them would prefer LaFrentz," one executive told me. "That's how screwed up this thing has been. I guarantee you [Blazers GM] Kevin Pritchard has gotten better offers for LaFrentz than the Suns have gotten for Stoudemire.

With D.Miles back on the books, the Blazers will be less flexible than they hoped they would be not too long ago. It makes a whole lot of sense to take advantage of this window of opportunity before it closes. Of course, as young and good as this roster is already, standing pat by passing on a less than optimal deal would be far from a horrible outcome. In short, Kevin Pritchard has a lot of advantages. Enjoy the show.

Another Trade Rumors Update: It's almost over

I'll just throw this out there:

Meanwhile, sources confirm that the Blazers have been getting a steady flow of offers for LaFrentz, including two significant new ones Monday.

The focus for the Blazers right now appears to be at the small forward position. It appears that three players -- Gerald Wallace, Caron Butler and Richard Jefferson -- are on Pritchard's radar screen. A fourth one, Mike Miller, is also a favorite of the Blazers, but the Wolves have been reluctant to include him in a deal.

Sources say the Blazers have intensified their focus on Wallace. He's young, athletic and physical, and he doesn't need to score to be an impact player. He has four years and $38 million left on his contract, which is a lot, but given his age and production the past few years, it's not unreasonable. The problem for the Blazers is that the Bobcats want Portland to take back Nazr Mohammed as part of the deal. That could be a deal-breaker for Pritchard.

Only two more days of this. We can make it.

Blazer trade rumors getting more hilarious, Luke Ridnour!

Only three more days until we can put all of this behind us. Until then, we have some more rumors to endure:

The Blazers are involved in numerous discussions with several teams, so it's difficult to pinpoint the deal they're chasing hardest, but the latest in circulation could furnish Portland with a new small forward and a new point guard: Jefferson and University of Oregon-ex Luke Ridnour in exchange for Travis Outlaw, Sergio Rodriguez and Raef LaFrentz's expiring contract.

Given the future cap space that the Blazers lost in the Darius Miles unretirement saga, sending LaFrentz's contract somewhere between now and Thursday's deadline is considered a virtual lock, since Portland no longer has the forthcoming flexibility to make the free-agent splashes it anticipated.

Point guard of the future! The message boards will love this.

So if you're keeping track, according to the rumors, which are never wrong, the Blazers are in trade talks for Amare Stoudemire, Vince Carter, and now Richard Jefferson and Luke Ridnour. Can we get 1977 Bill Walton while we're at it? I know Paul Allen has a time machine.

More Amare to Portland, this is ridiculous

Of course, one day after saying the Blazers offered some huge deal for Amare, CBS is going to go ahead and report that that will not happen. Duh:

The deal Portland was discussing with Phoenix involved LaMarcus Aldridge, Jerryd Bayless, and Raef LaFrentz's $12.7 million expiring contract. "That deal is dead," the person familiar with the talks said. One reason could be that Portland is really looking to acquire an elite point guard, according to an NBA team executive. That begs the question of whether Portland G.M. Kevin Pritchard was asking for Steve Nash. But according to another rival executive, the Suns have made it clear that Nash, Grant Hill, and Leandro Barbosa are "untouchable."

So yeah, I can't wait for the trade deadline to come. What is the over/under on how ridiculous these rumors can get? Steve Nash?! I want to join in the fun and spew some random trades that won't happen. Did you hear that the Blazers offered Frye, Raef, and 3 and a half shares of Microsoft for Ricky Rubio and a lifetime supply of sangria? Other sources say Kevin Pritchard is actively involved in talks to move Martell Webster's sneakers. They're as good as new!

Portland for Amare is not going away...

As I'm sure you've heard by now, Portland has allegedly offered a very sexy package to the Suns in exchange for Amare Stoudemire:

The Portland Trail Blazers have made a strong play for Amare Stoudemire, discussing a package that includes LaMarcus Aldridge, Jerryd Bayless, and Raef LaFrentz's $12.7 million expiring contract, a person with direct knowledge of the talks told CBSSports.com Tuesday.

This could all mean nothing, but ultimately I have a hard time thinking the Suns could get a better deal than this for Amare. They get that big expiring contract with Raef, a legit future All-Star in LaMarcus, and a rookie that could actually back-up Nash and may even turn out to be very good in Bayless.

For the Blazers pulling off this trade would mean breaking up the nucleus of youngsters that seem to have a very bright future. However you feel about that, we may have to invent a "Largest testicles in the Universe" Award for Kevin Pritchard if this happens.

About all this LaMarcus for Stoudemire talk....

Some people seem to be confused about why I haven't touched on all this Amare for LaMarcus talk. Yes, I've heard about it over and over again just like you. But the fact that we've heard about it so much most likely means it won't happen. But those rumors won't let us move on:

Sources told ESPN.com that the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers are among the many teams with whom Phoenix has exchanged trade concepts, with the Bulls and Heat believed to be pursuing Stoudemire hardest at this early stage.

Almost every team in the league has some degree of interest in Stoudemire, but sources close to the process maintain that the Suns will only part with the 26-year-old in a deal that delivers at least one decent-sized expiring contract along with younger talent and/or draft considerations.

So yeah, this fits:



I have to respectfully disagree with my neighborhood blogging associate over at Blaze of Love that this trade would somehow be a wash. While LaMarcus and Amare share the same lack defensive prowess, Stoudemire is a potential Hall of Famer while Aldridge seems likely to top out at All-Star. I am a LaMarcus supporter, but can you ever see him making an All-NBA squad? At age 24 like Amare did?

Then again, watching Amare struggle (for him) in the Shaqtastic Phoenix offense gives me some hesitation. Would he be able to be the monster that he is in a mostly plodding and stagnant Portland system? It would not be the best fit for him, but he would surely see the ball more than he does out in the desert.

Mostly likely, none of this matters. If you are Portland, why take the risk? The team is still young and developing. Things look bright, and no one can be sure what this team may or may not need to earn a future championship. It is an exciting rumor, and fun to ramble about. But yeah, let's move on.

Sergio Rodriguez asks for trade

Blaze of Love links to this Spanish article that declares that Sergio's agent has asked Portland to trade the point guard (at ESPN as well).

I believed the arrival of Rudy would revitalize Sergio and that their chemistry would get him some more playing time. So far, that has been wrong as Rodriguez is getting less than 10 minutes a game. You can't really blame Sergio for seeing the writing on the wall. We could be nearing the end of the roller-coaster Rodriguez Blazer experience. Here's a quick recap of the peaks and valleys this young player (did you realize his is just 22 years old?!) has been through:

- The fans and local media went absolutely ape shit in love with Sergio. He was given the reigns in summer league to show his skills and underwhelmed.

- Was mistaken as a golfer by Comcast Cable.

- Bordered on depression after being benched in the 2007-08 season.

- Left off the Spanish National team for Beijing Olympics.

That pretty much brings us up to date. A change of scenery could be good for Sergio, assuming he lands in a situation favorable to his strengths. Watch this one closely.

DeceptivelyQuick to NY

No, not to cover the seemingly imminent Z-Bo trade (assist to Slam), although maybe I should. It is pretty amazing that someone will still trade for Zach Randolph given everything we know, right? But hey, you get 20ish and 10! And this is what else you get!*

• Micro-fracture knee surgery
• A few run-ins with the law
• A few gangster friends
• A very slow, sometimes horrific, offensive style
• And locker room poison!
  

Sounds great! See you Monday.

*Defense, passing, and winning not included.

On this Barbosa business

Here is the article that has local sports radio and Blazer blogs across Blogfrica sizzling at the moment. The meat of the trade has Portland landing Barbosa for Martell Webster and the thirteenth pick of the draft.

It seems Steve Kerr, in his quest to further demoralize an elite franchise, wants to trade the Brasilian Blur. Barbosa was a great fit on the pre-Kerr Suns teams that were always a little short of breaking through to the finals. He is a horrible fit for the train wreck that looms on the horizon of the new Kerr era. He should be happy about that.

The rumor has sparked a lot of debate, and most arguments can be categorized as falling into two categories: Does Barbosa fit with the Blazers? Do we want to part with Martell?

At this point my feelings are "no" and "no." Would Barbosa fit with this team? It is possible, but doesn't seem like it would be the most natural fit. Barbosa is not known for facilitating or running an offense, or his jumper. He is known for speed, pesky defense, and an ability to get to the rim. The man is in his element in the open court with the ball in his hands. I know the Blazers enjoy talking about being a running team, but we can all admit to seeing little evidence of this idea moving beyond the concept phase. Yes, they have long athletic finishers. Yes, it sounds like an awesome idea. Ultimately though, Roy appears more comfortable and effective with a slower style. I think this should always be considered in the "running team" discussion.

Do we want to part with Martell? If it really will improve the team, of course we are all for it. Maybe you are one of the folks that think we have given Martell enough opportunities to develop and he just isn't giving what we need. For all the knocks he takes about his consistency, I would like to remind you all that Martell is 21 years old. Understand the power of that number, please. There will be many players drafted this year who are Martell's age, there will be a handful that are older. We saw with Outlaw that patience is a virtue. I'm not sure if this trade is worth giving up on Martell so early.

We know Kevin Pritchard and his staff are good at making trades. I assume they like making trades. With all the young talent and draft picks, there is certainly ample resources to make moves. The more interesting challenge might end up being one of patience.

Toronto: Please Make Calderon Unhappy

We all heard KP unsuccessfully pursued Jose Calderon at the deadline. With Calderon's stock at an all-time high, the Raptors were understandably less than interested. While the pointguard is entering restricted free agency this summer, Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo has said he'll match any offer from other teams.

Message: "Don't waste your time."

Message 2: "If you want him in a sign and trade, I'm being very picky."

As a Calderon fan, I'm biased here, but I can see him fitting in great with this team and filling a huge need. What would the Blazers have to give up to get him? Draft pick(s)/expiring contract(s)/young player(s)? Bring in more teams to make it work? KP and his crew can figure that out.

Beside the fact that Calderon is very good, the Raptors are hesitant because of formerly-starting pointguard TJ Ford's issues. When Ford went out with another scary injury in December, Calderon shined especially bright, and has thus far held on to the starting spot upon Ford's return. To the casual observer, all seemed fine. Damn.

Today, some hope. TJ Ford might not be that cool with coming off the bench after all. Yes TJ, please please please force management to make a decision. Your health issues and comparatively large contract make you much less tradeable than Calderon, you're more likely to be the one who stays. Portland could send you some real backup pointguards that won't steal your light. Excellent.

Taurean Green: I Will Always Remember How I Wanted To Love You

Shrug.

First of all, I have nothing against Von Wafer. He can theoretically help fill in for James Jones (I'll take KP's word on that). He's young and athletic. I like him on this team.

Taurean Green never got his chance with Portland, but he got considerable burn on this blog. Let the record show, I'm convinced he'll be a good NBA player. I'll miss him. Allow me to rant about why.

Of course, we'll start with the two NCAA Championships. The guy is a winner. He's tough, can run a team, can defend, and is smart. But he's kinda small, and the NBA wasn't impressed.

So Green went to Orlando and destroyed the pre-draft camp. Still no love, he fell to Portland in the second round. Flash forward to summer league. If you didn't know how good Sergio was supposed to be, you would swear Green was Portland's best pointguard on that team. That is when he wasn't being forced to play shooting guard.

Flash forward to training camp. Nates says the pointguard minutes are up for grabs. Taurean Green again shines, and Nate tells the media Green will win some games for the team, and that his performance in training camp has pushed Sergio out of the rotation.

Flash forward to the regular season. Green is not playing. Blazers send him down to the D-League. He dominates. He gets called back to the team. He sits. He gets traded.

A guy who has impressed at every opportunity has a good shot at making it. Hopefully he'll get a better break in Denver. Keep your eyes open.

Trade Deadline Day

The trade deadline officially came and went, and there were actually some deals at the buzzer. The Blazers were involved in one, which I'll get to later (it might get dusty in here). But first let us acknowledge those former Blazers shipped off yet again today:

• Everyone's favorite metrosexual undersized shooting guard Juan Dixon traded from Toronto to Detroit for Primo Brezec. I always liked Juan. This will truly reshape basketball as we know it.
• Ah, tragic Bonzi Wells memories, how you haunt me. This guy would be an All-Star if the NBA didn't have guaranteed contracts. Anyways, I'm sure he's happy to have a new opportunity to wreck yet another team's chemistry. He was sent from Houston to New Orleans for Bobby Jackson.

Impending DOOM

A couple days ago I joked that Brad Miller and Hedo Turkoglu being named players of the week was a sign of the apocalypse. Hardee-har-har.

Now this is happening. Wow. Suffice to say, I'm heading to Costco to stock up on bottled water and Wal Mart to stock up on ammunition. Anyone know how to build a bunker?

Trade Deadline Hysteria

Yeah, its that time when the rumor mill of NBA Trades heats up. With all the fine young winning talent on the Blazers, it shouldn't be a surprise to hear the team involved. For the second rumor in a row, Jarret Jack's name is coming up. Today, word comes in that Portland is engaging in supposedly serious talks with Dallas and New Jersey:

In the proposed trade, Dallas and Portland would send the Nets a package that includes the Mavs' Devean George and Jerry Stackhouse and Blazers forwards Travis Outlaw and Channing Frye and guard Jarrett Jack. Mavericks point guard Devin Harris would be sent to Portland. Along with Kidd, the Nets would send reserve forward Malik Allen and center Jamaal Magloire to Dallas.

I'm not really sure what to think at this point. Just remind yourself that the Bob Whitsitt days are over, and Portland pulling the trigger on monster trades isn't as certain as it used to be. Thank God. Most rumors that come up this time of year are no more than that.

Theoretically, Devin Harris could address a major need of Portland. Young and experienced legit pointguard, good at defense, still improving. Definitely worth Frye and Jack, but Outlaw too? My knee-jerk inclination is to think yes. The trade also makes sense for Portland in that they are basically getting two much needed roster spots out of the deal, which will come in handy next season with the additions of Oden and Rudy Fernandez.

This is one sexy rumor.

Thanks to Brrrrrrrr! for the tipoff.