Portland Trail Blazers Going After Roy Hibbert, Jeremy Lin, and Other Restricted Free Agents?

Source: Blazersedge by Dave

Outside of Nicolas Batum questions and point guard dreams, the next most popular line of questioning lately deals with the Blazers acquiring other teams' restricted free agents. The two obvious targets are Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert and New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin. Let's deal with some of those questions.

Would Lin or Hibbert be good pick-ups for the Blazers?

Hibbert would be about as good of a big man as the Blazers could hope to find on the market. He had a shaky start in the league but has developed defensively, is an adequate defensive rebounder, a very good shot blocker, and has great size at 7'2" and 280 lbs. He's not a great offensive player but he's developed here too. His biggest

Trail Blazers rundown: Are the Blazers interested in Jeremy Lin? (links)

Source: OregonLive.com by Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com

Your daily dose of Trail Blazers links, including the latest from Greg Oden's agent on his desire to play again

Trail Blazers seek 'two or three' more general manager candidates

Source: OregonLive.com by Jason Quick, The Oregonian

The main interview topics: Who they like as a coaching candidate; the candidates' history of transactions; communication style; ability to integrate basketball and business; and the ability to fit with Paul Allen.

Kennedy: Blazers Eyeing Knicks RFA G Jeremy Lin

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Kennedy: Blazers Eyeing Knicks RFA G Jeremy Lin

Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com reports that the Portland Trail Blazers will be one of a number of suitors for New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.
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The Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets are among the teams eyeing Lin as free agency approaches, according to sources close to the situation.

Richman: Blazers G Raymond Felton Took Too Much Blame

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Richman: Blazers G Raymond Felton Took Too Much Blame

Portland Trail Blazers guard Raymond Felton was savagely torn apart by a panel of writers in Wednesday's "You Be The GM" discussion on OregonLive.com.

Mike Richman writes in defense of Felton.
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Felton probably shouldered too much of

Martin: Blazers Take Barnes & Jones In 2012 NBA Mock Draft

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Martin: Blazers Take Barnes & Jones In 2012 NBA Mock Draft

Tom Martin of The Dream Shake has the Portland Trail Blazers selecting UNC forward Harrison Barnes and UK forward Terrence Jones in his 2012 NBA Mock Draft.
---------------------------------
6. Portland — Harrison Barnes, SF North Carolina

I'm going to assume up front that the Blazers plan on offering big bucks to Goran Dragic. If they do manage to find their point guard in free agency, this frees them up to go big with

Commentary: Raymond Felton, we hardly knew you

Source: OregonLive.com by Mike Richman, OregonLive.com

The man who was supposed to be a long term solution at point guard has left the Blazers with a familiar short term problem: Who is the point guard of the future?

Blazers Acting GM Chad Buchanan Received 0 Executive Of The Year Votes

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

You be the Blazers GM: Our panel weighs in on Raymond Felton

Source: OregonLive.com by Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com

Joe Freeman: Felton will blame the media for his disastrous season in Portland, but the fact is he was handed the keys to the franchise and he crashed into a ditch on the way to the drive-thru.

Fixler: The NBA's Disappearing Centers, Including Greg Oden

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Fixler: The NBA's Disappearing Centers, Including Greg Oden

Kevin Fixler investigates the disappearance of true centers in the NBA in a lengthy piece for The Atlantic. He asks "Where have all the centers gone?" and then comes up with a list of explanations that includes, of course, injuries.
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Part of the problem is that large bodies have shown themselves to be particularly prone to injury.

Greg

Bois: Analyzing NBA Slogans, Including Blazers' "Rise With Us"

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Bois: Analyzing NBA Slogans, Including Blazers' "Rise With Us"

Jon Bois at SBNation.com has a hilarious and deep analysis of the slogans NBA teams use to set the tone for their seasons. The Portland Trail Blazers' "Rise With Us" makes an appearance, filed under "Marxist Plot!!!!!"
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NBA teams are fond of this "we're all a team" thing. I meaaaaan ... I get how you could interpret the producer/consumer dynamic as a form of teamwork, but teammates don't hijack

Eggers: Larry Miller Says New Blazers GM Still Weeks Away

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Eggers: Larry Miller Says New Blazers GM Still Weeks Away

Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune reports the latest from Portland Trail Blazers GM Larry Miller on his team's search for a new GM.
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"We’ve had a couple of candidates in front of Paul, and the goal is to get a couple of more in front of him in the near future — hopefully in the next couple of weeks," Miller says. "At that point, there’s a pretty good chance we will be ready to have someone named."

Jackson: Agent Says Greg Oden Interested In Heat

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Jackson: Agent Says Greg Oden Interested In Heat

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that agent Mike Conley says that former Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden is interested in the Miami Heat.
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Greg Oden, 7-0, hasn’t played since 2009-10 and is recovering from his fifth knee surgery in five seasons. A Grantland.com story said that "right now" Oden's plan is

You be the Blazers GM: Raymond Felton

Source: OregonLive.com by Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com

Was too much of the blame for the Blazers' season unfairly placed on Felton?

Portland Trail Blazers: Would the Blazers Be Better Under New Ownership?

Source: Bleacher Report

There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks about Paul Allen possibly wanting to sell the Trail Blazer franchise.  There is no coach.  There's no General Manager.  Brandon Roy and Greg Oden—the two guys he drafted to be the franchise cornerstones—have been cut by the team due to health issues.

If he was going to sell the team, now would be a good time to do it.

Some people are encouraged by the possibility of bringing new blood to the Blazers because Allen is a difficult man to work for.  He's as involved in his team's management process as anyone in sports and he wants things done his way and only his way.  

And as an involved owner, he has made some very questionable management moves.  He fired beloved GM Kevin Pritchard. He let multiple smart, successful executives head to other franchises.  And this past offseason, he terminated the contract of Rich Cho just months after he was able to turn Joel Pryzbilla and Dante Cunningham into Gerald Wallace.

But if Allen and the Trailblazers were to part ways, the Blazers would be losing one of the richest owners and one of the biggest spenders in all of sports.  It's estimated that during his time as an owner, Allen has lost—not spent, but lost—more than a billion dollars on the Blazers, according to Oregon Live.

Outside of Mark Cuban, Jerry Jones and Jerry Buss, there are few owners that would be willing to pony up that kind of cabbage.

Furthermore, if Allen were to sell the Blazers, there's no telling who the new owner(s) would be and what the plans for the future would entail.  

Portland is a fairly small media market with less-than-ideal weather for nine months out of the year. Neither of those usually make the wish list of a billionaire.  

Of the few people in the northwest who could actually support a professional franchise, most either already own one or would not be interested in buying one. 

Merritt Paulson, the owner of the Portland Timbers, has been rumored as a prospective buyer should Allen choose to sell the team.  Fans like the idea because unlike Allen, Paulson has pretty much let the people he hired to manage the organization do their jobs.  But owning an NBA team in Portland would be nothing like owning an MLS team.

The Timbers are one of the lowest-salaried teams in all of the MLS at just shy of $2.7 million.  The Portland Trail Blazers had the fourth-highest salary in the NBA this season with a payroll of more than $80 million.  To put that into perspective, The highest-paid player on the Timbers, Troy Perkins, makes just over what the Blazers paid for J.J. Hickson after he was claimed off of waivers in late March.     

Does that sound like he can support an NBA team?

So if it's not Allen and it's not Paulson, who would take over the ownership of the Blazers?

The most likely answer...probably no one.

If Paul Allen does indeed sell the team, there's a strong possibility the Blazers would eventually get moved to another city.  

Don't think that can happen?  Look what happened to the Seattle Supersonics. Look what's happening to the Sacramento Kings.  

Those were two of the best teams in the western conference through much of the late 90s and early 2000s.  The Sonics are now extinct and the Kings are on the endangered list.  

Don't for a second think that cant happen to the Blazers.

Read more Portland Trail Blazers news on BleacherReport.com

5 Teams That Should Consider Brandon Roy Next Season

Source: Bleacher Report

Brandon Roy may have retired from basketball less than five months ago, but following a year of rest and rehabilitation, the 27-year-old guard is already hoping for a potential comeback to the NBA, according to King5.com.

The Portland Trail Blazers exercised the amnesty clause on Roy soon after learning of his retirement, which means that if a comeback is in the works, Roy won’t be able to sign with his former team until his current deal ends following the 2014-15 season (via Oregon Live).

Those who watched the three-time All-Star play last season realized that he was nowhere near the caliber of player that he had been earlier in his young career.

A player with that much talent and IQ, however, can learn to adjust his game, as long as his knees allow him to hit the court again next season.

It’s difficult to anticipate what kind of contract Roy would command, but forgetting about money for the time being, there are still a number of teams who could use his skill set to fill the needs within their rotations heading into the 2012-13 NBA season.

Begin Slideshow

Nicolas Batum Restricted Free Agency and Its Implications: One More Time

Source: Blazersedge by Dave

The recent statement by Nicolas Batum's agent that he and Batum wouldn't be rejecting good offers to help out the Trail Blazers has rekindled a blaze of questions in my inbox, asking about the intricacies of the Batum situation. We've covered this ground before, but here's the definitive post answering the basic questions people are asking.

Click through for the read.

Why didn't the Blazers just negotiate a new contract with Batum last fall if they wanted him that bad? Then we wouldn't be going through this!

It's a matter of cap space. Heading into the free agency period

NBA union seeks arbitration over Bird rights issue (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

NEW YORK (AP) The NBA players' association says it is seeking an arbitrator's ruling in hopes that Jeremy Lin and three other players maintain valuable rights in free agency.

You be the Blazers GM: French journalists offer their opinions on Nicolas Batum

Source: OregonLive.com by Tim Brown, OregonLive.com

Théophile Haumesser of BasketSession.com/Reverse Magazine and Fabrice Auclert of basketusa.com offer their opinions on their fellow countryman.

NBA Rumors: Trail Blazers Must Put Nicolas Batum on Back Burner

Source: Bleacher Report

The Portland Trail Blazers have a ton of rebuilding to do, and they cannot let themselves be forced into re-signing Nicolas Batum and eat up their cap space. 

The Blazers hold the Bird rights to the three-year pro Batum. This means he is a restricted free agent, and the Blazers can match any offer he receives in the open market. However, if Batum accepts an offer, they have to match within three days of the offer, or they'll lose him. 

Chris Haynes, of CSNNW.com, had previously reported that he heard from a few league sources that Batum would get between $10-11 million on the open market. 

In a different article, Haynes reported that the Blazers were hoping to have $15-20 million in cap space to sign free agents. 

Now, if the Blazers spend that cap money before re-signing Batum, they could go over the cap to re-sign him. If they sign him before using that cap space, his salary will take away an equal amount of space.

So, the ideal situation for the Blazers would be to use their cap space and then lockup Batum, but he is reportedly not interested in helping the Blazers find their ideal situation.

Haynes passed along this quote from Batum's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, in the second of his above linked articles. 

"The first good offer we get, we're going with that. We're not waiting for anything."

You can't blame Batum and his agent for this strategy. Batum has no obligation to pass up on a deal he likes to help the Blazers. And the Blazers can't allow this to force them into using their cap space on Batum. 

This is a Blazer team that completely fell apart from the inside out last season. They are in need of a mass culture change. 

Batum is coming off of a nice season, where he averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, but he certainly is not irreplaceable.

The Blazers must look outside their team first to make improvements for next season. If they have identified specific free agents they want to make a run at, they have to go after those guys first without worrying about losing Batum. 

Read more Portland Trail Blazers news on BleacherReport.com

Paul Allen is not looking to sell Portland Trail Blazers, NBA commissioner David Stern says

Source: OregonLive.com by Jason Quick, The Oregonian

Stern estimates "half" of the NBA's 30-teams have been approached by prospective buyers but added that none of the NBA teams is "openly" for sale.

Quick: Stern Says Blazers Not For Sale; More GM Interviews Coming

Source: Blazersedge by sabonis11

Quick: Stern Says Blazers Not For Sale; More GM Interviews Coming

Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports...
----------------------
NBA commissioner David Stern tells The Oregonian Blazers owner Paul Allen has "definitively" told Stern to NOT send him prospective buyers.

"My guess is that Paul is going to own this asset for many years to come,'' Stern said regarding Blazers and owner Paul Allen.
...
Blazers president Larry Miller says he wants "two or three" more GM candidates to interview with owner Paul Allen before

Quick: NBA Commissioner David Stern Says Blazers Not For Sale

Source: Blazersedge by sabonis11

Quick: NBA Commissioner David Stern Says Blazers Not For Sale

Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports...
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NBA commissioner David Stern tells The Oregonian Blazers owner Paul Allen has "definitively" told Stern to NOT send him prospective buyers.

"My guess is that Paul is going to own this asset for many years to come,'' Stern said regarding Blazers and owner Paul Allen.
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ed. text updated, bumped to front page

Ziller: Blazers Punished In Basketball Gods NBA Mock Draft

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Ziller: Blazers Punished In Basketball Gods NBA Mock Draft

Tom Ziller of SBNation.com flips the NBA Mock Draft on its head, projecting picks by what the "Basketball Gods" would prefer. Unfortunately, the Portland Trail Blazers don't fare too well.
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Think of The Basketball Gods as cruel pranksters, mischievous dalliers who seek to inflict pain on the unholy and maximize schadenfreude in the execution. (Basically, think of them as the actual Greek and Norse gods you learned about in middle school.) What tricks will they have in store for us in

You be the Blazers GM: Our panel weighs in on Nicolas Batum

Source: OregonLive.com by Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com

Kevin Pelton: Danilo Gallinari's extension with the Denver Nuggets (four years, $42 million) will probably be the example Batum's representation will use to peg his value.

MacMahon: Mavericks, Rick Carlisle Sign Contract Extension

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

MacMahon: Mavericks, Rick Carlisle Sign Contract Extension

Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reports that the Dallas Mavericks have signed coach Rick Carlisle to a new contract.

Brad Townsend of DallasNews.com reports that the contract will run four years.

Carlisle, a former Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach, had been

MacMahon: Mavericks, Rick Carlisle Sign New Deal

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

MacMahon: Mavericks, Rick Carlisle Sign New Deal

Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reports that the Dallas Mavericks have signed coach Rick Carlisle to a new contract.

Carlisle, a former Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach, had been linked briefly (and loosely) to Portland's open coaching job in rumors in recent months.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |

Haynes: Batum's Agent Says No Waiting For Blazers

Source: Blazersedge by Corvid

Haynes: Batum's Agent Says No Waiting For Blazers

Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports that the agent for Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum will not delay restricted free agency negotiations to aid the Portland Trail Blazers, who hope to spend their cap space prior to re-signing him.
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"The first good offer we get, we're going with that," Bouna Ndiaye of Comsport Management told CSNNW.com. "We're not

Valencia's GM: Victor Claver Will Stay In Spain Next Season

Source: Blazersedge by meru

Valencia's GM: Victor Claver Will Stay In Spain Next Season

Javier Maestro of Encestando.es reports that the GM of ACB club Valencia believes forward Victor Claver will be with the team again next season rather than make the jump to the Portland Trail Blazers.
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Valencia's general manager makes himself clear when talking about Victor Claver potentially going to the Blazers: "Claver will continue to play with us next year."
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Blazers Acting GM

You be the Blazers GM: Nicolas Batum

Source: OregonLive.com by Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com

The Blazers are expected to extend Batum a qualifying offer ($5.4 million), which would make him a restricted free agent and give Portland the ability to match any offer from other clubs

Any Legal or Financial Non-Profit Experts Out There?

Source: Blazersedge by Dave

Hey folks, I have a special request today. I need some help in detail work intrinsic to our ability to continue Blazersedge Night, the huge event we hold each year where we send multiple hundreds of underprivileged kids to see a Blazers game...bringing some normalcy and joy into their lives and creating the next generation of Blazers fans. If this doesn't get resolved, the event will be no more.

Here's the story.

For the first few years of the event the only way to donate tickets was to buy them directly from the Blazers or to send me a personal check which I would then translate into tickets. Donations were good then, but they became

Who Is Elliot Williams?

Source: Blazersedge by Dave

Dave,

Given the recent article on Luke [Babbitt] I thought we could talk about our other young talent. Some say Luke could be good. I think he'll play in the league but he's a shooter. They come and go like the tides and their consistency has the same ebb and flow. Elliott Williams should [provide] athleticism, scoring ability, and a little defense at least. What do you think about him? The next Martel Webster or Michael Beasley or is he a Vince cater to be?

OK, hold up. The only time Elliot Williams and Vince Carter should be mentioned in the same sentence should include the words "once wore the shoes of". Carter scored 18 per game with 6 rebounds and 3 assists his rookie year, 26 per game

Beck: Blazers F J.J. Hickson Could Get Bird Rights Back

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Beck: Blazers F J.J. Hickson Could Get Bird Rights Back

Howard Beck of the New York Times reports that the National Basketball Players Association is seeking clarification from an arbitrator on a contract stipulation that could impact the Portland Trail Blazers and free agent forward J.J. Hickson.
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The case concerns what are known as "Bird rights," which allow a player to re-sign with his team,

NBA Draft Lottery 2012: Trail Blazers Will Rebound Quickly with Multiple Picks

Source: Bleacher Report

The Portland Trail Blazers may have missed the playoffs for the first time in four years, but they are set up to fix things in a hurry.

The Trail Blazers own two lottery picks in the 2012 draft (6 and 11). They were awarded the New Jersey Nets sixth overall pick in a trade that sent Gerald Wallace to the East Coast and they “earned” the 11^th pick after quitting on coach Nate McMillan halfway through the season.

They picked a great year to have two picks in the lottery, and have the potential to land players that will be immediate impact starters.

At No. 6, landing a player like Harrison Barnes would shore up the offense of a team that ranked in the lower half of the league in points scored (97.2 ppg).

Barnes has the potential to lead the league in scoring down the road with his versatile game and athletic ability. He could instantly provide some relief to LaMarcus Aldridge, who currently shoulders far too much responsibility on the offensive end of the floor.

Drafting a scorer? Check.

With the 11^th pick, the perfect scenario would be landing point guard Kendall Marshall.

Marshall is the best pure point in the draft because of his vision and speed. North Carolina’s offense fell off a cliff after he broke his wrist for a reason. He has the intangibles and intelligences to be a starter in this league for the next decade.

Not only would Barnes and Marshall be united after spending two years together at North Carolina, but the Blazers would instantly be fixing the worst issue with the team.

Raymond Felton was a clear bust, and if fans think Jonny Flynn is the answer they are off their rocker. Somebody needs to do a better job of getting Aldridge the ball in a position where he can score, while creating shots for guys like Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum as well.

Marshall can push the pace and help a team that finished last season ranked 24^th in fastbreak points (10.9 ppg) become tougher to guard.

The Trail Blazers aren’t very far from being a competitive team in the Western Conference, and having two lottery picks in a year where the talent level is so deep is just what the doctor ordered.

Much like the Utah Jazz of last year, the rebuilding process is going to be extremely quick at the Rose Garden. 

 

Follow Eric Ball on Twitter

Read more Portland Trail Blazers news on BleacherReport.com

Ziller: Nate McMillan Is No. 3 Head Coach On The Market

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Ziller: Nate McMillan Is No. 3 Head Coach On The Market

Tom Ziller of SBNation.com writes that former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan is the No. 3 head coach on the free agent market.
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McMillan was pushed out in the Great Portland Shake-Up Of 2012 as the team struggling to survive, y'know, the most awful string of career-killing injuries in history. Everyone acknowledges that he's a talented coach, despite the

You be the Blazers GM: Our panel weighs in on Elliot Williams

Source: OregonLive.com by Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com

Joe Freeman: The Blazers might have found themselves an unexpected gem in Williams.

You be the Blazers GM: Elliot Williams

Source: OregonLive.com by Sean Meagher, OregonLive.com

The 22-year-old shooting guard said he will "most definitely" be in Las Vegas for summer league, but whether he will be able to play or not is still to be determined.

NBA Playoffs Schedule (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs is now behind us, after the Los Angeles Clippers closed out their series with the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

NBA Draft 2012: Trail Blazers Must Strengthen Vital Positions

Source: Bleacher Report

The Portland Trail Blazers made a deliberate attempt to get young by trading locker-room favorite Gerald Wallace to the Brooklyn Nets for what a pick that's likely to land Portland the sixth overall selection in June's draft.

Between that choice and a later lottery selection (set to be the 11th pick), Portland has a rare opportunity to rebuild through a draft class that's rich with talent.

It couldn't come at a better time for Portland, a club with some good, young assets and plenty of answering to do for a series of subpar seasons. Jamal Crawford is a free agent and could be looking for greener pastures, and it's hard to imagine the Trail Blazers re-signing Raymond Felton after such an up-and-down season.

The roster could also use a center after Portland traded Marcus Camby away for Hasheem Thabeet and Johnny Flynn (both free agents this offseason).

Ultimately, then, the challenge will be surrounding LaMarcus Aldridge, Nic Batum and Wesley Matthews with both big and small talent to round out the rotation (if not the starting unit). Here are a few options that might be on the table.

 

Andre Drummond, C (UConn)

If Drummond is still around when Portland makes its first selection, it will be hard to pass up his sheer upside. There are concerns about his drive and consistency, but the Trail Blazers may not have the luxury of being too choosy when Drummond could quite possibly become one the draft's biggest stars down the line.

What's more, this team has a post scorer in Aldridge, so Drummond would be asked to do little more than defend early on.

 

Jeremy Lamb, SG (UConn)

Lamb doesn't meet one of Portland's most pressing needs, but he's the kind of talent that might be difficult to pass up. If the Trail Blazers re-sign Felton or otherwise address the point via free agency, replacing a dynamic scorer like Crawford might become the more pressing priority.

In many ways, Lamb could turn into a younger version of Crawford. They have similar frames and an electric scoring ability from all over the court.

 

Damian Lillard, PG (Weber State)

If Portland wants a dynamic scorer running the point, Lillard is the guy. He's got great range and the kind of quickness that puts defenders on their heels. He may not be quite ready to run an NBA offense, but he may have the most upside of any point guard in the draft.

 

Kendall Marshall, PG (North Carolina)

If Portland prefers a pass-first guard to a scorer, Marshall might have an edge over Lillard. He's 6'4" and mature beyond his years—the kind of guy who could become the next Jose Calderon, whatever that's worth.

 

Tyler Zeller, C (North Carolina)

While Drummond has the superstar potential, Zeller is the safe bet. He moves and shoots well for a big guy, and he'll do all the little things too. Portland could do a lot worse than getting someone like Zeller. He needs to get physically stronger, but he might earn himself a lottery selection if scouts think he can start sooner rather than later.

 

Austin Rivers, G (Duke)

Rivers isn't really a point guard, but—like Lamb—he would give the Trail Blazers a valuable backcourt asset in the event Portland tries to solve its point guard woes via free agency. Doc's son is a fantastic scorer who can shoot from all over the place (and who will shoot from all over the place).

 

Meyers Leonard, C (Illinois)

Leonard would be a bit of a reach given how high Portland's picks are, but he might have more upside than Zeller and appears to be rapidly improving if the jump between his freshman and sophomore campaigns is any indication. Portland would inherit a great rebounder with tons of defensive upside and good explosive ability.

Read more Portland Trail Blazers news on BleacherReport.com

Portland Trail Blazers: 8 Point Guards the Team Must Target Next Season

Source: Bleacher Report

The Portland Trail Blazers have a number of areas to improve this summer, but point guard is arguably at the top of the list.

Raymond Felton was supposed to be the answer at the point guard position, but with the way he performed most of this past year, it’s unlikely he returns to the roster at all next season.

Whether it be through the draft, free agency, or finding a viable trade partner, the Blazers must find a new floor general as they begin their rebuilding process this summer.

Begin Slideshow

Who Is Luke Babbitt?

Source: Blazersedge by Dave

Dave,

Of all the young players on this team I think Luke Babbitt has the most potential to stick and make an impact. I hope Luke Babbitt has the most potential anyway. I keep going back and forth between thinking he's for real and fearing he's not. What do you think? Is he the guy to pin our hopes on?

I'm going to ask everybody to weigh in on this, as Babbitt was both popular and polarizing during the season past.

For me, the critical question is whether you're talking contextually or in absolutes. The end of this season--the time when Threebird shone brightest--was a case of the Blazers ending up at the bar at closing time. Hopes had been higher at the beginning of the

Owner Paul Allen Says Writers Getting "Played" On Blazers Sale Rumors

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Owner Paul Allen Says Writers Getting "Played" On Blazers Sale Rumors

Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen responded to a John Canzano column that floated Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson as a possible buyer of the Blazers and a lengthy reaction piece by Dwight

TBJ Reacts To Blazers G Jamal Crawford Getting Sixth Man Votes

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

TBJ Reacts To Blazers G Jamal Crawford Getting Sixth Man Votes

On this week's episode of The Overdose, The Basketball Jones crew of J.E. Skeets, Tas Melas and Trey Kerby reacted to the news that Portland Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford received three third place votes for 2012 Sixth Man of the Year.

Jaynes: Blazers COO Sarah Mensah On Rumors Blazers Are For Sale

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Jaynes: Blazers COO Sarah Mensah On Rumors Blazers Are For Sale

Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com has posted an extended reaction to the floating of Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson as a possible buyer of the Portland Trail Blazers. The piece includes some thoughts from Blazers COO Sarah Mensah, who offers

Canzano: Timbers Owner Merritt Paulson As Possible Blazers Buyer?

Source: Blazersedge by Ben Golliver

Canzano: Timbers Owner Merritt Paulson As Possible Blazers Buyer?

John Canzano of The Oregonian floats Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson as a possible buyer of the Portland Trail Blazers.
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I was asked to meet informally with a three-member team of local well-connected political strategists and public relations experts. People so influential and well placed they're typically busy getting

An open letter to Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen

Source: NWSportsBeat.com by Blair Thomas

Dear Mr. Allen,

First off, I would like to congratulate you on your recovery from leukemia. You are a survivor and the fight that you have shown in the face of adversity is a trait to be admired and is an inspiration to those that feel they are taking a lonely walk towards the valley of death.

The letter that you wrote a few days ago to the public was nice to see. It was cute actually.

All of us wish we knew you a little bit deeper than we actually do. The spats about any octopus on Twitter with columnist John Canzano, while funny, do not make the most sense, because we do not understand you. All we know is your actions with the Trail Blazers and for football fans, the Seattle Seahawks.

As far as the team is concerned, I want to keep this short. It boils down to your personnel decisions or lack of them and a loyal fan base that is undervalued. Performance reflects leadership and from a distance it appears that there is an absence of both. Within this equation is a general manager who might as well be the Wizard of Oz for all we know. None of it helps to erase an image of incompetency under your guidance.

When will this excitement mock your front office decisions?

Did you really expect this team without a general manger to not end up kicking it in the lottery at season’s end? This has got to stop. With all due respect to the following: Kiki Vandeweghe, Geoff Petrie, and Rick Sund, are any of these guys any better than Kevin Pritchard or Rich Cho?

All of them have goose eggs for their number of championships as executives, which is no more than the guys you fired. Let’s be real, unless you are getting Worldwide Wes, Danny Ainge, Sam Presti, or Jerry West in here is it really going to matter who you decide to hire? We both know the answer.

Without a GM, can we really expect a coach, much less the current one to have any direction whatsoever? Letting Nate McMillan go was a blessing in disguise for a coach that had been undercut by his own president and owner.

Instead of continually getting blasted by a fan base that overvalues its own talent, the former coach was given time to spend in Seattle (or St. Croix if he preferred) to recharge the batteries and clean his hands of this mess.

Interim Head Coach Kaleb Canales was fun to watch this year and I was reminded of him when I saw 76ers coach Doug Collins flail his arms in unabashed enthusiasm after their playoff series win over the Bulls, who fittingly were Canales’ first professional win.

Portland fans, namely season ticket holders, deserve a vision, which this team is sorely lacking. You are asking them to invest in something emotionally and most of all financially. Imagine trying to pitch an idea for a software company to prospective investors with a product but a lack of vision of where the company would go with the financial backing. It does not work in business and it should not work in professional sports.

Beyond the season ticket holders are the rest of the Blazermaniacs. You benefit from fans that are passionate, albeit delusional at times.

The fact that Rip City denizens spoke in a present tense when referring to Greg Oden as late as the 2010-11 season shows that the fans are unwaveringly optimistic even when the skies above One Center Court resemble that of a Portland day in January, but you take advantage of a rabid fan base in a negative manner by not providing the same vision that investors deserve.

LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews are not the heart and soul of this franchise, the fans are.

No amount of pyrotechnics or 12th Man banners can provide what a logical vision can. The letter albeit appealing, means nothing if more of the same continues. The smoke and mirrors stuff is lame. Your fans are smarter than that and as an owner you are better than that.

We deserve a winner!

While we are on things that are on overkill, can we stop with the jersey retirement ceremonies already? Lionel Hollins? Seriously? There are three players that undoubtedly deserve to have their jerseys retired: Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, and Maurice Lucas.

That’s it.

Sure, there are a couple of guys on the fringe (Terry Porter and Bob Gross as examples), but the rest are a bit much. This franchise spends more time playing the lottery than a 75 year-old smoker with a gambling habit and a social security check.

If you want to honor the past, win some ball games, and set plaques up throughout the Rose Garden if you are desperate for an aesthetic touch.

All of that said, I am not in the camp that jeers you and wants you to sell the team.

The resources that you have invested into the franchise are more than anyone could hope for.

I hope that I get to see you as excited as Mark Cuban was raising his trophy after an NBA Championship season.

In the meantime, as fans we want you to care a little bit more. Not act like it, but you know, actually do it.

With Love,

Blair Thomas

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Post tags: 2012, Bill Walton, Blazermaniacs, Blazers, Blazers GM, Clyde Drexler, Geoff Petrie, Greg Oden, Jerry West, Kaleb Canales, Kevin Pritchard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nate McMillan, NBA, Paul Allen, Portland Trail Blazers, Portland Trail Blazers Blog, Portland Trailblazers, Rich Cho, RIP City, Rose Garden, Terry Porter, trail blazers blog, Worldwise Wes

Weekend Question: ETA to Relevance?

Source: Blazersedge by Dave

Here's a question to ponder as you cruise through the weekend. (Remember Mother's Day if it applies, by the way!)

How long do you think it'll take the Blazers to return to some semblance of NBA relevance? For these purposes let's define "relevance" as a near-lock playoff team with some kind of chance to make it out of the first round and into the second. This year's relevance line in the West landed between Dallas at the 7-spot and Utah at the 8, though the Mavs were ushered into the relevant group largely because of last year's title. But you get the idea...a team you figure could win a playoff series without having to get too lucky.

Give us a specific year, e.g. "The Blazers will return to relevance in the fall of