http://www.oregonlive.com/cgi-bin/p...i/cache=60;/olive/olive/audio/080625quick.mp3 Jason Quick (Portland beat writer) discusses Blazers and the draft * Knows of 4 teams the Blazers have been in extended discussions with: NY, NJ, PHO, & TOR NY & NJ deals involves 13th pick, most logical. TOR not in mix. -Portland turned down Toronto's offer. -Last night heard rumour of Frye + Webster + 2nd round pick for Barbosa, Pritchard confirmed in morning that "We would not do that deal". Wonders if Petteri Koponen is somehow involved as the Suns had tried to draft him. - NY deal on table for more than 10 days, might be looking for better deal. Blazers send rotation player (backcourt player) in return for player that Quick thinks would create a logjam in Blazers rotation. He doesn't reveal player's name but is a frontcourt player. - NJ. Pritchard says Richard Jefferson is out of the picture, too expensive, doesn't fit into the timeline. Speculates they're after Devin Harris. Pritchard has always been a Devin Harris fan. * Top players rated by Portland after workouts 1. Westbrook 2. DJ Augustin 3. Alexander 4. Rush -Westbrook is now out of their range in the lottery. -Augustin, "A very high ranking Blazers official told me that DJ Augustin right now is better than any of the Blazers' point guards". -Rush, most NBA ready, Blazers don't think he's worth the 13th pick? * Outlaw to strictly play SF, making Webster more expendable. -Blazers players garnering most interests from other teams: Outlaw, Frye, and Webster. -Not much interest in Jarret Jack or Sergio Rodriguez * Quick is confident that Blazers looking to trade 13th for proven veteran player. * Paul Allen told him that in 2005 draft when Pritchard was director of player personnel was adamant about drafting Chris Paul but overruled by Nash & Patterson. Pritchard was adamant about drafting Roy, Aldridge, and Fernandez. Allen describes him as having a "golden gut" for identifying college, high school, or international talent. * Paul Allen is very guarded about wasting their cap space for next year. Looking forward to that Allen thinks they can do big things next with it next year. * James Jones needs to decide on his player option on June 25th or by morning of 26th? Jones wants to opt out for long term contract to sign a 3 to 4 year deal with Blazers. Blazers are worried about his knee, would like another season to evaluate his knee before committing to a long term deal. * Blazers very excited about Rudy Fernandez. Envisioning playing Roy & Fernandez together. -A Blazer official asked who would you rather have, Kobe & Vujacic or Roy & Fernandez? He'd choose Roy & Fernandez. -McMillan making a commitment to play Roy more minutes at PG.
wtf? so the blazers get a nice backup big man in lee and trade 2 lesser picks for a significantly greater one? good god this is getting ridiculous. wait i just saw blake or jack would be involved as well. either way that is crazy for a number 6 pick and a nice backup big with lee. i think jack is overrated and blake is a nice player but nothing special.
This is a great deal for Portland who gets to pick up Westbrook, and I think that this is a plan where the Knicks want to get Danilo Gallinari.
Man whats with the blazers and their draft day trades. The last three seasons they've had like 18 picks already and now in 5 years they will have the ultimate roster
Portland will only take back expiring contract/s if the player/s are bad. If there is an extra Knicks player involved it'd have to be Malik Rose for it to work. With the proposal you put up I'd guess: David Lee(expiring) for for Jarret Jack(expiring)/Steve Blake(team option next year). Rose(expiring) for Webster(expiring)/Outlaw(2yrs). The Knicks #6 for the Blazers #13 + #27.
I saw this yesterday. I guess Rudy Fernandez doesn't want competition for playing time. I'm gonna predict right now that he and Sarge will not get along well.
It's funny though that Morey's staff and Pritchard's staff identified the exact same player the past 2 seasons (Roy and Fernandez)... but money and slick moves won out.
What exactly about "Golden Gut" that is different than "Golden $Balls"? Both Pritchard and Morey wanted Roy and Fernandez. Portland had the earlier pick than Rockets. So they took these guys. Both Prichard and Morey decided against picking Rudy Gay. In fact, Pritchard skipped Rudy Gay twice-- once at 4th pick, once at 7th pick.
Prichard got his player Roy,CD and Morey couldn't although I don't blame them for it. Roy was better than Gay,most people felt that way,what's your point?
Actually, if you go back to draft day 2006, most people didn't feel that way. Just do a search for the discussions going on back then on clutchfans or even just look at the mock drafts from various websites and you'll see. Most people, in fact, thought of Gay as a possible (likely?) top 3 pick or even the top pick, and had questions about Roy. In fact, there were quite a few debates over Roy vs. Rodney Carney.
I just remember Roy's agent trying to manipulate the draft so he would end up with the Rockets. They were gushing about the opportunity w/ Yao and Tmac.
The closer it came to the draft day,fan opinion started changing. What does fan opinion matter anyway,management makes decisions,good or bad.
