Portland Trail Blazers Thread

[PSUVikings2]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/07/turkoglu_tries_on_portland_for.html

You watch that video, seems like he has thought out the situation. Hopefully they can put this deal in ink.

Picking up Hedo is so crucial. With the Lakers signing Ron Artest yesterday, they are going to be virtually unbeatable. Portland will be one of the few teams in basketball that can compete with them.

 

[forestgreen]

Source: Turkoglu changes mind on Blazers

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-turkoglu070309&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Free agent Hedo Turkoglu(notes) has backed out of his commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers and could be signing with the Toronto Raptors, a source close to the talks told Yahoo! Sports on Friday night.

Turkoglu had agreed on a five-year, $50 million deal with the Blazers, but changed his mind and could be headed for a five-year, $56 million deal with the Raptors. Toronto would have to renounce three free agents – Shawn Marion(notes), Carlos Delfino(notes) and Anthony Parker(notes) – to create the cap space for Turkoglu.

Apparently, the Blazers are already busy exploring other free-agent options for the $9 million in salary-cap space.

Five years ago, Turkoglu was close to signing with the Phoenix Suns that now-Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo was running, but changed his mind and went to the Orlando Magic.

*(Apparently his wife really likes Toronto)

 

[martymoose]

I think a five year deal was a little long with him, but that's the price you have to pay in the free agency market. He would have added a lot, but I sort of have that 'it wasn't meant to be' feeling. Either way, this city has a team that they can be proud to support.

 

[ManOfVision]

I think a five year deal was a little long with him, but that's the price you have to pay in the free agency market. He would have added a lot, but I sort of have that 'it wasn't meant to be' feeling. Either way, this city has a team that they can be proud to support.

I was neutral on Hedo. He would've improved the team for the next couple of years, but the Blazers would have been seriously overpaying for him. I think Toronto will regret giving Hedo that contract. I'm very curious to see what Portland does now. Ramon Sessions and David Lee intrigue me, although one may be better off getting them in a sign and trade vs. signing them as restricted free agents and risking the offer getting matched while you're unable to acquire anybody else.

 

[PSUVikings2]

Nice to see Greg Oden is improving. He will be a force down the road. Like I've told many people who are critical of Greg, Dwight Howard wasn't great in his first full season of the NBA either.

Wish these injuries would stop though. First Batum, now Travis.........

Overall its been a solid start to the season.