Northwest Notes: Blazers, Koufos, Nuggets

It was a fairly successful Sunday for Northwest Division teams, as the Thunder and Jazz pulled out wins against the Pacers and Lakers, respectively, while the Nuggets lost a close one to the Knicks in New York. With the Trail Blazers the only Northwest team in action tonight, let's round up a few links out of the division....

• The Trail Blazers weren't just searching for talent and chemistry in free agency this summer. The team was also targeting players with character, GM Neil Olshey tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. "It was very important that we brought in the right guys for the makeup of our team and we've done that," Olshey said. "Damian [Lillard] and Meyers [Leonard] couldn't have a better group of guys to look up to."
• While Kosta Koufos wasn't the best player the Nuggets acquired in the Carmelo Anthony trade, his play this season is proving he wasn't an inconsequential piece in that deal, writes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.
• George Karl has some regrets about the way he handled Raymond Felton's time with the Nuggets, says Fred Kerber of the New York Post.
• Michael Rand of the Star Tribune takes a look at five former Timberwolves that weren't able to stick around around during the team's recent makeover.