Offseason In Review: Portland Trail Blazers
Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team’s offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees, and more will be covered, as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.
Signings
- Dorell Wright: Two years, $6.14MM. Signed via cap space.
- Mo Williams: Two years, $5.42MM. Signed via room exception. Second year is player option.
- Earl Watson: One year, $1.4MM. Signed via minimum salary exception.
Trades
- Acquired the No. 31 pick in the 2013 from the Cavaliers in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick and a 2016 second-round pick.
- Acquired cash from the Thunder in exchange for the No. 40 pick in 2013.
- Acquired Thomas Robinson from the Rockets in exchange for the rights to Kostas Papanikolaou, the rights to Marko Todorovic, the Timberwolves’ 2015 second-round pick, and a 2017 second-round pick.
- Acquired Robin Lopez and Terrel Harris from the Pelicans in exchange for the rights to Jeff Withey (to Pelicans), the Knicks’ 2016 second-round pick (31-37 protected, to Kings), and the rights to swap 2018 second-round picks (to Kings). Harris was subsequently waived.
Draft Picks
- C.J. McCollum (Round 1, 10th overall). Signed via rookie exception.
- Allen Crabbe (Round 2, 31st overall). Signed via cap space for three years, $2.63MM. Third year is non-guaranteed.
- Jeff Withey (Round 2, 39th overall). Rights traded to Pelicans.
- Marko Todorovic (Round 2, 45th overall). Rights traded to Rockets.
Camp Invitees
- Dee Bost
- Richard Howell
- E.J. Singler
Departing Players
Rookie Contract Option Decisions
- Meyers Leonard (3rd year, $2.32MM): Exercised
- Damian Lillard (3rd year, $3.34MM): Exercised
- Thomas Robinson (3rd year, $3.68MM): Exercised
The summer of 2012 was about the arrival of star rookie Damian Lillard for the Blazers, while the headlines of 2013’s offseason were more about whether another star would stay. LaMarcus Aldridge gave conflicting statements to reporters about whether he asked GM Neil Olshey for a trade. The power forward entered the summer frustrated with the team after it finished its fourth straight season with a record worse than the one that preceded it. There were no shortage of potential suitors for Aldridge, who’s made the last two Western Conference All-Star teams, but Olshey wasn’t about to move him. Aldridge wants to play on a competitive team, but his remarks as camp began this fall indicated that he’s optimistic the Blazers can fit the bill after seeing the moves Olshey made in the offseason.
The Blazers again pounced on a team willing to give up a chance to strike gold with a young talent. Olshey had acquired the pick that turned into Lillard from the Nets at the 2012 trade deadline, and this summer he landed the player drafted immediately before Lillard, taking on Thomas Robinson from the Rockets in Houston’s rush to clear cap room for Dwight Howard. The price was a relative bargain for a player with such promise, with the draft rights to a pair of overseas players and two future second-round picks going to the Rockets in the swap. Robinson had a trying and tumultuous rookie campaign, having been traded from the Kings to Houston at the deadline, but it’s premature to assume he can’t produce. Robinson’s rate of 4.5 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game last season is an auspicious indicator, and if he develops, he may even be a capable replacement should Aldridge force a trade or bolt in free agency.
Robinson’s acquisition was part of Olshey’s retooling of last year’s subpar bench. The Blazers gave up 1.8 more points per 100 possessions than they scored with Lillard, Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum and J.J. Hickson on the floor, per NBA.com. Portland surrendered 4.2 more points per 100 possessions overall, demonstrating that the reserves lagged far behind most other second units.
The Blazers used their lottery pick to help with backcourt depth, drafting combo guard C.J. McCollum, who’d drawn comparisons to Lillard. They brought in another player capable of playing both backcourt spots in veteran Mo Williams, who’s come in handy with McCollum out with a broken foot to begin the season. Olshey snagged Williams for about half of what I figured the Mark Bartelstein client would make when I examined his free agent stock in April. Williams had spent six of the previous seven seasons as a starter, and the 30-year-old even made an All-Star team as LeBron James‘ sidekick in Cleveland, so he’ll be the most significant weapon Portland brings off its revamped bench.
That’s in spite of having spent slightly more money to pry forward Dorell Wright from a handful of other free agent suitors. He led the NBA in both three-pointers attempted and made in 2010/11. A year later the Warriors felt they needed an upgrade at small forward, where he’d been the starter, so they traded him to the Sixers, who put him in a more fitting role as a bench piece. His 37.3% rate of success from behind the arc the past four seasons will help the Blazers, who finished 20th in the NBA in three-point accuracy in 2012/13.
Still, it wasn’t all about the bench for Portland this summer, as Olshey acquired a new starting center with a trade for Robin Lopez. The Blazers didn’t send anything other than second-rounders out in the deal, so the move amounted to an absorption of Lopez’s $5.9MM salary. Olshey used the largest chunk of the team’s roughly $15.5MM in cap flexibility to bring in a traditional 7’0″ center while allowing undersized J.J. Hickson to leave in free agency. Lopez isn’t nearly the rebounder that Hickson is, despite the three-inch height difference, but he’s better at rim protection, as Lopez blocked nearly three times as many shots per minute as Hickson did last season.
The offseason also entailed a purge of three former first-round picks whom Olshey inherited when he took the job. Nolan Smith, Elliot Williams and Luke Babbitt seemed destined to head elsewhere when Olshey declined to pick up their 2013/14 options in the fall of 2012, and while they managed to remain on Portland’s roster throughout last season, the team elected not to re-sign them. The league essentially validated Olshey’s decision not to wait any longer for them to develop, as none of the three made an NBA opening-night roster this season.
The Blazers are off to a hot start, and all appears well in Portland. Aldridge seems as upbeat as he’s been in at least four years, as Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com tweets, and while the 28-year-old remains non-committal about his long-term future, there aren’t any alarm bells ringing. Aldridge is under contract for this year and next, and short of the unlikely prospect that he’ll consider an extension, it’s not yet time for the team and the Arn Tellem client to negotiate. Olshey has a window of this season and next to show that the team is headed in the right direction, and it looks like he’s well on his way to doing so. The real test will be in how the Blazers can craft not just a playoff team, but a squad capable of competing for a championship. Aldridge probably won’t be satisfied with losing in the first or second rounds of the playoffs, and neither should Olshey.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Odds & Ends: Marshall, Warriors, Knicks
The Bulls aren’t in action today, but it’s a big basketball night in Chicago nonetheless, as Kentucky plays Michigan State and Duke plays Kansas in the NCAA’s Champions Classic. In the eyes of ESPN.com’s Chad Ford (Insider link), those four teams have 13 projected first-rounders for the 2014 draft, including an incredible eight projected lottery picks. As GMs and scouts look forward to an eventful night of college basketball, let’s check out what’s going on around the NBA….
- Kendall Marshall, traded last month by the Suns and then released by the Wizards, is drawing some NBA interest, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter) that Marshall had been considered by the Jazz, and remains on other teams’ radars.
- Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle talks extensively to Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob about the challenges he’s faced since taking over the team, and the direction in which the franchise is headed. Lacob provides a number of interesting quotes on the acquisition of Andre Iguodala, the plans for a new arena, and increasing expectations for the Warriors.
- In his latest mailbag for SI.com, Ian Thomsen examines the Knicks and discusses a hypothetical trade between the Rockets and Trail Blazers.
- D.J. Foster of Bleacher Report explores the possibility of the Knicks trading Iman Shumpert.
Northwest Rumors: Martin, Thunder, Lopez
The Northwest Division is home to the NBA’s only winless team, the 0-7 Jazz, along with a struggling 1-4 Nuggets outfit. Still, the Thunder are one of a pair of teams in the league with just a single loss, and the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves are off to 4-2 starts. Here’s news on the three Northwest clubs who’ve impressed so far:
- The Wolves made Kevin Martin a much better financial offer than the Thunder did this summer, but that’s not the only benefit of his decision to sign with Minnesota, writes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. The Wolves are giving Martin a chance to start and play more than just a complementary role on a team with other marquee players.
- Martin’s departure seemed to leave the Thunder‘s bench in disrepair, but Steven Adams and Jeremy Lamb, fruits of the James Harden deal, have combined with Derek Fisher to outperform three of the team’s starters, notes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.
- LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard tell Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com they feel more freedom to play aggressively on defense now that offseason trade acquisition Robin Lopez is protecting the rim for the Trail Blazers.
- Lior Eliyahu is nearing a three-year deal with Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel, according to Roey Gladstone of Israeli Channel 5 TV (Twitter link; hat tip to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). The Wolves own the 28-year-old’s NBA rights, but it’s unclear if Eliyahu’s deal would allow him to leave for the NBA before the three years are up.
Odds & Ends: Aldridge, Blazers, Redick, Henry
LaMarcus Aldridge hasn’t told coach Terry Stotts that he wants to remain in Portland long-term, but he hasn’t said he wants to get out, either, so the coach tells Jim Rome of CBS Sports Radio that he isn’t worried about a player he believes is content playing for the Blazers. Ben Golliver of Blazer’s Edge has a transcript of those comments, as well as the coach’s remarks on the contributions of new acquisition Robin Lopez toward what Stotts perceives as a changed culture on the team. Here’s more on other new additions around the Association:
- Doc Rivers arrived in L.A. this summer with J.J. Redick atop his list of targets within the Clippers‘ price range, and he convinced Redick over dinner to come to the team, finally landing the player he’d sought multiple times while with the Celtics. Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com has the details.
- Xavier Henry didn’t perform nearly as well in New Orleans as he is with the Lakers, and while Pelicans coach Monty Williams takes responsibility for his role in that, Henry doesn’t blame him, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
- Lester Hudson is headed to play in China for the third straight season, inking a deal with Xinjiang, agent Brad Ames tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Hudson’s first trip East in 2011/12 resulted in late-season NBA stints with the Cavs and Grizzlies.
- The Thunder have lost plenty with the departures of James Harden and Kevin Martin the past two offseasons, but Jeff Caplan of NBA.com thinks this could be the most complete Oklahoma City team yet, thanks to the team’s youthful bench.
- Steven Adams, a member of that Thunder bench, has seen more minutes than starter Kendrick Perkins this year, but Caplan passes along Perkins’ praise for the rookie, and coach Scott Brooks isn’t concerned that Perkins will pout, The Oklahoman’s Darnell Mayberry notes.
Western Notes: Suns, Aldridge, Thunder, Kings
No team except perhaps the Sixers was viewed as more likely to tank the 2013/14 season than the Suns, who shipped out Luis Scola over the summer and traded Marcin Gortat just days before the regular season began. But team president Lon Babby takes issue with the idea that Phoenix is intentionally trying to lose games, as he tells Sean Deveney of the Sporting News.
“There is a key difference between acknowledging that you’re rebuilding, which we are, and some notion that you’re not trying to succeed,” Babby said. “Anybody in this business, because you’re competitive, and you have a competitive nature, it is not going to do anything but give your heart and soul to try to win every night.”
It may be an question of semantics, but Babby’s comments, along with the strong starts to the season for the Sixers and Suns, are a reminder that while a front office may put a team in position to lose games, the players on the court are certainly trying to win.
Here’s more from around the West:
- Rival team executives will continue to monitor LaMarcus Aldridge‘s situation in Portland, but the Blazers forward tells Sam Amick of USA Today that he has no desire to be moved. Asked about his current attitude, Aldridge replied: “It’s not ‘If there’s a better deal, then get me out of [Portland] or take that.’ It’s ‘We’re here. Let’s win, and let’s try to have the best season that we can.'” Amick adds that there’s a league-wide belief that GM Neil Olshey wouldn’t even consider an offer for Aldridge unless it included at least an All-Star player, among other things.
- Responding to comments made by ESPN’s Bill Simmons, Oklahoman contributor Jon Hamm rebuts the idea that the Thunder need to become a taxpaying team to win the title.
- On the heels of a 19-point outing from Ben McLemore, Kings coach Michael Malone tells Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee that the rookie guard is “a big part of our future.”
Contract Details: Sixers, Price, Stone, Christmas
Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com has updated his salary database to account for every NBA team’s opening night roster, and in the process has provided several contract details that had previously been unreported. Let’s round up Deeks’ new info, which has now been incorporated into our list of non-guaranteed salaries and our schedule of guarantee dates….
- Daniel Orton and Brandon Davies were late additions to the Sixers‘ roster, but they received the same kind of deals that many of the team’s other offseason signees did: Non-guaranteed four-year pacts. Hollis Thompson, meanwhile, landed a $35K guarantee for this season on his four-year contract.
- When Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors listed the camp cuts who had been owed guaranteed money, he noted that the guarantees for Vander Blue, Khalif Wyatt, and Richard Howell were still unknown. Deeks fills in those amounts, reporting that the Sixers paid Blue $55K and Wyatt $35K. Howell received $50K from the Trail Blazers.
- Unlike most players on non-guaranteed contracts, A.J. Price won’t have to wait until the new year for his salary to become fully guaranteed. He’ll get his full minimum salary as long as he’s not waived by the Timberwolves on or before December 8th.
- Julyan Stone‘s two-year contract with the Raptors was initially guaranteed for $50K, but that amount was bumped up to $100K when he earned a spot on the regular season roster.
- Dionte Christmas (Suns) and Henry Sims (Cavaliers) both received partial guarantees worth $50K.
- The Hawks‘ agreement with Cartier Martin is just for one year, for a fully non-guaranteed minimum salary.
Northwest Links: Hayward, Hickson, Wolves
The Jazz and Gordon Hayward didn’t reach a deal on an extension last night, but GM Dennis Lindsey can still envision Hayward retiring with Utah and says much of the moves the team pulled off this summer were done with Hayward in mind. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News and Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune have more details, including Hayward’s morning-after input, as we round up the latest from the Northwest Division:
- Hayward echoed Lindsey’s comment that “no ill will” came of the failed negotiations. “I love being in Utah,” he said. “I really wish it could’ve happened. This in no way changes the way I feel about Utah at all. Hopefully it will get worked out next summer.”
- J.J. Hickson is upset with Blazers GM Neil Olshey and some of his former Portland teammates for expressing their desire for an upgrade over Hickson at center this summer, the current Nugget tells Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Haynes nonetheless hears from a source that the $4MM that Portland paid Hickson on his one-year deal last season was much greater than any other team was willing to cough up at the time.
- Rick Adelman said a couple of weeks ago that the Timberwolves were looking at bringing aboard someone who could shore up the small forward position, but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities hears there’s “nothing brewing” for now (Twitter link).
Western Notes: Rockets, Lakers, Nash, Thunder
With the NBA’s opening night just four days away, let’s round up some items out of the Western Conference on the last Friday of the offseason:
- Philadelphia released Royce White yesterday, but it will be the Rockets, not the 76ers, who are on the hook for his $1.7MM+ salary, tweets Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. When Houston sent White to the Sixers, it was reported that the deal included cash considerations, so perhaps the amount in the trade was equal to White’s salary.
- Phil Jackson recently spoke to Seth Davis about a number of topics, including the Lakers, and while that interview won’t air until next week, Mark Medina of InsideSoCal.com passes along a few of the Zen Master’s comments. Among the notable items: Jackson says he’s unlikely to ever coach in the NBA again due to his health.
- Steve Nash is currently the oldest player on an NBA roster, and there’s some concern from the Lakers about his health heading into the season. However, while he acknowledges to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com that he’s at a “different stage” in his career, he says he’s up to the challenge.
- After waiving Diante Garrett today, the Thunder aren’t in the market for a third point guard, according to head coach Scott Brooks (Twitter link via Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman).
- In the wake of early speculation about Kevin Durant‘s 2016 free agency, ESPN.com’s Larry Coon (Insider link) details Durant’s options, concluding that the Thunder star figures to take a wait-and-see approach.
- Dee Bost, who was waived by the Trail Blazers, and Troy Daniels, who is expected to be released by the Rockets, will soon sign with their clubs’ respective D-League affiliates, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
Odds & Ends: Oden, Celtics, Turner, 76ers
Greg Oden stepped on an NBA court for the first time in nearly four years tonight, throwing down a dunk and grabbing a pair of rebounds in four minutes of preseason action for the Heat tonight. It still doesn’t constitute an official return the way a regular season appearance would, but it’s a positive sign for the Heat as they attempt to turn Oden from a minimum-salary gamble into a bargain of an inside presence. Here’s more from around the Association:
- The Celtics don’t plan to keep any of their four players on non-guaranteed deals into the regular season, preferring instead to carry a 14-man roster in a money-saving effort, tweets Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
- The Timberwolves front office is reportedly high on Evan Turner, but there’s no talk of a deal that would send the former No. 2 overall pick to Minnesota, according to Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter link).
- James Anderson and Daniel Orton have fully non-guaranteed deals, but they’ve all “all but wrapped up” spots on the Sixers opening-night roster, writes Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer looks at Orton’s efforts to make the team, which includes losing nine pounds since the Sixers signed him a week ago.
- The Blazers cut three players yesterday, but coach Terry Stotts was effusive in his praise of E.J. Singler, as Mike Tokito of The Oregonian details.
- Kings lead assistant coach Brendan Malone resigned today, the team announced, with GM Pete D’Alessandro citing “factors associated with the rigors of coaching in the NBA” for why Malone is stepping down after 27 years in the NBA. Malone is the father of head coach Michael Malone. Chris Jent will slide up the bench and replace the elder Malone as lead assistant, according to the team (Twitter link).
- David Stern characterized as “relatively upbeat” a report that the Bucks gave to the league’s owners on the status of the team’s quest to fund a new arena, as Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel reports.
Blazers Waive Bost, Singler, Howell
The Trail Blazers have waived Dee Bost, E.J. Singler, and Richard Howell, according to a tweet from CSNNW.com’s Chris Haynes. All three will join the Idaho Stampede.
From the University of Oregon, Singler, the younger brother of Pistons forward Kyle Singler, was a non-roster camp invite, along with Bost, in September. A forward at North Carolina State last season, Howell was also signed to a training camp deal in September.
None of the three were expected to make Portland’s roster when the team extended them contracts last month (Bost’s deal was $25K guaranteed, and Howell’s was believed to be partially guaranteed as well). The moves put the Trail Blazers’ roster at 15, meaning it’s unlikely the club makes any further roster cuts.