Dwight Jaynes

Once in a while, when you are an emerging power, as the Trail Blazers and their fans believe they are, you get an opportunity to sign a free agent because that guy is tired of losing and wants to go someplace where he can win a ring. Someplace where he can be a part of building something special.

But this Hedo Turkoglu situation is different. This is a player who was a critical piece on a team that won the Eastern Conference championship. He was wanted back. He would have been paid well to come back. He was valued by his coaches and employed perfectly within the team’s system to maximize his own talents. He was appreciated by fans and teammates alike and, in fact, had just gone through a long, long playoff march with those teammates. That team still has a lot of upside — and, in fact, he was part of building something special in Orlando.

But he has chosen to leave. For what? Really, I don’t think you can say it’s anything but money — and not even a lot of that compared to what he’d have made in Orlando. It seems just a tad mercenary to me. Which is fine, I guess — it’s what made this country great. And there could be more about this that we don’t know. Maybe the guy just didn’t like playing for Stan Van Gundy.

But I’m surprised that there hasn’t been some concern about his loyalty. His motivation. He’s always been known as a good guy to have on a team but why would a player so quickly seem to want out of a situation like that one? Is this a team-first guy? What, exactly, are his values?

Really, it all makes you wonder just what makes him tick.

Tags: Dwight Jaynes, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Stan Van Gundy

A lot of people are pointing at Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson and saying yes, Phil can handle Ron Artest. After all, Phil made it work in Chicago with Dennis Rodman. Artest joining the Lakers can do nothing but make the Lakers better.

I would not be so quick to jump to that conclusion.

Rodman, while probably crazier even than Artest, was not the problem on the court that Artest will be. Rodman did not want to shoot. In fact, when you passed him the ball he reacted as if you’d just pulled the pin on a hand grenade and lobbed it to him. What Dennis wanted to do is rebound and he did that just about as well as anyone ever has.

Artest not only wants to shoot, he’s the most toxic kind of shooter — the type who thinks he’s good at it and isn’t. I think it’s going to make for some long nights for Kobe Bryant, trying to somehow get it through Artest’s noggin that those long jump shots he favors aren’t going to be what’s best for the Lakers.

And that team does play in Los Angeles, you know. Ron Artest anywhere near Hollywood just seems like such a potential trainwreck. I’m not sure if Artest looks for trouble or if trouble just has a way of finding him but it’s going to be fun to watch this play out.

Tags: Dennis Rodman, Dwight Jaynes, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Ron Artest

Honestly, I think Kerry Eggers scooped everyone with the most important Blazer story of the summer yesterday. And in all the fuss over Hedo Turkoglu it was sort of lost in the shuffle.

He has details of Greg Oden’s summer workouts and reveals that Oden is pretty much assistant coach Bill Bayno’s private summer project. And more important, he says that Oden is working very hard:

“I give Greg an A-plus,” Bayno says. “His effort has been fantastic. I’ve been pushing him hard. He has accepted it. He has worked with very little rest, but he doesn’t ask for a lot of rest.

“Today we went for an hour and 20 minutes straight. That’s a killer for one guy to go that long at the pace we’re going. We had two water breaks and shot free throws in between, but he’s been working really hard.”

Bayno says the workouts have been divided about equally between defense and offense.

“On defense, we’ve worked on lateral quickness, where he has to read and react and block shots,” the Portland assistant says. “Greg has surprised me how quick he is laterally. This is the first time I’ve put him through a lot of this stuff.

“Offensively, we’ve worked on counter moves, (such as) his go-to jump hook over the left shoulder. We’ve tried to get him as many repetitions as we can, and we’re adding counter moves, (such as) the spin back to the left hand. Also, an up-and-under move, where you’re trying to get (a defender) to go for the shot fake, and then use a step-through move back to his left hand.”

And this, too, from Bayno, considered one of the best developmental coaches in basketball:

“We’re working Monday through Thursday weekly, and Greg is also scrimmaging at night (at Ohio State),” Bayno says. “He also lifts weights. Bobby (Medina) got with the Ohio State strength coach and gave him a program. Greg’s weight looks good, and his body looks good. He is so respectful, such a good kid, does anything we ask – he has been a joy to work with.”

The other piece of this is that ex-Blazer Brian Grant is back in Ohio working with Oden, too:

“With footwork, it’s mostly balance. Big guys get in trouble when they get their feet too close together. It’s about being able to take hits and finish and make shots. Having Brian’s 260-pound body on Greg has really helped with that.”

The goal is not for the 21-year-old Oden, who weighed about 280 at the end of last season, to lose weight.

“He’s in good shape,” Bayno says. “It’s really about not adding a whole lot of weight. He is taking a nutrition class this summer at Ohio State, which will be good for him. To have a big guy like Greg at his age focusing on nutrition is important for longevity in the league.”

Of course, there’s more to the story and I suggest you read it. Oden’s development is still the critical piece to Portland’s NBA ascension.

Tags: Bill Bayno, Brian Grant, Dwight Jaynes, Greg Oden, Kerry Eggers, Portland Tribune

Forget the tours. Don’t worry about the fancy dinner or the luxury items.

Be careful about bidding against yourself, but you better acknowledge right now what it’s really all about. It’s always about the money. Always. And it’s the guy’s last big contract.

If you want him, it’s real simple. Pay the man.

Tags: Dwight Jaynes, free agency, Hedo Turkoglu, Portland Trail Blazers, show me the money

People have asked about this and I think the best way to look at it is to compare the situation to last season.

At small forward last season, Portland used Nic Batum as the starter and he averaged 18.4 minutes per game. Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw and Brandon Roy all served time at small forward behind him. Outlaw averaged 27.7 minutes per game but a lot of that time was at power forward, not small forward.

If Turkoglu comes to Portland at upwards of $9 million per season, you can expect the team to use him at least 36 minutes a game. A small portion of that time could come at power forward, of course. But the other problem for Rudy is that the Blazers are going to want playing time for their backup small forward(s) — either a developing Batum, who simply cannot ride the pines with his defensive skills, or Martell Webster, who, if he’s healthy is going to be a big help with his outside shooting. Or both.

This, of course, is assuming Outlaw is traded. It’s possible two small forwards could be dealt, but even if that’s the case, the remaining one — either Webster or Batum — is going to need plenty of playing time in a backup role.

At point guard, the same problem exists. If Andre Miller or Kirk Hinrich arrives, they’re going to play more than the 31.7 minutes per game Blake played last year. And Sergio Rodriguez, the backup point guard last season, averaged 15.3 minutes. You’d want Jerryd Bayless or Blake, whoever survives the deal that will bring Hinrich or Miller, to get at least 15 minutes a game behind the starter. I think this will bite into the number of minutes Roy will play at the point.

Rudy got 25 minutes a night last year mainly because coach Nate McMillan wasn’t sold on his backup point guard and also because of the injury to Webster. That opened playing time that won’t be there this season — unless there’s an injury, which you don’t really want to plan on or hope for.

Brandon Roy averaged 37.2 minutes and it would be smart to cut that back some, in the interest of Roy’s long-term health. But it won’t be cut back much and even if it’s down to 35 minutes, that still leaves only 13 for Rudy behind him.

The Portland lineup featuring Fernandez that was used most often last season was, according to 82games.com, the one that featured him at off-guard, along with Blake at the point and Roy at small forward. I wouldn’t expect Roy — or Rudy — to log a lot of minutes at small forward this season with Hedo and Webster and/or Batum sucking up those minutes.

And moving forward, even 25 minutes per game isn’t going to placate Rudy. That’s not to paint him as a complainer, either. It’s just that he’s better than that. He’s a starting off-guard in the NBA and eventually that’s what he’s going to want to be. I don’t blame him. And I think trading him is eventually going to be the right thing to do for both parties. That’s not saying do it right now, either. My stance has been consistent — he’s going to have to be dealt at some point, so keep your eyes open and do it when it makes sense. Don’t wait until you’re backed into a corner.

Accepting bench roles and limited minutes in the NBA is for seasoned veterans who have already made the big bucks. Young players want to establish their worth and get into the big contracts. It’s just the way it works.

In summary, acquiring a prime free agent at point guard and small forward would solidify Portland’s rotation to a great degree. I don’t think you’d see Roy playing as many positions and it’s presumed the rotation would be more defined and probably shorter.

By the way, I promise to do my best to make this the last post on this subject for a long time.

Tags: Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, Dwight Jaynes, Kirk Hinrich, Martell Webster, NBA, Nic Batum, Portland Trail Blazers, Rudy Fernandez, Steve Blake

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s what the Trail Blazers are saying. When they can sit him down and talk to him, that’s what Rudy will say, too. He’s not dumb enough to put his name on this stuff, anyway.

Folks — this is what agents are for. It’s why players have them. They pound the desk and scream — and the players are insulated from it and have total deniability. It’s been that way for years. The message was delivered and understood.

Sure, everything’s fine. Erroneous report. Yeah, right.

When are people going to understand this situation? I wrote about it back on May 7 and everyone thought it was nuts to speculate that Rudy was going to eventually tire of his role here. Yeah — they voted 98 percent to 2 percent that he ought to be back on the team next season.

I guess that’s why I sort of enjoyed listening to talk radio yesterday and reading blog comments as people beat Rudy up pretty good. All of a sudden, he’s a bum, I guess. For wanting to play. Does this mean he won’t be back as a Blazer next season? Of course not. He has no options. It’s play here or nowhere. The European teams have to honor NBA contracts.

But Blazer fans, you can pencil out these minutes any way you want. You can pretend that Portland isn’t going to use any backup point guard other than Brandon Roy. You can pretend that there will be only one small forward. You can pretend Rudy is a point guard or a small forward.

But the fact is, Rudy is an off-guard. Brandon Roy is an off-guard. In the end, if Rudy is to become the star he wants to be in the NBA, it’s ultimately going to have to be with another team. Why not trade him while you still have some leverage?

Don’t wait until you have no choice but to move him.

Tags: Brandon Roy, Dwight Jaynes, Portland Trail Blazers, Rudy Fernandez

Now he’s reportedly upset with the Blazers for chasing Hedo Turkoglu:

Portland’s pursuit of a certain player from Turkey has infuriated the Trail Blazers’ lone remaining Spanish player, Rudy Fernandez, to the point where he’d prefer to play in Greece, Russia or even Spain again, ESPN.com learned Tuesday.

A league source told ESPN.com that Fernandez has already been courted informally by European powerhouses Olympiacos, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and CSKA Moscow as word spread that the Blazers had become the apparent front-runners to land free agent Hedo Turkoglu.

And then this:

The Blazers have been made aware of Fernandez’s feelings, the source said. The source added that Fernandez has not formally requested a trade but has expressed his dissatisfaction with the way he was used by Portland coach Nate McMillan over the course of his rookie season. Fernandez averaged 26 minutes off the bench and scored 10.2 points per game, rarely handling the ball or acting as an offensive initiator — two of Turkoglu’s specialties.

Every time I write it, people want to skewer me, but the fact is, Rudy didn’t come over here to be somebody’s backup. He’s been a star his whole life. Long-term, as long as Brandon Roy is here, Rudy is never going to be a starting off-guard, which is what he wants to be. You might as well trade him now — because later you’re going to lose leverage if he stomps his feet and goes home in a snit.

Better to trade him while you have options than wait until he’s holding all the cards. You might get one more season from him where he’s content, but that’s going to be about it.

LATE ADD: The word around the league is that Rudy’s agent has made it clear to the Trail Blazers that if Turkoglu signs with Portland, it’s time to trade Rudy.

Tags: Dwight Jaynes, Hedo Turkoglu, Portland Trail Blazers, Rudy Fernandez

This should be a very exciting time for Trail Blazer fans. The development days are over. For the first time in many, many seasons the front office is chasing a big-ticket free agent.

It’s a test, too — can this franchise lure a key player to Portland? Can Kevin Pritchard make this city a destination for good players looking to win a championship? Or are those players going to do what they usually do — stay with their original team for money or seek the big markets and/or the sun belt?

That’s what we should all be thinking about. But just from the comments in the last few days about Hedo Turkoglu, I have a feeling a lot of Trail Blazer fans are pretty conflicted. Is this really the player who is going to put Portland over the top? Is small forward the position where you felt the most need? Is this a guy you want to see $50 million invested in?

And by the way, if Turkoglu comes here, there has to be some sort of trade in the offing (probably the Kirk Hinrich deal) because Travis Outlaw would never wear a Trail Blazer uniform again.

Honestly, is Hedo the right guy?

I don’t think I’m the only one a little bit skeptical about this. Yes, I wrote yesterday that I was coming around to it. I can see what they see. I guess I’m just not as certain as they are ($50 million certain) that it’s going to work.

I’m not sure this whole thing feels the way it’s supposed to feel.

Tags: Dwight Jaynes, free agency, Hedo Turkoglu, Kevin Pritchard, Portland Trail Blazers

The Oregonian had a story today wrapping up all the things our legislature did to us this last session. And I’m not going to whine about them throwing a tax on my kayak, either — which seems to me very stupid.

Now I know it’s not popular to fight this whole cell-phone ban thing in cars, but when is somebody going to say how ridiculous it is? You’re going to ban hand-held cell phones? OK, but let’s be fair.

Let’s ban people eating their dinner at 55 miles per hour in cars. Drinking scalding hot coffee in cars. Reaching over into the back seat and slapping their two kids and their dog in cars. Applying makeup in their cars. Picking their nose in their car. Seriously — why is it I can do anything I want to do with my hands in the driver’s seat of my car except hold my cell phone?

Now don’t tell me it isn’t just the act of holding the phone, it’s the distraction of the conversation. Bull. Then why allow hands-free conversations — either on the phone or with others? Why not just put a cone of silence around all drivers? Yank all those radios out, too.

You can tell me all you want about all the accidents cell phones have caused. I’ll counter by telling you that people distracted by cell phone use will still crash into your cars because they’ll be distracted by something else.

And now, talking on their hands-free phone, they’ll have room in their hands for a cup of hot java, the morning paper, a couple of toothpicks and a jelly doughnut. Oh, and they’ll be reaching into the back seat to slap that screaming three-year-old silly. That would all be perfectly legal.

Great. Now all this means is I’ve got to go out and find some expensive earpiece/microphone/bluetooth gadget for my phone that affects the quality of the call and distracts me even more than the original conversation did.

Fools.

Tags: bad drivers, bluetooth, cell phones, Dwight Jaynes, hands-free, kayaks, Oregon legislature

This is from a blog by Pooh Jeter and I pulled this out of the comments section with a big thanks to “Shallwemaui” for finding it on draftexpress.com:

 Spanish players in the ACB that got drafted:

Ricky Rubio- The number one question I get from people is HOW GOOD IS RICKY RUBIO? My answer to the question is he is good, but I think if he continues to improve, he will be real good as he gets older. I seen him play a few times this season and I played against him once because he was hurt the first game. I saw how crafty and smart he is in this game of basketball. I think his IQ of the game is what makes him good because he knows where his teammates are at all times. When we finally played against each other, I had 18 points and 4 assists and he had 16 points and 8 assists. He led the league in steals and assists this season. A lot of 18 years don’t know the game like he does because he’s been a pro since he was 14 years old.

Sergio Llull- Sergio is a very explosive and quick point guard. I didn’t really see him score, but he brought energy off the bench for Real Madrid, especially on the defensive end.

Victor Claver- To be honest, I think Victor Claver is the best pro right now out of Rubio and Sergio. I know people may think I’m crazy for that comment, but hey, it’s my opinion. Victor Claver is like 6’9; he can score and is very athletic.

Jeter, a former star at the University of Portland, played in Spain last season.

Tags: Dwight Jaynes, Pooh Jeter, Portland Trail Blazers, Ricky Rubio, Sergio Llull, Victor Claver