Andre Miller a Blazer within 24 hours?
That’s what this story out of Philly says:
Andre Miller’s agent, Andy Miller, has confirmed that within 24 hours Andre Miller will be a Portland Trailblazer.
Miller said the two parties are “finalizing” the deal today and it should become official within 24 hours. His client, who has been the 76ers starting point guard for the last 2 1/2 seasons, will receive a deal that one source said was “an improvement” over the deal the Sixers were offering, which was reportedly in the 1 year/$6 million range.
Yesterday, Sixers General Manager Ed Stefanski removed the team’s offer to Miller.
That means by Sunday afternoon, he better be in the gym working on his outside shooting.
UPDATE: This is a sure sign that Jerryd Bayless is history. They’re just not going to bring that guy back to be the No. 3 point guard. I don’t think he could handle it. To hear him talk, he’s vying for the starting spot. He’ll get a change of address real soon — and I doubt they’ll get a lot for him.
NBA, Trail Blazers | Dwight Jaynes | July 24, 2009
Andre Miller, Dwight Jaynes, Jerryd Bayless, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers
hey nate, can we have some plays this season? or shall we just go 1-4 all the time? really worked for cleveland.
What, he’s coming to Portland? Don’t you know he will be crushed under the weight of our low taxes? He won’t be able to survive this awful business climate!
Okay, just kidding. Still irritated by our Portland fans trying their hardest to convince everyone Portland is a terrible place to do business, data be damned.
I’m not sure how I feel about Andre, not really excited at all about it. I hope we have a better long term plan than this.
GRRRRRrrrr
Graham,
I hope Dwight has another lunch get together. Dwight and you and all the other anti-business folks on the blog can show up wearing your “Bring MLB anywhere but here” t-shirts, and I’ll wear my “Bring MLB to Portland” t-shirt. We can debate economics over some tasty local sales tax-free beers. I’ll even buy!
Thanks for the good wishes on my business in the other post. I hope that fortune smiles on you and your family as well.
Tax-free beers…for now!
Yeah, low taxes. I hear it doesn’t rain much here, either.
Love it. Just made my day. Miller has been my number one free agent prospect for the Blazers since day one
Dwight, love the blog. But can you explain why you think it is so important that Andre Miller shoot the three ball. He scores more points more efficiently than Blake. The Blazers already have a whole roster of people to shoot the three, several of whom (Blake, Webster, Rudy) do little else on the offensive end.
I’ll admit that the over the last few years the team has valued outside shooting above just about everything else and this probably explains their initial reluctance to go after Miller. I just think that at this point its safe to go after a guy who creates offensive production in other ways.
And really the Blazers HAD to do something at point guard after giving away Sergio and watching Bayless commit more than six turnovers a game in summer league.
Agreed Jacob, I’m also a fan of Miller! No more entry passes into the paint from the 3-point line! Yes!!
Jacob,
For me it’s the fact that Roy creates off the dribble. Unless he does it from the wing (with Miller at the opposite wing) then Miller’s defender can leave him out there, sagging in and eliminating Roy’s lane to the hoop. If Roy drives the other way, then Roy becomes predictable. If he passes to Miller, he’s been forced to abandon his drive, and now Miller isn’t a catch-and-shoot player. Remember James Jones? We could camp him in the corner, and even if he didn’t do anything, he was valuable because his defender didn’t dare leave him to go mess with Roy while Roy drove.
Miller is a talented player and there may be many ways he’ll help the team. I’m just explaining why many feel that having a non-shooter matched up with Roy is a problem. Note that Jordan and Drexler and Kobe have never had a point-guard who can’t shoot opposite them; in most cases they have a specialist who is a shooter. Blake resembles that; Miller is the opposite.
Nate will work on it. I’d like to see Blake get most or all of his minutes WITH Roy.
Excellent analysis, Jacob. We have needed a playmaker, and Miller can do that.
Who needs Chris Paul?
about 28 or 29 different teams in the league…;)
I thought Dwight would be happier. Didn’t Dwight say at the beginning of the summer this was a “good, solid double” of a move? If we don’t have to give anybody up, I’m curious what this does for Blake/Bayless now. I’m not sure Portland is done, but this might be a good start.
I don’t consider this a huge up-grade; but as long as Bayless is the odd man out this is an up-grade. At least we will have some playmaking ability out of the PG position. At this point I imagine Miller could work on his outside shot until the cows come home and it aint going to fall. Here’s a thought. Maybe Nate could redesign his offensive game plan to some degree to more fully utilize a playmaking PG over a shooting one? Nothing says Nate is incapable of change. If that fails you keep Blake behind Miller and on a good day he certainly can shoot. So you have a shooter in Blake and a playmaker in Miller. It would be nice to have both in one. But nobody wanted Nash. This is an up-greade over what we had. Trade Bayless. If the reported money and length of Miller’s deal are legit. Good deal.
Limelight,
Take a look at Miller’s 3pt % over and attempts over the past few years. He attempted more last year than he had in the prior 5 years, and his 28% is the highest of his career.
It looks like maybe he quietly worked on his 3 point shot last off-season. Maybe he’ll do it again this off-season and be at least a little better than we’re expecting. Maybe hit north of 30%?
Jacob — My concern is that Miller will be relegated to spotting up at the three-point line, watching Roy play one-on-one. Their philosophy has seemed to be to pick up outside shooters to play off Roy.
Roy can only dominate the ball for so many minutes. When the game plan is give it to Roy and stand at the 3-point line Blake will be in there. When the plan is run the ball through the point, I think Miller will be in the game. I just hope McMillan sees it that way.
I hope he sees it that way too.
And where are those SERGIO HATERS now. Miller shoots as bad or worse than Sergio with little upside at his age. Their defense is a wash.
Andre has far more experience and luckily that’s what this team needs. Hopefully he doesn’t lead a mutiny over here like he allegedly did in Philly at the end of last year with our old pal Theo Ratliff.
FYI- Ratliff is another one of those overpaid NBA crooks I keep mentioning. Remember how well he played before the contract for 1/2 a season and the next season AFTER the contract he went in the tank with injuries when his pinky toe hurt.
Andre Miller brings intelligence and experience to the Blazers. He is not the final piece of the championship puzzle but an improvement to the team overall.
Bayless or Fernandez will probably be traded sometime next year for a young but true point guard. The new pg will have time to develop now.
Great move. If we want Oden to get better, we need to surround him with players that can get him the ball in scoring position. Dre is guy that can do that.
Dwight I think your going to be surpised. There is no way in hell Miller is going to be hanging out bye the 3 point line like Blake. That is Blakes game always has been. I don’t think Nate is controlling as much of that as you think. Blake can not beat his man off the dribble and create simple as that! You think Nate is going to stand in the way of Miller driving and getting easy baskets for everyone else? please.
Good point, but I’d like to see him try to drive while Roy has the ball.
What is the deal with Portland fans/media and the 3 point shot? Let me try to get something through everyone’s head.
3pt % of top PGs in NBA last season/career
Devin Harris – 29%/31%
Jason Kidd – 41%/34%
Derrick Rose – 22%/22%
Rajon Rondo – 31%/27%
Deron Williams – 31%/36%
CP3 – 36%/34%
And sense some people loved Brooks so much in that Houston series:
Aaron Brooks – 37%/36%
Miller was 28%/21% but he shot a total of 53 attempts last year. Meaning most of those attempts were last second shot clock, or last second quater heaves. The guys game is getting to the rim, and Coach Nate will love that about him, and change the way this team plays accordingly. Blake is a good back up because of his 3 point shot, but he only shoots 41% or so over all, that is HORRIBLE!
Miller hits 46% for his career overall, because he gets to the rim, gets fouled, and makes plays for his teammates, all things Blake can’t do. This is a good pick up for the team. He may be getting older, but his last two seasons where 2 of his top 3 ever. Plug him into PDX’s offense and this guy will make Oden and LMA much much better, as well as get Roy easier shots.
Most championships have been won at the hoop, not at the 3 point line, and a playmaking guard can facilitate getting someone open at the basket. Maybe, if we’re lucky, we’ll get to see what can happen with crisp ball movement.
Apparently, not being to shoot is code for not being able to shoot the three. Can’t shoot? How about career 46% field gold percentage and 80+% freethrow shooting. Before you guys go nuts on this Miller can’t shoot bandwagon, take a look at 3 point shooting for Tony Parker and Rajon Rondo. The guy can shoot and he can get to rim. I don’t think you are going to see Miller at the 3 point line
Is this Plan C or portion of Plan A?
I’m ok with picking Andre up, if we’re packaging one or more of Bayless/Rudy/Blake/outlaw/picks for a PG that can be third/second string and learn to take over in a couple years,
Remember when ROY and LMA are getting their older veteran cards, ODEN should be in his prime,
I agree this would create another logjam
I like the Miller signing. I’m not the least bit worried about his lack of 3pt shooting. He’s played for 10 plus years or so and it hasn’t stopped him from being a very good PG. Besides, there are plenty of other guys on this team who can shoot it. Miller adds other elements: post ups, penetration and playmaking. Those are things that the blazers have lacked from their PGs and now they will have them. Perhaps the most important part is that Miller will allow Blake to flourish as a third guard off of the bench.
“Miller adds other elements: post ups, penetration and playmaking. Those are things that the blazers have lacked from their PGs and now they will have them.”
Exactly. And check out Miller’s PER from last season. One more thing: Roy was the center piece of off-the-dribble offense last year b/c he had to be. We had no other effective penetrators. This allowed teams to focus in on jamming up Roy. (Remember The Drive of the Houston series, where Portland the ball and chance to win. Roy isolation, drove to hole, defense collapsed, no basket. Now you put Roy in a position to shoot J’s off Miller kicks (prolonging career) or take it to the hole against a defense rotating from the Miller penetration. And don’t understestimate just HOW GOOD Roy, LMA, Rudy, and TO could look in TRANSITION, with a guy like Miller who knows how to run. Oh, and we gave up nothing to pull this off. If we need spot-up 3 shooting, Steve Blake is waiting in the wings.
I disagree! I’m not sure Bayless is a point guard but he could be a great combo guard off the bench. He is a shaky shooter and not a willing passer; however, he can get to the rim and finish. The reason I disagree is because he is so young and green. Miller is pretty old and will probably only be good for a couple more years. This gives Bayless time to mature and develop his role on the team.
Will he ever mature? Mentally, I mean.
Miller’s skill set is the polar opposite of Blake’s. While Miller is a bad 3 point shooter, but he has the good sense not to take them much. He averages 0.6 attempts/game in his career. It’s also notable that he has played in 80+ games in every one of the 10 seasons he has been in the NBA. Durability is worth something.
Does anyone else get excited for Greg Oden by this John Hollinger quote?
“Despite his [Andre Miller's] chunky appearance he’s an outstanding open-court player who throws the alley-oop as well as anyone who has ever played the game.”
yes!
Wow…KP lost his FA virginity this summer. Outstanding! I’m going to have cherries for dessert tonight.
Okay, can we now stop sticking pins into the Pritchard voodoo doll now?
Peace.
This is a great day to be a Blazer fan. We just upgraded at the one spot we had no chance of getting better at on our own.
All the other spots have the potential for someone to make a surprising leap forward. My pick is Batum. I think he’s going to be the surprise….again.
Outlaw would be nice. What if the light went on with him?
Oden and LMA are also dealing with some readily accessible upside. What happens if they show solid improvement?
With PG on a more solid footing we are loaded and ready to go. The beauty of eliminating a weak spot is that you can focus on other things.
I love this roster. Pritchard has done it again.
bye bye bayless
This is a fantastic move. He is old, sure, but he is an upgrade over Sergio in every way except in outside shooting where they pretty much break even. He is a playmaker and a finisher. Having both Miller and Blake gives us a lot of flexibility in our offense since both bring different skill sets to the table.
Miller is an excellent addition to the Blazers (better than Millsap and definitely better than Turkoglu). Now, if only they could have also gotten Lee in a sign and trade, that would have capped a tremendous off-season.
Miller has been a very productive player throughout his career and the Blazers shouldn’t mind including Bayless in a trade (heck, trade Bayless and LaMarcus to NYK for Lee and the Blazers will become contenders in the West).
Bayless and LaMarcus for David Lee? Do you expect the Knicks to call after KP has gotten drunk celebrating the Andre Miller signing?
David Lee isn’t an upgrade over Aldridge, he would be a nice high energy back up, but that’s all. Come on mmm, that deal would be insane.
Not sure I agree that Bayless is history after only one season. KP’s MO is to let rooks sink or swim, and then discard the ones who sink, even if at fire sale prices (see: Rodriguez, Sergio).
Bayless can’t play the 1 at this point, but he’s still a useful player. And, if as you predict Dwight that Rudy F. might want to move on, Bayless might become an attractive off-the-bench 2.
Plus, he’s got better defensive prospects than either Miller or Blake. Whether he can learn effective NBA defense still remains to be seen…
Bottom line: This deal makes J-Bay more expendable–but it also makes it far less likely that we would trade Bayless for a PG; not a position of need in the short term.
Great move IMO. People forget how well Miller pushes the ball, which should get Portland many more easy fast break points.
And I disagree with the notion that Miller will be sitting in the corner deferring to Roy. Yes Brandon is great with the ball in his hands but it shouldn’t be so hard for him to adjust his game and play off the ball a little more. Just think of what he could do in the post against smaller guards. With his size and skill he could really punish guys in there.
As for Bayless’ situation, I find it extremely hard to believe they would give up on him so quick, especially with Pritchard’s track record with young players. I think it’s much more likely that Blake will be moved together with Travis Outlaw.
Quick word of praise:
Your comments on Bayless have really been a breath of fresh air among all the hype. I have never felt comfortable with the young man, considering his stats (see http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/portland-hope/) and his attitude, as you have very clearly underscored. Too bad the Blazers didn’t trade up for Lawson, huh?
Looks like he has signed…
Miller adds experience, leadership, and court direction for our young Blazers. He can create his own shot, is deadly on the pick and roll, and is a above average ballhandler. His ability to find the open man should prove to be quite lethal as we have an array of 3 point shooters.
I also liked what I saw of him during playoff time. He really stepped up and that is what Portland needs the most.
I am concerned about his defense. The west has some lightning fast point guards and my hope is he can stay in front of them.
I wouldn’t necessarily say this is the end for Bayless. He is only 20 and could learn alot from a true point like Andre.
We definently upgraded our team significantly with this signing, and yes we will soon be able to contend with the best
This signing will get Portland to the Western Conference Finals.
Here’s the things I like:
Miller can feed an improved Oden like no one else on the Blazers. That’s “big”.
Miller can post up any dinky PG’s they match up against him. He’s outstanding at this.
His mid range shooting is very good.
He can drive and dish and his free throw shooting is excellent.
He’s very durable.
If the Blazers keep Bayless, Bayless is going to learn from him.
He’ll relate really well with Nate.
His size, experience and playing style is close to Chauncey Billups except for the 3 point shooting – and who knows – maybe he’ll get better at that.
I was impressed that Miller charmed KP and Nate at “the dinner” with his ability to push the buttons they wanted pushed. That shows an understanding and savvy that bodes well for the future.
I’m drinkng the kool-aid.
Yawn… there HAS to be some other move coming on the horizon. I can’t see this alone taking us to the WCF.
Also, ESPN is making it seem like Miller was Plan D after we were unable to get a deal made with David Lee. We had to go ahead and get Miller now rather than run the risk of losing him during that seven day period that the Knicks would have had to match any offer we made to Lee.
Summer Poker?
After the Hedo deal fell through- is it possible that Prichard waited to get Miller after Bayless proved he wasn’t ready to take big PG minutes? So the Milsap deal was a stall tactic, betting that no one else had the money and interest in Miller.
This gave them time to evaluate Bayless to make sure they weren’t spending on Miller when some other positional gap could have been shored up better with the FA money.
that does sound like a KP move….I always thought that milisap was like being in an auction but only to run up the price cus you know who is obsessed which getting it…I got to have it!