Yardbarker: LaMarcus Aldridge

Big-L, Little-a, Marcus

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:29:13 -0500

I feel like this should be an open letter to the rest of the Association. See, while everyone (including Portland Trailblazer's hype machinists) is so focused on the continued ascension of BRoy, the debut of Gregor Oden, the arrival of Rudy F. Baby and Jerryd Bayless, I can't help but feel like that Longhorn alum, Texas native, and 2006 Big 12 Defensive player of the year, LaMarcus Aldridge gets lost in the hustle and bustle. Make no mistake, Portland fans appreciate this man. We appreciate the crap out of him, because for about 8 years we watched, loved… tolerated Rasheed Wallace. He was an All-Star for us. He led us to a Western Conference Finals, and within 1 quarter of the NBA Finals and ultimately an NBA Championship. Most of us really didn't even care that he accumulated Technical Fouls at a clip that would make Dennis Rodman blush. Little-a, is our Rasheed Wallace redux. Only this time we get a star that has all the tools to be an All-Star sans the baggage. And LA's numbers in his second year are already better than Sheed's in either of his 2x All-Star years here in Portland. Everyone who has been around Aldridge recognizes his work ethic and determination to improve. His college coach Rick Barnes noted that he's never seen a player work so hard to becoming better. (*Side note: LaMarcus Aldrige is probably the first athlete from UT at Austin to work hard… it is a resort there, and I think sports stars weren't meant to apply themselves extracurricularly) And it clearly worked, he went from a season ending injury as a freshman to leading the 'Horns to the Elite Eight the following year, a spot as a 3rd team All-American, and the aforementioned Conference Defensive Player of the Year. His roll hasn't slowed since joining the pro ranks. My boy on the inside with the Blazers expects LA to have a Monster year. He's been a beast in the offseason every year, and is determined to help his team win, but also to joining his teammates with some acclaim on the national level. I don't doubt that he will continue to improve on his numbers. From season 1 to season 2, his stats received significant increases: points +8.8, assists +1.2, rebounds +2.6, and almost a half a steal more per game. The presence of a dominant Oden in the pivot only serves to improve LA's opportunities, and Little-a says he stretched out his range to the arch, so you can expect him to not only increase his % numbers, but to help open up the middle for Oden as much as Oden will sink defenses to free up LA. Little-a was already a horse. Brought an all-around game that arguably made him the most valuable Blazer. He could very well have rested on his laurels. Many professionals do. What many pro's don't do is be this good and this versatile this early, many don't go out and get better every day. So while one might say that Blaze Nation has too many young talented players, what we also have is a consistent, reliable, and quiet rising star. Take notice everyone. LaMarcus Aldrige is rolling, he's going to bring his team and whole Upper Left Coast with him, and he doesn't look like he's slowing down. p.s. Ask Sean Williams how he feels about trying to stop LA.

2008 Fantasy Hoops Rankings: Power Forwards

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 01:49:37 -0500

FIO and TalkHoops.net staff writer Zach Harper breaks down the Top 25 power forwards heading into fantasy basketball drafts this season, including in-depth analysis about the Top 10 and some notes about the remaining players on the list.

Position rankings: Whose the best PF?

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:11:44 -0500

1. Tim Duncan, San Antonio: Duncan continues to be the most vital player to the Spurs, even with the emergence of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. It is still Duncan getting double-teamed in the low post, setting the table for that twosome. And did we mention his four NBA championships? 2. Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix: The only thing left for Stoudemire is to begin making teammates better. Stoudemire is the most dominant big man in the game, more impactful than a fading Shaquille O'Neal and a burgeoning Dwight Howard. 3. Kevin Garnett, Boston: One of Garnett's greatest assets as a player -- his willingness to defer to teammates -- unfortunately keeps him No. 3 on this list. As great a player as Garnett is, he doesn't get enough credit for being a "glue guy." Don't downplay that he's in the figurative Teammate Hall of Fame. 4. Chris Bosh, Toronto: Before the Beijing Olympics, Bosh probably would have been about eighth or ninth on this list. Not anymore. His willingness to play inside and do the dirty work for Team USA portends well for the Raptors. If Bosh uses that style as his foundation and complements it with his skilled perimeter and low-post game, he's going to be a real headache. He also appears to have the look of a leader. 5. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas: Nowitzki may never again reclaim his good name after the 2006-07 playoff debacle against the Warriors, but he's still one of the league's elite players. Now that Nowitzki has settled into his NBA career, it seems apparent: He's going to need to be a team's second-best player in order to win a title. No shame there, just the way it is. 6. Carlos Boozer, Utah: Boozer is a numbers machine, in large part because he is such a big part of the Jazz offense. He has proved that game in and game out, he's going to win the power forward matchup most of the time. But this might be as high as Boozer gets because he's never going to be a great defender or shot-blocker, and his passing is so-so at best. 7. Pau Gasol, L.A. Lakers: When Gasol came into the league, he was soft. Period. After years of getting beaten on in both the NBA and international play, Gasol began to fight back and grew into a tougher, feistier player. His performance in the NBA Finals made it obvious that he still needs to make more progress, but he's working on it. 8. Elton Brand, Philadelphia: We wanted to put Brand higher on this list, we really did. But we couldn't. Brand's career is slipping away as he enters his 10th season. Sure, he has nice numbers, but his teams have had virtually no success. Of course, that's not his fault, but you can't reward him for it, either. Twelve playoff games ... all in one season. If that doesn't change in 2008-09 with Philly, something is really wrong. 9. David West, New Orleans: One of the league's best-kept secrets. West is strong enough that you must defend him with another power forward. But he's as reliable as they come from 16 to 18 feet out, making him a very difficult cover. 10. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland: All he needs is time. Aldridge is going to be a matchup nightmare for opponents because he is 6-foot-11 and can score effectively with a face-up jumper and a low-post game. He'll be even more effective -- at both ends of the floor -- playing alongside Greg Oden. 11. Josh Smith, Atlanta: Smith is as athletic as they come and has a flair for the spectacular. In between the highlights, however, there are some issues: turnovers, free throw shooting and defense. He also can disappear for stretches here and there. But there is a heck of a lot to work with here. 12. Al Jefferson, Minnesota: He's listed as a power forward in the Timberwolves' media guide, so that's good enough for us. Unfortunately, that's going to push him down this list because he needs to add another dimension to scoring and rebounding. 13. Antawn Jamison, Washington: Jamison has been a total professional over the course of his career, not to mention a consistent scorer and rebounder. The unorthodoxy of his game is perhaps Jamison's most consistent weapon. 14. Rashard Lewis, Orlando: He's not a natural power forward, but he plays one a lot of the time for the Magic. Lewis is another guy whose résumé looks a little thin as his career flies by (he's entering his 11th season). Lewis has missed the playoffs more years (six) than his teams have made them (four), and he never has made it past Round 2. 15. Michael Beasley, Miami: It's always tough to know exactly how a player will "translate" once he enters the league. But by all indications, Beasley appears to have size and skill, can shoot it a little bit and puts it on the floor. If Beasley is, indeed, well-rounded, then he's already ahead of the rest of guys on this list. 16. Zach Randolph, New York: Rarely has so little been done with so much. Randolph proved early in his career that he could put up points and rebounds on a nightly basis, but that's the extent of what he did. The results are very nice-looking numbers, but upon further inspection they prove hollow. 17. Paul Millsap, Utah: He could start on about 20 other teams in the NBA, but he's just another point-rebound machine in Utah. It's going to be difficult for the Jazz to keep both Boozer and Millsap long term. 18. Drew Gooden, Chicago: He's not a perfect player, but he has provided 12 and eight over the course of his career. Gooden can hold his own much of the time on the defensive end. But he tends to be a little sloppy and careless, and the fact of the matter is that Chicago is his fourth team since he came into the league in 2002. 19. Nene, Denver: Nene returned from testicular cancer last season and got stronger as the season wore on. This season all systems are go, and now there are freed-up minutes because of the Marcus Camby/Eduardo Najera departures. 20. Ben Wallace, Cleveland: He was exposed once he left the Pistons a few years back. Wallace is no longer the intimidator he has been in the past, nor the defender, either. And he'll be an offensive liability 'til the end of time.

Blazers 2008-09 Season Preview

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:57:44 -0500

2007-08 Finish - 41 wins, 41 losses, 3rd place in the NW Division, 9 games out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Projected Starters: PG-Steve Blake SG-Brandon Roy SF-Martell Webster PF-LaMarcus Aldridge C-Greg Oden Key Reserves: SF-Travis Outlaw PG/SG-Jerryd Bayless SG-Rudy Fernandez C-Joel Przybilla PF/C-Channing Frye Bottom 4: PF-Ike Diogu-energy guy (think Turiaf-lite) that won't get much PT. SF-Nicolas Batum-Very young, very raw. I'm seeing some D-League in your future, young man. PG-Sergio Rodriguez-Get your resume updated ASAP. I'd start here then work towards this after a few years of experience. You're welcome. Practice Dummy: SF-Luke Jackson-The rumor of his preseason/practice signing has not been confirmed by the Blazers' Brass yet, but either way, i cant really say much about playing 73 games in 5 years of NBA contracts as the #7 pick in the draft...other than he has a career .357% FG percentage. Maybe he failed a drug test? You know, he did go to a nationaly recognized school after all. Season outlook, thoughts, and things to look for in 2008-09: If you've seen the schedule for the upcoming season then you understand getting off to a great start will be difficult. Portland's first 5 games are @LA, SA at home then @PHX the next night, @Utah, then home against Houston. Starting 0-5 isn't out of the question. Oh, and 16 of Portland's first 24 games are on the road. Take that, season ticket holders. With that said... I expect Portland to come out of the games slow and would have said that even with an easier looking schedule. the reason is that the Blazers will have three rookies who will want and need to be playing prominant roles next year and for years to come. Greg, Jerryd, and Rudy all look to be important pieces to the puzzle and look even more important as B-Roy continues his streak of injuries. A .500 record for the first 24 games would be great considering only 8 of them will be at home and of course learning to play with one another. Portland will have growing pains but i expect them to finish the year strong and make some noise in the western conference playoff picture. With some of the lesser teams getting better i doubt it will take 50 wins to get in the playoffs next year but it will still likely take 46-49. If Portland starts 12-12 then can go 13-12 on the road the rest of the way, the Blazers could be in the thick of things given their home success. This is where I project them finishing and can really see this happening after playing with each other for a couple months. But, what will the 8 seed get you in the West? A series with the Lakers. How fun would that series be? Blazers/Lakers games have been heated since the turn of the century, this one would be no different. Side note: A Blazers-Lakers round 1 playoff series is very possible this year. If Portland's current roster is the one that will get them to the playoffs and beyond, one of two things will absolutely need to happen in my mind and I feel the second on this list most important (and very attainable). First, Travis Outlaw needs to build off his breakout season and become comfortable in the 6th man role. What does he need to work on? He needs to rebound better and slash more from the perimeter if Portland is intending on giving him many more minutes at the 3 as they said they would do early this summer. The Blazers really need a defender on the wing so Travis would have to develop defensively if he wants to be part of the big 3. In reality, Travis looks to be best suited as a guy who comes off the bench and provides a spark as we seen him do last year (just ask fans in Atlanta, Memphis, and Toronto how they feel about TO). This is a roll he's been good at in the NBA and I think his ceiling isn't much higher then last season. Blazer fans, this is a good thing - he won't command more dollars then Portland is willing to pay him. 6th men are very important in this league and finding one who is able to take and make game changing shots is very limited. Some TO highlights for your viewing pleasure to follow... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzckjCIzlO4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzq4ozGwoOM Second, Martell Webster. We've all been waiting for Martell's breakout season since he was drafted #6 overall in 2005. What do the Blazers need out of Martell for him to keep his starting spot and role as the 4th/5th best player in the starting unit? Three things; the ability to hit the open jumper, be Portland's best perimeter defender, and continue slashing like he did towards the end of last season. I see no reason he can't do these things on a more consistent basis, especially knowing he will only see 25-35 minutes of court time on a given night. We've all seen him shoot the rock, we know he can do that (see below). We also know he has the ability to attack the rim. What we haven't seen is enough ability to consistently be our top perimeter defender. Because we watched flashes of this last year I think a breakout year is on the brink. I have a feeling Martell will turn out to be the 3 that Portland needs to compete at the next level. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMVXnJDBtnI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anm3JEG6B2E The new additions: Oden, Bayless, Fernandez Greg Oden's health is obviously a major concern at this point. While nobody in their right mind doubts his abilities when healthy, taking a year off of basketball activity must be incredibly hard to overcome (ask D Miles). But, this is something that can be done (ask Amare Stoudamire). With how this surgery is progressing in just the last few years I'm optimistic Greg will be back and the knee will be as good as Amare's. If so, you can expect Oden to be a huge part of Portland's success. It's very possible that he averages over 12 and 10 with a block in his rookie season. That is, if he can manage to stay on the court (no Greg, fouling 9.5 times a game during the summer league is no longer okay). Early, and I mean real early, reports are that Greg and his knee look fantastic. I'm almost as pumped as I was when I seen B-Roy standing there after winning the lottery. What the Blazers need Greg to bring to the table in his rookie season is defense, a resemblance of an offensive game, and toughness. I think Joel should be able to take care of the latter during training camp. Jerryd Bayless looked great in summer league, winning MVP honors in Las Vegas. He proved he can score, slash, get to the rim with the ball, and play with intensity. The only problem with summer league performance is that summer league is home of rookies, D-leaguers, and scrubs (Yes, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, you're both scrubs). White I fully expect Bayless to contribute from day one with his speed and shooting ability alone, I expect it to take awhile for him to be able to run the point effectively and learn to defer to proven players on the team with NBA experience. In crunch time JB should develop into being the perfect complement to Roy. When you need a bucket late in the 4th quarter a lineup of Bayless, Roy, TO, Aldridge, and Oden sounds pretty potent. Bayless won't give you nightmares as a defender but his speed and lateral quickness should allow him to at least stay in front of most point guards in the NBA as the year goes on. Bayless should get both backup PG and SG minutes and his role will grow as the year goes on. Something like 8, 4, and 3 feels about right in his first year if given minutes. His scoring will be sporadic as he adjusts his not-so-fast jump shot release but will still make an impact on the offensive end. Rudy Fernandez has looked both great and questionable at times during the 2008 summer Olympics. I won't break down his play by play as i've seen on some sites but i will give my opinions about what I have seen so far. He gambles on defense. Against teams other then team USA his gambling usually leads to a steal and dunk or assist. Now, i'm not saying every team in the NBA is better then all the teams in the Olympics but, I would say all the teams that made the playoffs in the west would win this tournament (excluding team USA). Like Bayless, Rudy can stroke the ball from anywhere on the court and at times, unfortunately, he knows this too. A few shots he has taken are questionable at best and at times i think he gets caught up in the moment so much that he feels he's got to take that off balance three. One thing he has done really well is pass the ball - and not just passing it to pass it, but passing the ball with a purpose to the right spot at the right time. This has been pleasantly surprising. I've loved watching his feistiness and can't wait to see him in the NBA. We've all watched the you-tube videos of Rudy dunking, passing, and shooting and understand that he is a special player. But, will he stay in the USA? Will he stay with the Blazers with the growing talent at their disposal to spell B-Roy at the 2? I hope so. Stats similar to Bayless' sound about right during his rookie season. Let's play ball The only thing we can be certain about is what what Roy, LMA, Joel and Steve Blake bring to the table. These rolls won't change other than small changes in minutes per game. The question is how will the new comers gel and how will the Blazers veterans respond to their new roles? Can Martell be the guy on the perimeter that Portland needs? Only time will tell. Healthy knees permitting, the future looks brighter then ever in Portland an I for one will be there to watch. Article originally posted on August 21st, 2008

The Bargnani Experiment

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:00:53 -0500

Do you know which Bargnani we will get this season? I sure as hell don't.

Team Preview #16: Portland Trail Blazers

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:37:00 -0500

Rudy Fernandez vs. Jerryd Bayless and a Greg Oden poll... LAST SEASON The Blazers had a 13-game win streak in December and boasted a 22-13 record at one point, but finished at an even .500, which wasn't bad considering they lost their prized #1 pick before the season. If you've wondered why Portland hasn't been a haven for fantasy stars in recent years, just look at their pace factor under Nate McMillan: 87.9 in '07-08 (29th), 88.3 in '06-07 (29th), and 87.6 in '05-06 (28th). As a result, the Blazers ranked 27th in scoring, 25th in rebounds, and 23rd in FG attempts last season. OFFSEASON MOVES Key Additions: Rudy Fernandez, Jerryd Bayless, Ike Diogu, Nicolas Batum Key Losses: Jarrett Jack, James Jones, Josh McRoberts, Darius Miles The Blazers were busy on draft day, as they traded away Jack, McRoberts, and their #13 pick (Brandon Rush) to Indiana for Ike Diogu and the rights to Jerryd Bayless. Kevin Pritchard has said that Bayless is "like Jack on steroids," so he sounds like a pretty solid replacement (for now or down the road?). In college, Diogu dominated the Pac-10 like few power forwards have done before him, but he's yet to blossom in the pros. He's still only 24 tho, so if he finds his niche and lands in the right situation (is his 3rd team the charm?), I could see him playing a productive role. Portland picked up a French forward with serious upside (Batum) later in the draft, and also received FOUR future 2nd round picks for Pritchard to play with. At small forward, the Blazers are going to miss the sweet shooting of James Jones, who signed with Miami over the summer. Fortunately, they're bringing in one of the most talented & seasoned European players to replace him in Rudy Fernandez. They've also signed swingman Luke Jackson, which is notable simply because he played college ball at Oregon. Darius Miles hasn't played since 2006, but he recently signed a non-guaranteed contract with Boston and Portland will be watching him closely. If Miles makes the team and plays in 10 regular season games, Portland will lose the $18 million (over 2 years) in cap space that they received when they waived him due to a "career-ending" injury. ROTATION / PLAYING TIME I would love to watch a preseason game or two before predicting Portland's rotation, but no worries… This team is led by Brandon Roy, the 24-year old who reps the Pacific Northwest to the fullest (born and raised in Seattle & a Washington Husky). He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a partial tear in the meniscus of his left knee earlier this month and is expected to be out 4-8 weeks, which sounds kind of scary at first, but Brandon sounds pretty optimistic in this recent interview. If he's good to go, he'll average 37-38 minutes per game just like last year. In that interview, they also talk about Portland's tough schedule to open up the season, which pretty much solidifies Steve Blake as the opening night starting point guard if you ask me. He averaged 29.9 mpg last season, and I'll project him to play 30-32 minutes to start out '08-09. Jerryd Bayless turned some heads in the Vegas Summer League, but after watching Rudy Fernandez play in the Olympics, there's no doubt in my mind that the Spaniard will be the first guard off the bench for Coach Nate. I'll project Rudy to get 16-20 minutes right off the bat backing up both Roy & Blake, which leaves maybe 8-10 minutes left for Bayless & Sergio Rodriguez (more experience and also a Spaniard) to fight over. We'll come back to these guys in a minute. There's a new man in the middle for Portland, as Greg Oden is set to make his long-awaited NBA debut. I'll project 28-30 minutes for November-December, 30-32 minutes for January-February, and 32+ minutes for March-April. Backing him up is the veteran Joel Przybilla, who will see his minutes fall from 23.6 to well under 20 this season. Raef LaFrentz is their dusty secret weapon, but we can always reminisce about his last days in Denver (3 blocks & 1.5 threes per game before getting traded to Dallas!). At power forward, LaMarcus Aldridge should see 34-36 minutes of action, while Channing Frye backs him up. Diogu is the odd man out for now, but he's just one injury away from finding his role. At small forward, Martell Webster (21 years old, 28.4 mpg) and Travis Outlaw (23 years old, 26.6 mpg) will battle it out once again. Outlaw actually played a lot more power forward last season, but thanks to Mr. Oden, there's a squeeze on minutes. Long-time readers know that I'd prefer the gazelle to start, but McMillan said they needed Outlaw's scoring punch on the 2nd unit last season. With scorers like Rudy & Bayless (and even Diogu) now coming off the bench, that point is a little less valid, which is why I think the battle will come down to defense. My prediction? Webster will start on opening night and play 26 minutes to Outlaw's 22. But when Portland endures their first long losing streak, they will turn to T. Outlaw, who will seize the opportunity and play 28+ minutes the rest of the way. DON'T SLEEP ON: Rudy Fernandez If you're still sleeping on Rodolfo Fernandez, please click here. As you can see, the guy isn't afraid to attack the rim and he can score from pretty much anywhere on the floor. He has a weird quick release and likes to shoot off-balance, but just check the stats if you don't think his style is effective. In Spain's top ACB League, Fernandez played in 30 games last season and put up the following line: 21.2 points, 4.1 assists, 2.2 steals, 3.0 threes, 49.2% FG, 41.1% 3P, 91.4% FT Those are some very impressive numbers, especially when you consider that he did it in just 28 minutes of action. In the Gold medal game against Kobe & company, things were no different, as Rudy dropped in 22 points on just 13 field goal attempts in only 18 minutes! He also made some sweet passes, handled the rock well, and looked great moving around without the ball. DraftExpress gives Fernandez a Best-case comparison to Kevin Martin (I remember DX raving about Kev-Mart's offensive skills well before he was drafted by the Kings), and I think that comparison is SPOT ON. Rudy might not get huge minutes to start the season, but at some point during crunch time, he, Roy, and Outlaw are going to play together and something will click into place. Along with Aldridge & Oden, I imagine that being Portland's best lineup, but if you wait too long to see it, Rudy might already be gone in your league. So don't sleep! BE CAREFUL OF: Jerryd Bayless If any "fantasy experts" are hyping up BOTH Fernandez & Bayless to start the season, I suggest you call SHENANIGANS, because there's no such thing and it's not gonna happen. Yes, the Wildcat averaged an impressive 29.8 points in 4 Summer League contests and seems to be an explosive scorer, but he stands just 6-feet-3 with shoes on and sports an average 6-3 wingspan. This means that he's supposed to be a combo guard, but in those 4 games, he dished out just 5 assists to 15 turnovers. His 1.36 assist-to-turnover ratio in college wasn't much better, so I'm definitely not sold on Jerryd's point guard skills. Which means that he's currently just an undersized shooting guard. And the last time a 20-year old (Bayless was still 19 a week ago) undersized shooting guard had fantasy value as a rookie was ??? Blake isn't very flashy, but he's a dependable veteran PG who's going to get his minutes. And Rudy & Roy make for an extremely versatile backcourt duo, so unless Roy's knee gets worse and he has to miss some games, I think you can safely ignore any "Jerryd Bayless = sleeper" talk. ROUND BY ROUND TARGETS (Where you should draft these guys in an 8-cat Roto league with 12 teams and 14 man rosters) Roy: 5th - 6th Oden: 5th - 6th Aldridge: 6th - 7th Blake: 12th - 14th Outlaw: 13th - 14th Fernandez: Last round Webster: Last round (if you need threes) Bayless: Don't draft (but watch if Roy can't play) Click the link to vote on Greg Oden's fantasy ranking!

Top 10 Fantasy Basketball Value Picks

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:21:14 -0500

Because everybody loves lists! These aren't sleepers... they're just people who I think will be overlooked come draft day and are guys you can look to snag later than they might actually be ranked - thus providing good value for your pick. 10. Kirk Hinrich - He had a bad year. Before last season he was a Top 50 player. Of course, if he loses his starting spot to Derrick Rose, then all bets are off, but I'm sure that you'll be able to draft him deep enough to make it worth what he ends up producing. 9. David Lee - Something tells me the opportunity for offensive rebounds is going to go way up in NYC this season. Lee is going to grab them and put them back, and even make his free throws. Not bad for someone Yahoo says you can put at C. 8. LaMarcus Aldridge - Yes, I am aware that the Blazers will now be starting Greg Oden instead of, say, Channing Frye. But that doesn't mean Aldridge is just going to drop off. He and Oden should compliment each other with their respective finesse and force styles. (Finesse & Force. How's that for an ad slogan?) Try to convince everyone in your league that Aldridge is going to be overshadowed by Oden and you'll have a great pick. 7. Andrew Bynum - Yes, I am aware that the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol after Bynum was injured last season. I see Bynum and Gasol as a new version of the Twin Towers. Plus, they can both run with the Showtime offense. If Bynum lasts into the 3rd round, he's money in the bank. 6. David West - I think a lot of people just attribute West's success to Chris Paul. And yes, Paul does make other players better, but West would probably still be a 3rd round pick on just about any other team. He's not quite the magic 20-10 yet, but he also shoots 85% from the line. 5. Nick Collison - There's not really anyone the Team Formerly Knowns As The Seattle SuperSonics who can play Center as well as Collison. Sure there's Chris Wilcox, but they split time last season, and it worked out pretty well for both of them. I think a lot of people don't realize you can still pick up decent players going into the 9th and 10th rounds. 4. Jermaine O'Neal - Another example of Finesse and Power. Chris Bosh is the finesse in this case. He's too skinny to really bang down low. That's the whole reason the Raptors got O'Neal (well, that, and they had a redundant yet valuable Point Guard). He might still be down on some people's lists because of injury worries, and that's fine. Just don't let a 20-10 guy slip through the 6th because he might only play half a season - especially if you're in a Head-to-Head league. 3. Corey Maggette - I feel like no one ever realizes just how valuable Maggette is. He shoots 9 free throws a game at 81+ percent. That alone is enough to average Dwight Howard's free throw shooting into a 70% for your team. Add in that he should be the starting SG for the Run-SMC (Stephen-Monta-Corey) Warriors, and you've got someone with Top 50 potential who'll probably end up in the 5th or 6th round. 2. Bobby Simmons - I think most people are wondering how Yi Jianlian will do in New Jersey, but really, the key is Simmons. He should start and get the majority of the minutes as either SG or SF alongside Vince Carter. 1. Rajon Rondo - The Celtics are returning almost exactly the same roster as last season. But Rondo has only played 2 full seaons and a championship playoff run. He has a lot of room for improvement. Yeah, his FT% sucks, but as long as he only shoots 2+ per game, you'll be okay. In the playoffs he maintained his 10 PPG average while increasing his assists to 6.6. Yes, there are many better Point Guards, but not ones that will still be available going into the 7th or 8th round. To see where Patrick and I think that players should be drafted, be sure to check out the Give Me The Rock 2008-09 Fantasy Basketball Big Board: http://givemetherock.com/2008/08/12/gmtr-fantasy-basketball-big-board-updated-august-12/

Trail Blazers Win 2008 PRISM Award

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:57:08 -0500

The Portland Trail Blazers have been named the 2008 recipient of the Turnkey PRISM Award, President Larry Miller announced today. The PRISM is awarded annually to the professional sports franchise that demonstrates industry-leading excellence and innovation in sport franchise management across five key business criteria: strategic planning, innovative marketing, community relations, customer service and employee relations. "Trail Blazers employees have dedicated themselves to the ongoing effort to restore our proud tradition among fans and partners," Miller said. "The 2008 Turnkey PRISM Award is a tremendous honor, a validation of our hard work, and a great motivator to continue to provide the best experience possible." Two PRISM Awards are presented annually – one to a major league team and one to a minor league team – by the Department of Sports Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst . The Trail Blazers are the fourth NBA team to receive the Major League honor in the award's eight-year history.In 2007-08, the Trail Blazers invited fans to "Rise With Us," capturing the return of Rip City by taking fans behind-the-scenes throughout the season and launched "Make It Better," a comprehensive community outreach program that touched the lives of more than 93,000 Oregonians.The Trail Blazers led the NBA in attendance increase (up 3,190 per game from 2006-07) and orchestrated innovative campaigns lauding the arrival of Greg Oden ("Oden vs. Durant"), touting Brandon Roy ("iRoy") and campaigning for LaMarcus Aldridge (ripcityrising.com) for Most Improved Player. Additionally, the team enhanced the fan experience at the Rose Garden with improvements that included the installation of a state-of-the-art center hung video board, a new sound system and a full-service brew pub, Pyramid Taproom at Schonely's Place. The Trail Blazers will be recognized with a full-page ad in an upcoming issue of Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, the industry's leading trade publication. Source: Portland Trail Blazers OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORKCuban is Saying All the Right Things About the Cubs - The Biz of Baseball Ranking the Top 10 Markets for Relocation or Expansion - The Biz of Baseball SEE IT: MLB, Cardinals Release All-Star Game Logo - The Biz of Baseball MLB Net Taps Art Marquez for Sales. Harlem Office Delayed - The Biz of Baseball Skimgate Continues, Yankee Employees Placed on Leave - The Biz of Baseball How Mark Cuban Has Become a Front Runner for Cubs - The Biz of Baseball Fenway Sports Group Signs PGA Tour Pro Brett Quigley - The Biz of Baseball Biz of Baseball Organizational Report - Houston Astros - The Biz of Baseball Sunday MLB on TBS: Comments from Angels/Yankees Game - The Biz of Baseball Dodger Stadium to Host Semis and Finals of WBC - The Biz of Baseball Chicago's Wrigley Field to Host Next Outdoor Classic on New Years Day - The Biz of Hockey NHL Network To Commemorate 20th Anniversary of Gretzky Trade to Kings - The Biz of Hockey NHL Coaching Carousel Slows, Teams Line-Up Coaching Staffs - The Biz of Hockey Canucks Raise Prices, Retain Season Ticket Holders - The Biz of Hockey Chicago's Wrigley Field to Host Next Outdoor Classic on New Years Day - The Biz of Hockey Jaromir Jagr First Major NHL Player to Crossover to Continental Hockey League - The Biz of Hockey Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

NBA Teams to look out for in 08-09

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:58:53 -0500

Trailblazers, 76ers, Bulls, Heat, Grizzlies

Blazers Sign Spanish Guard, Rudy Fernandez

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:11:17 -0500

The Portland Trail Blazers reached an agreement to sign Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez, it was announced today by general manager Kevin Pritchard. "I am so excited about joining the Trail Blazers and the NBA," said Fernandez. "The whole staff did a tremendous job making me feel like a very important team member to them and made me forget about the economic issues because of the rookie scale. "My dream has been to play in the NBA and Portland is giving me this opportunity. I was amazed about everything that Mr. Allen, Kevin Pritchard, Coach McMillan and the rest of the guys did to show me how much they wanted me. Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, I can't wait to play with them. We will do nice things!"Fernandez, 23, spent the past seven seasons playing for DKV Joventut Badalona in the Spanish ACB League, and is a regular member of the Spanish National Team. "We are thrilled to finally have Rudy Fernandez in a Trail Blazers jersey," said Pritchard. "Rudy is a tremendously talented player who has achieved great things in Spain and Europe. His work ethic and character will fit well with the culture we've created here, and we're very excited to get him on the floor after the Olympics."Portland acquired Fernandez in a 2007 Draft Day trade with Phoenix that was finalized July 11, 2007. The Trail Blazers received the draft rights to Fernandez (selected by the Suns with the 24th overall pick) and James Jones in exchange for cash considerations.The 6-6 guard is coming off his best professional season to date in 2007-08, when he averaged 21.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.2 steals and shot 41.0% from 3-point range in 30 league games. DKV Joventut Badalona won both the ULEB Cup and The Copa del Rey this season, with Fernandez taking home MVP honors in both competitions.A longtime member of the Spanish National Team, Fernandez played a key role for his country in the 2004 Olympic Games (7th place), 2006 FIBA World Championships (Gold Medal) and 2007 FIBA European Basketball Championships (Silver Medal). He is scheduled to play in the 2008 Olympic Games this summer. With the move to Portland, Fernandez will become the eighth Spaniard to play in the NBA and the third for the Trail Blazers, joining Fernando Martin (1986-87) and Sergio Rodriguez (2006-present). Source: Portland Trial Blazers OTHER NEWS ACROSS THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK Derek Jeter Joins "Gillette Champions" Ad Campaign - The Biz of Baseball MLB, NYC, Bank of America to Host Free Concert by Bon Jovi - The Biz of Baseball Fukudome and Braun in Tight Race for All-Star Game - The Biz of Baseball Oakley and MLB Properties Enter Agreement for Eyewear - The Biz of Baseball MLB Sets New Interleague Attendance Record - The Biz of Baseball Aw, Tapioca! Kozy Shack the Official Pudding of the Mets - The Biz of Baseball Ducks owner Henry Samueli Suspended by NHL - The Biz of Hockey NHL 2K9, First Officially Licensed Game by NHL and NHLPA for Wii, Coming this Fall - The Biz of Hockey Dion Phaneuf Selected for Cover of EA Sports "NHL 09" - The Biz of Hockey NBC Reports 6.8 Million Viewers for Game 6. Up 111% from 2006 - The Biz of Hockey Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones and Media Correctness - The Biz of Football 15,000 General Admission Tickets for London NFL Game Sell Out in 30 min. - The Biz of Football Papa Replaces Gumbel as NFL Network's Play-by-Play Announcer - The Biz of Football NFL Network May Partner Up With ESPN - The Biz of Football NFL Players Help Hometown Tornado Victims - The Biz of Football Recently Retired Strahan Joins Fox NFL Pregame Show - The Biz of Football Anheuser-Busch to Sponsor New Meadowlands Stadium - The Biz of Football Big Ten Network Nearing First Major Cable Deal with Comcast - The Biz of Football TNT Lands Full Slate of Sponsors For "Wide Open Coverage" Telecasts - Maury Brown's Biz of Sports Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

Oregonians 4 Blazer Games, petition against Comcast

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:57:18 -0500

We are signing this petition to voice our concern over the issue that most Oregonians cannot view our Portland TrailBlazer games. We wish that Comcast and the Satellite dealers would please settle whatever differences they have so us Oregonians could view our beloved team play. Please click the link and sign the petition. www.petitiononline/blazer22/ Thanks,

Travis Outlaw HIghlights Future All Star?

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:15:09 -0500

Found a great Travis Outlaw highlight reel, check it out!

How long will it take for the Spanish Star to Shine in Rip City?

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:04:12 -0500

The Blazers signed the young Spanish Star and fans in Rip City couldn't be more excited for the season to start. By the end of season 2 Manu Ginobili was scoring almost 13 pts a game and was a major player for the Spurs. The following year he was up to 16 points a game. Will Rudy adapt to the NBA as fast as Manu?

Blazers Sign Spanish Guard, Rudy Fernandez

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:34:55 -0500

The Portland Trailblazers: Your 2011-12 NBA Champions

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:38:40 -0500

Stop crying L.A. fans, the Lakers have a better chance than any team to come back and win the title next year. Sorry Kobe. Maybe next year. Despite embarrassing themselves to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, life isn't over for the Los Angeles Kobe Bryant and Friends. L.A. is a year early anyway. Was Pau Gasol the missing piece that made them title contenders? For sure, but that puzzle also had a giant piece named Andrew Bynum who happened to be missing for the entire end of the season. Gasol is a seasoned scorer and an incredible athlete in his own right, but he doesn't bring the strength and mean streak that Bynum does (ask Shaq). Bynum is the cornerstone of that low-post defense, and Boston would have found the paint to be a far more unfriendly place if they ran into two long, athletic 7-footers there. When Bynum returns from surgery next year and joins Gasol on the frontline (assuming this roster stays together -- I'm looking at you, Kobe) and the Lakers move Lamar Odom for a player with a pair of rocks in his sack (rocks > talent), they will be competing for the championship for years. But they will not be alone. Another team also started making noise a year early. Last October, the Portland Trailblazers were expected to be one of if not the worst team in the league. They had just traded away Zach Randolph, their leading scorer and rebounder, and banked their entire future on #1 draft pick Greg Oden, the center of the future. Then they watched Oden shut down for the entire season following microfracture knee surgery. It didn't leave them with much. Their players were, on average, the youngest team in the league by far at 24.06 years, 1.29 years younger than 29th youngest Seattle (0.55 years separates #29 from #22). The players also had the least amount of experience at 2.87 years, 0.60 years less than 29th least experienced Chicago (0.46 years separates #29 from #20). This was a team that didn't have a front court player who cracked double-digits in scoring the year before. Their one lone bright spot for the season was Brandon Roy, a promising but hardly explosive sophomore combo guard who missed 25 games his rookie season to injuries. Well, at least if they're terrible, they'll get another high draft pick, right?