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While Hedo Turkoglu and Nate McMillan sat down for dinner in Orlando on Wednesday night - maybe over pizza - Ben Gordon was busy laughing all the way to the bank.
Gordon verbally agreed to a five-year, $55 million deal with the Detroit Pistons on the first day of free-agency, and in doing so set the bar far too high for the other free-agents out there looking to get paid in full.
In other words, Ben Gordon done messed the game up.
Because that’s the kind of deal Hedo is looking for. That’s the kind of deal David Lee is looking for. And that is what even the marginal players in this free-agency class suddenly feel they are worth – because if Ben Gordon got that kind of money, why can’t I?
Don't think Portland can offer Gordon-type-figures to Hedo.
And don’t even get me started on Charlie Villanueva.
Funny thing is, it’s only one day into free-agent discussions and I already have a migraine. Between Portland courting Hedo and him returning to tour the Blazers practice facility on Thursday, and all this drama about Rudy Fernandez being heated about signing Hedo, it sure made for a long day. A very long day.
So let me leave you with some final thoughts before closing up shop:
We can officially put to rest the Andre Miller rumors. Trust me. This has less to do with a bunk Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake deal to Philadelphia and more to do with Portland simply not being interested in Miller’s services. Let me say it again – if the Blazers had to choose between Miller, Jason Kidd, Kirk Hinrich, Steve Nash and Devin Harris, Miller would be last on that list. Steve Blake led Portland to 54 wins last season. Is Miller that much better? And if so – let’s say six more games better – the combination of Blake and Jerryd Bayless should give Portland that with some key additions made.
Speaking of Bayless, Blazers shooting coach John Townsend remains shuttling down to Phoenix – multiple trips to be exact over the past few weeks - working with Bayless on his touch. Perhaps a repeat MVP performance at the Las Vegas Summer League is in the works.
Back to Devin Harris real quick: would you like to see him running the break with Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge? Many would. Because he could have been had on draft night. The New Jersey Nets were reportedly shopping him for expiring contracts and draft picks. Not sure if he is still on the market, but it’s worth Kevin Pritchard inquiring about with Rod Thorn.
The whole point guard discussion got me thinking. What if this is draft night all over again? Many of us thought – me included – that Portland would pull off something big on draft night. A packaged deal of some sort. We all know how that turned out. Knowing this, maybe Portland isn’t going after an all-in-one point guard after all. Maybe it will be the Blake and Bayless show.
If that is the case, the Blazers should – and hear me out here - utilize their veteran’s minimum on a player along the lines of a free agent like Lindsey Hunter (who has a ring from his days in Detroit), Brevin Knight, Kevin Ollie, or another available journeyman point with tons of experience. Let Blake and Bayless duke it out for the starting job, and fill-in-the-blank veteran can play spot minutes – without complaining about them – and provide leadership and be an extension of Nate McMillan on the floor.
Just sayin’.
If Monty Williams lands that head coaching job in Minnesota, McMillan has a couple options to replace a guy that is not easily replaceable. Dwane Casey – currently an assistant in Dallas, and who served under Nate in Seattle before landing in Minnesota himself in 2005 – is one possibility. Staying with those Sonic ties, Bob Weiss – who is coaching in China these days – could lend an older Seattle feel to McMillan’s staff.
Pretty sure you read the report about Rudy Fernandez and his disapproval about Portland courting Hedo, courtesy of ESPN. If not, you’re not missing anything. It’s one agent – or a source close to the agent – speaking way out of turn and creating a distraction that doesn’t need to be there. Not now. Not ever. But it happens. Ask Sergio Rodriguez.
HOOPSWORLD puts that story out and we get lambasted. The World Wide Leader runs it and it’s taken as gospel. Classic.
Besides, if Rudy wants to be worried, he should take a gander at Portland’s summer league roster: Bobby Jones – former University of Washington alum and teammate of Brandon Roy got the invite to Las Vegas. Jones has been with nine different teams since 2006, including being traded from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks along with former Blazer point guard Taurean Green in 2008. You know Roy would be stoked to have his former Huskies rolling hard with him in Portland. Sorry Rudy.
Sure ESPN will run with that story in the morning.
It's just as crazy.
pic via: theloveofsports.com
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