RealGM Basketball Wiretap

Source: Blazers Considering Trading Up To Select Oladipo

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:40:52 EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers “really like” Victor Oladipo and are considering moving up in the draft to get him, according to a source close to the prospect.

Oladipo expressed interest in playing for the Blazers.

“I would really love to go to Portland, and I'm not just saying that,” Oladipo said. “I hope, and I don't think I'm dropping that far, but if they decided to move up somehow, I think that would be a great situation for me. It's a place where you can just concentrate on basketball.”

Oladipo is projected to go in the top five of the upcoming draft.

Blazers Hire Nate Tibbetts As Assistant Coach

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:49:04 EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers have hired Nate Tibbetts as an assistant coach on Terry Stotts' staff.

Tibbetts had been with the Cleveland Cavaliers since 2011.

Lillard, Davis, Beal, Waiters, Barnes On 2013 All-Rookie First Team

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:39:00 EDT

Damian Lillard headlines the 2013 NBA All-Rookie Team as a unanimous selection.

Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis, Dion Waiters and Harrison Barnes joined Lillard on the All-Rookie First Team.

On the All-Rookie Second Team is Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kyle Singler and Tyler Zeller.

Blazers Dismiss Athletic Trainer Jay Jensen After 19 Seasons

Sat, 11 May 2013 11:26:32 EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers have parted ways with longtime athletic trainer Jay Jensen.

Jensen served as the Blazers’ trainer for 19 years.

Jensen came under scrutiny in recent years after Greg Oden and Brandon Roy had their careers compromised because of knee injuries.

Kaleb Canales Leaves Blazers To Become Assistant With Mavericks

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:42:42 EDT

Kaleb Canales is leaving the Portland Trail Blazers to take an assistant coaching position with the Dallas Mavericks.

Canales, a finalist for the Blazers' coaching vacancy last offseason that ultimately went to Terry Stotts, served as a defensive coordinator on Portland's staff this season.

Stotts had said he wanted to remove the "coordinator" label and make both ends of the court a team effort from the coaches.

Canales was the Blazers' interim coach in 2012, when the organization fired Nate McMillan.

Lillard Eager To Improve Defense Under Tutelage Of Gary Payton

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:59:18 EDT

Damian Lillard has heard the criticism of his defense and took time during Wednesday’s Rookie of the Year presentation to answer his critics.

“When people say stuff about my defense, it bothers me,’’ Lillard said. “And I’m aware of it. It drives me. It lights a fire under me.’’

Lillard plans to study defense this summer under the direction of Gary Payton, who won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 1995-96.

Payton reached out to Lillard watching the rookie point guard score 37 points at Golden State.

“He said ‘I want to help you,’ ’’ Lillard said. “He said it would take time for me to become a defender, but he said I have everything to become one. So this will be the summer where I get in the gym with him and try to learn from him.’’

Neil Olshey is thrilled at the prospect of Lillard working out with Payton.

“The more time Dame spends with Gary this offseason, the more I know Dame will respect that he has to give an incredible effort on the defensive end,’’ Olshey said. “Because if Gary is going to invest time in him talking about defense, Damian is the type of kid who will feel like he has to deliver.’’

Damian Lillard Unanimously Wins 2013 NBA Rookie Of The Year

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:28:28 EDT

Damian Lillard unanimously won the 2013 NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Lillard was selected sixth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers with a draft pick acquired from the Brooklyn Nets for Gerald Wallace.

Lillard averaged 19.0 points and 6.5 assists per game.

Anthony Davis and Bradley Beal finished second and third respectively.

Andre Drummond, Dion Waiters, Harrison Barnes, Chris Copeland, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Jonas Valanciunas and John Jenkins also received votes.

Jermaine O'Neal Interested In Signing With Blazers

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:35:34 EDT

Jermaine O'Neal openly talked about returning to the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason as a free agent.

O'Neal was a first round pick by the Blazers in the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school.

“I'm very open to Portland. They're definitely a team I'm looking forward to having talks with this summer,” O'Neal said. “LaMarcus [Aldridge] and Damian [Lillard] along with [Nicolas] Batum are some great pieces to build around. All they need to do is shore up the bench and add a paint presence on defense and they'll be right there. It's hard to put that type of stress on your starting five and I know I can help ease some of that stress.”

O'Neal played for the Phoenix Suns this past season.

“Portland is a team I have to look at this summer. That city has always been in my heart because one: Mr. [Paul] Allen gave me my opportunity, and two: that city took me in as their second child,” he explained. “I didn't play for two or three years but you couldn't tell. The organization and the fans really allowed me to grow at my own pace. It's a special place to me. I met my wife in Portland. At this point for me, it's all about competing and winning and the Blazers are doing those things.”

Cavaliers Interested In Trading For LaMarcus Aldridge

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:10:56 EDT

The Cleveland Cavaliers have held internal discussions of pursuing a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for LaMarcus Aldridge, according to sources.

The Cavaliers have enough assets in the form of young players and picks to acquire a player of Aldridge's caliber, but the front office is said to value Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters higher than the rest of the NBA.

Olshey: Blazers Targeting Draft Day Trade, Want To Add Defensive Center

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:13:13 EDT

Neil Olshey is targeting a draft day trade in which the Portland Trail Blazers absorb the contract of a proven, defensive center in exchange for one or more draft picks.

"We are going to be aggressive to construct a deal to make the team better on draft night," Olshey said.

Anderson Varejao has been mentioned as a possible target of the Blazers, who want to upgrade at center from J.J. Hickson.

The Blazers could use most of their expected $11.6 million in cap space to execute the trade.

"If there is a player under contract that we can absorb into our room on a team that values a draft pick more than the established player, or they are moving in a different direction and it moves us forward faster, it's clearly what we are going to do," Olshey said.

Nolan Smith Accepts Fate As Portland's Latest Bowie, Oden

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 11:10:22 EDT

Nolan Smith, likely playing in his final games with the Portland Trail Blazers, understands why fans often dream about how they could have had Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried.

Portland drafted Smith one pick ahead of Faried, who has blossomed this season, during the 2011 NBA Draft.

"I don't blame them," Smith said. "I don't blame them at all. Seeing what he's doing, seeing how he plays when he's on the court with his team, it's very easy to say, 'Damn, we could have had him.' But they could have had Michael Jordan, as well. It's part of the draft. They're mad at Greg Oden, too. So you can just add me to the guys they can be mad at."

Smith prefers not to dwell on his inability to catch on in Portland, but rather to focus on rediscovering his game and prove there is a place for him in the NBA.

"This is a business and things in this league happen in time," Smith said. "You have to get to a team where you're in their plans. That's one thing I'm looking forward to this summer in free agency. I'm going to get to a place that wants me, that wants me to be myself and play my game. If you think about it, there's no telling what would have happened with (Faried) if the Blazers drafted him. He might have been playing behind LaMarcus (Aldridge) and maybe his opportunity wouldn't have come. His opportunity in Denver didn't come until Nene got hurt. But Kenneth got an opportunity and Kenneth made the most of his opportunity -- in Denver. So now all the Portland fans can be mad."

Blazers Likely To Part Ways With Hickson

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:51:36 EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers are likely to part ways with J.J. Hickson at the end of this season.

Hickson will become an unrestricted on July 1.

“For us to make a jump next season, JJ can’t be our starting center,’’ Neil Olshey said, referencing the Blazers’ 47.4 points allowed in the paint per game, an NBA high. “I’m not saying he can’t be part of the roster. But we need to find a starting-caliber center who protects the rim and gets defensive rebounds at a high rate and that has a presence. And we have to do a better job at defending the paint.
“So you have to ask: Is it likely there is enough minutes to commit the kind of dollars JJ will command, when clearly there are other positions that need to be upgraded? Probably not.’’

Hickson’s agent, Andy Miller, said he is under the impression the Blazers will move in a different direction.

“I think Neil has been fairly candid to me as far as where they stand,’’ Miller said. “I don’t feel confident about the situation. Earlier in the season there may have been mood swings and perspective swings where I felt the tide swinging, to where I felt that this would be more than a rental for both sides. But lately, I haven’t felt that way at all. He definitely hasn’t misled me.’’

Lillard, Valanciunas Named Rookies Of Month

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 23:24:21 EDT

The NBA announced Friday that the Toronto Raptors' Jonas Valanciunas and Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard were named the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in March.

Valanciunas ranked first among Eastern Conference rookies in rebounds (7.3 rpg), blocks (1.07 bpg), and field goal percentage (.620). He also ranked second in free throw percentage (.822) and fourth in scoring (11.4 ppg), reaching double figures in points in 11 of his last 12 games (March 6-31). Valanciunas is one of only two rookies (New Orleans' Anthony Davis) in the NBA averaging at least 8.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and shooting 50 percent from the floor this season.

Lillard, winner of his fifth consecutive Kia Rookie of the Month award, led all rookies in scoring (21.3 ppg), assists (6.8 apg), field goals (119), three-pointers (42) and free throws (61). In March, he became one of only four rookies in league history to record 1,390 points and 475 assists. Lillard also tied the all-time NBA rookie record for three-pointers in a season with 166.

Olshey: Blazers Will Be 'Very Proactive' In Looking For Ways To Improve This Summer

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:16:51 EDT

Neil Olshey plans to be aggressive in looking for ways to improve the Portland Trail Blazers this summer.

The Blazers could have $13.1 million in salary cap space to spend on free agents.

“We'll be very proactive this summer,” Olshey said. “What we've seen this season is that this team isn't very far away. We'll have the flexibility to make a move if we choose to do so or not, but it has to be the right move for the organization.”

Olshey will have a decision to make on Eric Maynor, whose qualifying offer for next season contains a $5.85 million cap hold.

“At this point, we know where things stand with Eric and how he fits with our roster composition,” Olshey said. “Now it's all about how certain variables play out.”

Lillard Could Lead NBA In Total Minutes Played

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:57:03 EDT

Damian Lillard currently leads the NBA in total minutes played this season.

Lillard passed Kevin Durant for the top spot after logging 40 minutes in a 94-76 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

Lillard has appeared in every game this season while averaging 38.5 minutes on the court.

Lillard Wants To Be All-Star, First Team All-NBA And Become MVP Candidate

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:02:37 EDT

Damian Lillard is the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award this season and set a rookie mark for three-pointers made on Monday night.

Lillard downplayed the three-pointer achievement. He broke Stephen Curry's mark of 166 made during the 2009-10 season.

"I'm happy for him," coach Terry Stotts said. "It's something to be proud of. He's had a fantastic season. Anytime you can set an NBA record, it's impressive. There have been a lot of rookies in this league and that three-point line has been in since '79. That's impressive."

The record is nice, but Lillard wants to win games and become one of the league's best players.

"I think I can be a first team All-NBA, I think I can be an All-Star, I think I can be an MVP," he said. "That's just my opinion. I don't know when, but how I plan to work and how much better I want to be, I feel like anything is possible."

Thibodeau Sees Similarity In Demeanor Between Lillard, Rose

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:28:29 EDT

Tom Thibodeau has noticed a similarity in demeanor between Damian Lillard and Derrick Rose.

Thibodeau elaborated on the likeness of the two young point guards.

“Yeah, from the standpoint both guys let their game do the talking,” Thibodeau said. “So that part is very similar.”

Lillard has collected every single Rookie of the Month honor this season.

“He's very impressive for a rookie,” Thibodeau added. “He's come in mature beyond his years. [He] plays the game with a lot of poise. I think the combination of his shooting along with his ability to break you down off the dribble [and] pick-and-roll offense. I've been very, very impressed with him.”

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