Portland Trail Blazers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Austin, Facebook, Postponement, Oriakhi

January 7th, 2017 at 9:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Baylor standout Isaiah Austin, whose NBA dreams were derailed by health problems, has signed his first professional contract, tweets international journalist David Pick. Austin will join Red Star Belgrade affiliate FMP in the Adriatic League. He was considered to be a late first-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft before being diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. Austin received medical clearance to play again in late November. “He was told he’d never get a chance to play again, so he’s thrilled to get on the court,” said Austin’s agent, Dwon Clifton. “His talent is there; he hasn’t lost it; he loves the game.” (Twitter link).

There’s more basketball news to pass on tonight:

The NBA is preparing to stream its first game on Facebook, although it will only be available in India, the league announced on its website. The Kings will host the Warriors Sunday in the team’s fourth annual Bollywood Night, which features a celebration of Indian culture. It will be streamed to India on the Facebook pages of the NBA and both teams. “We are always looking for ways to utilize technology for opportunities to connect with our diverse group of fans throughout the world and are thrilled to engage with our followers in India tomorrow night,” said Warriors president and chief operating officer Rick Welts.
Tonight’s game between the Pistons and Trail Blazers was postponed because of severe weather conditions in Portland, according to a league statement. It will be made up Sunday night.
Alex Oriakhi, whose rights are owned by the Kings, has signed to play in Mexico, relays Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 6’9″ forward began the season in Turkey. His rights were acquired in the 2014 deal that sent Isaiah Thomas to Phoenix.

Trail Blazers Eye Tyson Chandler

January 7th, 2017 at 12:25pm CST by Austin Kent

Consider the Trail Blazers one team that could make a push for Suns center Tyson Chandler, ESPN’s Marc Stein reports. The 34-year-old has quietly put forth a 2016/17 in line with some of the best seasons from his prime.

In 27.3 minutes per game for Phoenix, Chandler is averaging 11.6 rebounds per game, his highest such total since averaging 11.7 for the Pelicans in 2007/08. His presence as a defensive stopper would be tremendously valuable for a Trail Blazers team that has struggled on that side of the ball. Earlier this week, John Schuhmann of NBA.com wrote about Portland’s “disastrous” defense.

Owed $12.4MM this season and signed through the the 2018/19 campaign, the 16-year-veteran is a stark contrast from the predominantly young and raw players that make up the Suns roster. Perhaps it’s for that reason that the franchise has been so aggressively showcasing Chandler while they stumble out the gates to a 12 and 25 record.

Portland may not be much higher in the win column, but the team already boasts a core of solid veterans coming off of three consecutive postseason appearances and Chandler could very well be a difference maker in the second half of the season.

Trail Blazers Officially Acquire First-Round Pick

January 6th, 2017 at 4:53pm CST by Austin Kent

The Cavaliers and Trail Blazers have finalized the trade that was first reported on Thursday night, the team writes in a press release. The deal will see Portland return the 2018 first-round pick they acquired from Cleveland last season in exchange for Cleveland’s unprotected 2017 first-round pick.

The deal sets the stage for the Cavs to acquire Kyle Korver and gives the Trail Blazers a pair of first-round picks in a draft that’s already being touted as incredibly exciting and loaded with high-end talent even outside of the Top 10.

The Blazers had originally acquired Cleveland’s 2018 first-round pick in last February’s Anderson Varajao deal, but the Cavs needed to reacquire it in order to work around the Ted Stepien Rule, which prohibits teams from dealing first-round picks in consecutive future years. The Cavaliers have reportedly committed to sending Atlanta their 2019 first-round pick, thus their need to reacquire a first-round pick for 2018.

Cavaliers Finalizing Deal For Kyle Korver

January 6th, 2017 at 2:11pm CST by Austin Kent

JANUARY 6, 2:11pm: The Cavs are shipping out Mo Williams as part of the deal, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal confirms (Twitter link).

JANUARY 6, 9:08am: The Hawks and Cavs are working on finding a third team for Dunleavy, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweets. If they can’t find a taker, Atlanta will keep the small-forward.

JANUARY 5, 8:13pm: The trade has not yet been finalized, but the way things appear to sit now involve the Cavaliers sending Mike Dunleavy Jr. and a 2019 first-round pick to the Hawks in exchange for Kyle Korver. It’s also been reported that Dunleavy could be flipped to a third team prior to Friday’s trade call. Earlier updates had Mo Williams and possibly Cedi Osman involved.

In a separate trade, the Cavaliers are sending their 2017 first-round pick to the Trail Blazers in order to re-acquire their own 2018 first-round pick that, per The Oregonian’s Tim Brown, they gave up in the Anderson Varejao deal last February.

JANUARY 5, 7:36pm: According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Cavaliers have also made a separate trade with the Trail Blazers. They’ll trade their 2017 first-round pick to Portland in order to get their 2018 first-round pick back. He also tweets that Cleveland’s 2019 first-round pick will be on its way to Atlanta.

JANUARY 5, 7:28pm: Wojnarowski now reports that the Cavs will send Mike Dunleavy Jr. to the Hawks and that he’ll likely move on to a third team, though it’s not clear what team that will be. Dunleavy Jr. makes $4.8MM this season, with a team option for next season.

JANUARY 5, 7:15pm: Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets that he hears that the retired – but still tradable – Mo Williams is Atlanta-bound, along with a heavily protected first-round pick from the Cavaliers. He also confirms on Twitter, that the Cavs can absorb Korver’s salary if they wish, via the Anderson Varejao trade exception.

JANUARY 5, 7:08pm: According to Hawks beat writer Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Hawks hadn’t confirmed the deal as of 6:47pm CST, but coach Mike Budenholzer had pulled Korver aside. Vivlamore adds that a Cavaliers executive was in Atlanta last week to watch the sharpshooter. Finally, Vivlamore tweets that Cedi Osman could be among the package going to Atlanta. The 2015 second-round pick is currently playing in Turkey.

JANUARY 5, 6:56pm: The Cavaliers are finalizing a deal that will land them Kyle Korver, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski. While the exact terms being discussed aren’t currently available, what’s known now is that wheels are in motion for the 35-year-old veteran to join the reigning champions.

Over the course of the last five years with the Hawks, Korver has established himself as an elite deep threat and was even named to the All-Star team in 2015. He’ll now join a Cavaliers team that’s seen three-point specialists like Channing Frye and J.R. Smith thrive thanks to the spacing created by its stars.

Korver is on the final year of a contract worth $5.3MM and while the Cavaliers are currently well over the cap, it’s worth noting that they hold four outstanding trade exceptions, including one worth $9.6MM that is set to expire in February.

According to Justin Verrier of ESPN, as of 6:52pm CST, Korver was still warming up on the court prior to Atlanta’s Wednesday night game against New Orleans.

Lillard Returns After Five-Game Absence

January 5th, 2017 at 9:56pm CST by Austin Kent

After missing five games with an ankle sprain, Damian Lillard returned to action for the Trail Blazers. The All-Star’s return was reported by ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Portland matched up against the Lakers on Wednesday night.

Blazers Rumors: Stotts, Ezeli, McCollum, Turner

January 4th, 2017 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers are just a single game out of the playoffs in the Western Conference, but with a 15-21 record, it has been an extremely disappointing season so far in Portland. Still, the organization isn’t panicking at this point, as there’s a belief that the team will work its way back into the postseason picture, writes Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. According to Haynes, Terry Stotts‘ job as the team’s head coach isn’t currently in jeopardy.

In a lengthy and interesting piece, Haynes provides several other notable Blazers-related tidbits, so let’s round up some of the highlights…

The Blazers went into free agency aiming to retain their own key free agents, as well as adding another ball-handler and a rim-protecting big man. The club targeted players like Hassan Whiteside, Joakim Noah, and Dwight Howard, but came up short. According to Haynes, Portland was ready to renounce a player – perhaps Meyers Leonard – in order to free up cap room to sign Pau Gasol, but the free agent center opted to sign with San Antonio instead.
Ultimately, the Blazers landed Festus Ezeli on a two-year, $15MM deal, but Ezeli may end up not playing a single game for the team, as he’s expected to undergo season-ending surgery. According to Haynes, Ezeli gave a “stern” locker-room speech after a tough loss last month — when the big man launched into a similar speech a couple games later, he was cut short by C.J. McCollum. As Haynes puts it, “being lectured by someone who wasn’t even playing wasn’t received favorably” by other Blazers players.
Potential trade targets like DeMarcus Cousins and Nerlens Noel aren’t currently on the Blazers’ radar, sources tell Haynes. Cousins likely isn’t available anyway, and Noel is eligible for restricted free agency, so Portland may be turned off by his contract situation.
The Blazers are open to making a trade, but don’t feel obligated to make a move. According to Haynes, the team isn’t looking to trade McCollum or Evan Turner.
Team owner Paul Allen was insistent on retaining Portland’s own assets during the offseason, and as such, the team “never thought twice” about matching Allen Crabbe‘s offer sheet from the Nets, per Haynes.
Be sure to check out Haynes’ full piece for more on the Blazers.

Latest On Paul Millsap

January 2nd, 2017 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s 2017 rumor mill got off to an interesting start on Sunday, with an ESPN report suggesting that the Hawks are listening to offers on Paul Millsap, among other players. Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution takes a closer look at that report today, noting that Atlanta is indeed doing its due diligence on Millsap, along with Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefolosha, Tiago Splitter, and Kris Humphries. However, just because the team is willing to listen, that doesn’t mean a deal is imminent or even likely. Atlanta hasn’t put Millsap on the trade block, per Vivlamore.

Vivlamore also addressed a separate report from ESPN, which indicated that Millsap has already decided to opt out of his contract and become a free agent in 2017. That report is simply “not true,” according to Vivlamore, who heard from a source on Sunday that no decision has been made on that front. It’s certainly likely that Millsap will turn down his player option and explore the open market, but a serious injury or another unexpected factor could impact that decision, Vivlamore writes.

Here’s more on Millsap, as rumors begin to swirl in Atlanta:

The Hawks‘ asking price for Millsap will be high, and will likely outweigh what suitors are willing to give up for a player on an expiring contract, says Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (Twitter links). Kyler expects there to be plenty of trade talk surrounding Hawks players like Millsap and Korver, but he isn’t anticipating a ton of action by the deadline.
Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders identifies the Raptors, Trail Blazers, and Nuggets as a few teams that would make sense as trade partners for Atlanta if the Hawks get serious about moving Millsap.
Within his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel discusses the possibility of the Heat making a play for Millsap via trade or free agency.

Improvement Must Come From Within

December 29th, 2016 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Trail Blazers need to find improvement from within rather than seeking a solution on the open market, Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com argues. Portland’s defensive issues stem from its conservative approach, which forces the second fewest turnovers in the league, Pelton continues. He also points out that the Blazers have to cut down on their penchant for fouling and improve their defensive rebounding. Injuries to forward Al-Farouq Aminu have also contributed to their defensive decline, Pelton adds.

Kyler: Blazers A Team To Watch On Nerlens Noel

December 19th, 2016 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on Noel, Kyler suggests the Raptors are a team to watch, though Toronto wouldn’t want to risk affecting its team chemistry by moving a core piece. If the Sixers are interested in one or two of the Raptors’ young players or non-core pieces, a deal could be possible, sources tell Kyler. The Trail Blazers may also be eyeing Noel.

[SOURCE LINK]

Following up on Noel, Kyler suggests the Raptors are a team to watch, though Toronto wouldn’t want to risk affecting its team chemistry by moving a core piece. If the Sixers are interested in one or two of the Raptors’ young players or non-core pieces, a deal could be possible, sources tell Kyler. The Trail Blazers may also be eyeing Noel.

Festus Ezeli: Long-Term Health Is At Stake

December 18th, 2016 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Festus Ezeli hasn’t made a final decision about season-ending knee surgery, but adds that it might be necessary to save his NBA career. In an interview posted on the Trail Blazers’ website, Ezeli discusses the condition of his knee and admits that it may have been a mistake to rush back to play for the Warriors in the NBA Finals.

“You don’t think twice about making those decisions,” he said. “We were in the Finals and we had a historic season, so for me to be able to contribute to my team getting to the Finals and possibly winning the championship, I’ll make that decision every time because you never know when you’re going to get back to the Finals. But that’s a decision that I’m paying for right now, so we’re going to correct it and we’ll be better for it.”

Golden State chose not to re-sign Ezeli as a way of opening up cap room to add Kevin Durant. The 27-year-old center agreed to a two-year deal topping $15MM with Portland, but the balky left knee has kept him off the court. He underwent an operation over the summer, but apart from a couple of practices in mid-October, Ezeli hasn’t played at all for the Blazers.

“I’m kind of past the point of frustration because at first it was — I’m not going to lie, it definitely was,” he said. “I’m at the point where I’m just trying to find a solution. The sooner I can, the sooner I can get on the court and help my team win games. I just can’t wait to get on the court, that’s my biggest thing. I miss basketball, I haven’t played basketball in a while, so that’s my biggest thing right now.”

Ezeli remains optimistic about an eventual return, even if he opts for surgery again and this becomes a lost season. He and the team are consulting several doctors and trying to determine his best option. He continues to go through rehab and is working to strengthen his legs, but the knee remains painful and eventually will have to be addressed.

He has another year left on his contract, but only $1MM of his $7.733 salary for next season is guaranteed through June 30, meaning the Blazers could waive him this summer at a minimal cost if they don’t see improvement in his health. Ezeli is hoping to get the knee structurally sound before the team faces that decision.

“I’ve had lingering issues for a while and I want to address them now because I’m at a crossroads at this point where my long term health is at stake,” he said. “I love this team, I love what I’m doing here, I want to continue what I’m doing. I want to give them my 100 percent, I want to be able to get out on the court and be able to affect the game. When I can do that, I will be out there on the court. Right now I can’t, so I’m just going to keep working my best way and try to figure out the best way to get on the court.”