Hey - R.A, anything new brewing on the 'Sheed' front in Baa-stin? Just Curious
But - YEP - appears to have came down to an 8 MIL DIFFERENCE:
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11.6\YEAR-TORONTO
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10\YEAR-PORTLAND
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BOTH Five Year Offers
Hey, far be it from me to tell anyone they are unwise to turn down MORE MONEY for a chance to be part of a WINNER, but it seems to me that the perks of winning could have enough benefits to at least BALANCE the Ledger; NOT TO MENTION cost-of-living, "Quality of life", ect...all relative things, I suppose...RJ's point about Turk's desire for Tornoto's Int'l flavor speaks to that. Good LUCK, Hedo. Coulda been a fun ride...and WILL be with or without ya.
Last 19 HRS ~ ASSOCIATED PRESS cited ESPN.com reports yesterday:
Reports: Turkoglu agrees to terms with Blazers
By ASSOCIATED PRESS | July 3, 2009
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -Hedo Turkoglu reportedly agreed to join the Portland Trail Blazers after helping Orlando reach the NBA finals. ESPN.com first reported the signing Friday, citing unidentified sources. Turkoglu's agent, Lon Babby, didn't immediately return calls or e-mails. Portland cannot comment on the agreement until Wednesday, when teams may sign free agents.
Today:
Reports: Turkoglu headed to Toronto Raptors
By ASSOCIATED PRESS | July 4, 2009
TORONTO (AP) -Free agent Hedo Turkoglu will join the Toronto Raptors after spurning the Portland Trail Blazers, according to multiple reports.
The 6-foot-10 forward helped Orlando to the NBA
finals last season. On Friday, a person close to the Blazers confirmed that Turkoglu ended contract talks with them. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
Hedo Turkoglu (and his agent) have apparently decided to take a few more dollars to join a recently purged Toronto Raptors Squad...despite Portland Trailblazers opening up their checkbook and rounding up every available dollar under the CAP to lure him to the NW.
'Basically' 10 mil per ... WTF? Canada's tax structure may alter the value. Easy for me to insist the two deals are close to a 'wash', but it's clear that the offers are close in $ and equal in length. (Although we Oregonians have State Taxes; Florida, Texas among others do not). Toronto had to clear cap space for Free Agents, i.e, Turk; and Raps gutted the roster (5 players GONE).
Toronto is clearly a "Basement Dweller" for a long time - with or without Hedo.
HENCE: Being part of a potential NBA winner wasn't a primary or even marginal motivator for Hedo - and\or he's giving his AGENT, Lon Babby, clear control of the process - w\o much oversight, according to inside reports from close to Friday's Meeting between Blazer officials and Babby; w\Hedo versed and instructed to remain all but silent. Most insiders dismiss INITIAL Opt-out move as entirely expected - but Portland is flatly STUNG by this failure, and hard-pressed to find a sliver-lining, even with a distant Plan B | C and\or D. From the outset when Hedo exercised his Orlando Opt-Out, and after Detroit's Plan emerged away from Hedo, Turkoglu to Portland deal looked like a Slam Dunk; Blazers' Owner Paul Allen, Blazers' GM Kevin Prichard, all the way down the line to Blazers' HC Nate McMillan were quietly thrilled when every potential obstacle to PLAN A had fallen into place precisely...I was dead wrong again - as was Blazers' Beat Writer, Jason Quick (Oregonian).
This whole Soap Opera is a Microcosm of Blazers' Myopia; rampant as always in this, 'only-game-in-town' region. We keep hearing the widely-accepted truism that, 'The Blazers will be a BIG PLAYER in the Star-Studded 2010 Free Agent Class". The reality is that 'we' Blazer Fans have a difficult time realizing is it's JUST FLAT-OUT HARD to attract Free Agents to Portland; even when Kevin Prichard, Nate Mac, Front Office Brass Play everything to NEAR PERFECTION, and have built this team back up from scratch the LONG, HARD way. The Blazers now have a have a young, solid team with supurb up-side, ready for a continued 'Up-Rise'. Further, Hedo Turkoglu was reportedly skepical about living in Oregon, Pacific Northwest from a Marine Climate Perspective; our 'Rainy Weather' he's so often experienced from his handful of trips up here while he was in Sacto apparently was a major drawback for the big guy from the Warm mediterranean regions of his Native Turkey. To this end, Portland again was fortunate - as Hedo came to the Northwest this week, in the midst of our Annual 3 Month window of idyllic, "Bluebird Days". To top it all off, Nate McMillan was THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL to step off of 'Blazer One', to pull-out-all-the-stops to meet Turkoglu in Central Florida. McMillian apparently submitted progress details of the Organization's near-closure in locking up 'The Franchise', Brandon Roy and the other big piece - LaMarcus Aldridge, and in turn, outlined the pinpoint, specific plan for Turkoglu in his system; as the missing piece in what would be Portland's ever-widening Window of Legitamate Title Contention.
Portland came FIRST; Portland came HARD & HEAVY at Turkoglu w/EVERYTHING THEY HAD:
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Highest possible $/length under Cap
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Specific Plan to uniquely utililize Turkoglu's Skill Sets.
In addition, Portland has done everything to prove that they are Methodically Orchestrating the Construction of a Solid, Championship-Caliber Team, that's just a key piece away from mounting a consistent, altogether SERIOUS and lengthy 3 to 5 Year, Title-Contending Run.
It still apparently didn't work.
Turk was a perfect fit for Portland - esp. with potential development of GREG ODEN. What Turkoglu did for D Howard could be replicated here, with the spacing that it just impossible to manufacture w/o the BIG wing man who has the superb play-making, assist skills that Hedo possesses. As we know, 6-10 Turk led Orlando in Assists at 3\4 Spot - really unique player, who's high release and excellent, deep stroke gives any team multiple match-up advantages - ESP in Portland, who would then be able to insert a the biggest line-up in the NBA - Two thru Five, the Blazer possibilities are insanely difficult to comprehend for any team with a 6-10 Three:
2 Roy 6-6
3 Turk** 6-10 (woulda coulda)
4 Aldridge 6-11
5 Pryzbilla 7-1 (and\or Oden 7')
Better Match-ups vs LAL than any team in West - of NBA
PLAN B
The STEVE NASH Idea is almost just as appealing IMO....Clearly left off a Player in the BLAZERS' ONE spot above for a good reason - no solid PG in Blazerland. (Steve Blake? sorry - he's serviceable at best; but Portland has really survived in spite of him in Starting Role thus far). Turkoglu to Portland would still leave a gaping hole at the ONE SPOT - even WITH a passing Point Fwd in Portland. Most argue vehimently that the Blazers need a point as much OR MORE than they could have used Turk. THE PHOENIX FIRE SALE could now land Nashie IN PDX. Aside from AGE - this may be a very nice fit - yet would close the time frame of the open 'window' very significantly...even it may open a LITTLE wider. Portland's deliberate pace may serve to lengthen Nash's longevity - slightly. Nash' Vet status would be ALL if positive, and Portland's new-fangled, hard-earned, yet hardly-noticed-beyond-Multnoma-County, Blazers' 'Nice-Guy' image would be well served also. Portland would clearly need to give up one or more of the stable of Fwd's on the Roster; Highest Trade Value Player at the moment is definitely Travis Outlaw; who is thought to have given a small stay with Turkoglyu deal evaporating (Outlaw min would have been slashed to nothing with Turk in tow). Outlaw IS STILL still professed to be relegated exclusively to the The '4' in future - and has maximum interest from memphis in particular - where he'd BE TODAY if Griz had a better-than-avg PG on Block. Blazers Fwd Martel Wester IS the Trading Block - if he had Value. Webster is solid guy - yet more jinxed in Blazer Gear than Greg Oden (so far). Webster will forever carry TWO distinctive pieces of baggage \ stigma(s): 1. Webster was drafted AHEAD of CP3, thus, 2. GM Prichard's only, noticable mis-read as Blazers GM to that point....(Greg Oden - as predicatable as it is drastically premature - beginning to become attached to the "B" Word...ryhmes with 'Dust'). Webster is caught in an unenviable, low-value scenario coming off his prematurely professed "breakthrough year" that never was; 08-09 season almost entirely lost to injury.
PLAN C & D
C: Jason Kidd, AI? doubtful.
D: "Play Thru": Angle twd 2010 Free Agency Market.
OTHER FREE AGENT MISC IMPRESSIONS:
SHEED:
Although Boston has emerged as a Front-Runner, I'd truly think Rasheed Wallace would be an IDEAL Fit in San Antonio.
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Starting position: OPEN
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Sheed would FEAST on Opposite Block from Duncan
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Pop's FREE & LOOSE 3-attack: Taylor-made for Sheed's court weave-float, drop-back, spot up 3's
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MoTurkogluMemphisney: Mid-Level Exception, worth MUCH MORE in No-State-Tax Tex, than 'Taxachusetts'
Spurs + Sheed = No-Brainer. Boston would be tough to stop w\ Sheed - so they aren't out of the picture; SAS makes more sense.
A-I:
Just think Memphis still is the spot for AI to regain some big minutes and have enough of a free flowing, spread court style - with good young talent and decent Post for AI to have fun playing hoops again - and to Mentor, that Memphis could be the place for AI to be appreciated and have fun playing hoops again. I think it's where he'll end up - and I actually sorta hope it is.
KIDD:
Knicks, in my opinion. Dantoni's game has Jason Kidd written all over it - and JKidd's swan song would be well-suited across the River from Nets - where Kidd could outshine Nets, and 'Twist the Knife' on the court every chance he gets.... Nate and JKidd are two fun-loving PG's that can keep Garden and Knicks somewhat relevant - even if more of a novelty than contender.