Trail Blazers forward Travis Outlaw will undergo surgery Wednesday to repair a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot, the Trail Blazers announced today.

Dr. Jay Crary will perform the surgery at Southwest Washington Regional Surgery Center in Vancouver, Wash. A timetable for his return will be determined after the procedure.

Jason Quick of the Oregonian reports (via blog):

Trail Blazers guard Jerryd Bayless sprained his left ankle about an hour before tip off of Saturday’s game in Charlotte as he was returning to the locker room.

Bayless rolled his ankle on a disguised step that is hidden by carpet. The six-inch drop off is in a dimly lit area just outside the tunnel that leads from the court to the Blazers locker room.

Bayless was carried by Rudy Fernandez and Dante Cunningham the remaining 20 yards to the Blazers’ training room, where he was despondent on the training table.

New Phoenix Suns center Channing Frye began his NBA career in 2005-06 with the New York Knicks.

His rookie year was solid. Playing 24.2 minutes per game, Frye averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds on good shooting, looking versatiel and talented.

Frye stayed with the Knicks for his second season, then spent two years with the Portland Trail Blazers. But of his first four seasons, his rookie year stood out the most.

Now with the Suns, something crazy has happened. The 6-11, 245-pound big-man has become a huge threat from three-point range.

In his first four seasons, Frye’s three-point shooting totals were: 3-of-9, 3-of-18, 3-of-10, and 11-of-33.

This season, in the six games Phoenix has played, Frye has fired 33 three-pointers and hit 16 of them; a 48.5% clip.

The team, meanwhile, is off to a great 6-1 start.

Playing a faster style of basketball now that Shaquille O’Neal is gone, the Suns are playing fun, winning basketball and are worth watching. Steve Nash is playing great. The fans are entertained. And Frye has been a great surprise.

Have an opinion? Share it in this forum topic.

The AP reports:

Chris Dudley’s free throw shots were always iffy propositions. Now the former Phoenix Sun and Portland Trail Blazer is in a new arena taking aim at a governor’s chair - and Oregon’s Republicans think he can score.

Dudley hasn’t formally announced a bid for the post, but he filed paperwork last week to create a campaign committee.

“I’ll make a decision soon and report back. One way or another, I intend to help change Oregon for the better,” he said in a statement.

Dudley, 44, wouldn’t be the first professional athlete to make the transition into politics. The late Congressman Jack Kemp of New York was an NFL quarterback, and former Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey was an NBA standout for years.

The AP reports: Greg Oden scored just two points, a tip with 58 seconds left, but had 12 rebounds and five blocked shots for the Portland Trail Blazers in a 96-87 season-opening victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night… Reserve Travis Outlaw scored 23 points and Brandon Roy added 20 points and five assists for the Blazers. Portland hit 20 of 22 free throws and outrebounded Houston 51-33. Aaron Brooks had 19 points for the Rockets, who defeated Portland in six games this past spring in the first round of the playoffs… Houston also remains without former All-Star Tracy McGrady, who had microfracture surgery on his left knee and isn’t expected to return until midseason… Portland’s 26 turnovers were more than they had in any game last season.

The Phoenix Suns today announced that the club has been awarded the rights to center Jarron Collins.  Collins, who spent the preseason with the Portland Trail Blazers, became available after being waived October 22, 2009.

The 6-11, 249-pound Collins is an eight-year NBA veteran who has spent every career regular season with the Utah Jazz.  The 30-year-old owns career averages of 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes in 480 games (206 starts).  Collins, who has averaged 8.8 rebounds per 48 minutes over the course of his NBA career, is a durable post player who has appeared in 70 or more games in five of his eight NBA seasons.

Collins was a four-year performer at Stanford where he helped lead the Cardinal to the 1998 Final Four.  He is one of 10 players in Stanford history with 1,000 points and 700 rebounds.

Jarron is the younger twin brother of Hawks center Jason Collins.  He joins teammates Robin Lopez (New Jersey’s Brook) and Taylor Griffin (L.A. Clippers’ Blake) as Suns players with brothers in the NBA.  Phoenix now has a member of three of the NBA’s five active brother pairings.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum will undergo surgery on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.

The surgery will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Friday in Los Angeles at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. A timeline for Batum’s return will be determined following surgery.

As a rookie last season, Batum appeared in 79 games (76 starts), averaging 5.4 points (44.6% FT), 2.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 18.4 minutes.

Batum ranked eighth in 3-point shooting (36.9%) and 10th in blocked shots (0.51) among rookie leaders a season ago. He scored in double figures on 13 occasions.

A leader on the French National Team that finished fifth in the 2009 European Championships, Batum ranked second on the team with 9.6 points and 4.9 rebounds to go with 1.8 assists, 1.00 block and 28.6 minutes in nine games.

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward LaMarcus Aldridge to a five-year contract extension, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard. We’ll post details of the contract tonight or tomorrow.

“It’s a blessing and I’m very thankful,” said Aldridge. “I want to thank Paul Allen, Kevin Pritchard, Larry Miller, Nate McMillan and Tom Penn for giving me the opportunity to be in Portland for many years to come. I also want to thank the Portland fans, my friends and family for all of their support. I’m really happy we got this done and now I’m really excited to get the season started.”

Aldridge, 24, holds career averages of 15.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.11 blocks, 32.0 minutes and a 48.7% mark from the floor in 220 games over three seasons with the Trail Blazers. The forward has started all 157 games in which he has played over the past two seasons.

“This is a great day for the Trail Blazers franchise,” said Pritchard. “LaMarcus is the epitome of what we’re about. He’s a hard-working, committed and unselfish young man who plays the right way.”

The Trail Blazers have improved dramatically since Aldridge joined the team in 2006, going from 21 wins the year prior to his arrival in Portland to 54 wins, a share of the Northwest Division title and a trip to the playoffs in 2008-09.

Aldridge posted a career-high 18.1 points (48.4% FG, 78.1% FT) to go with 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.95 steals, 0.95 blocks and 37.1 minutes last season. Among NBA leaders, Aldridge ranked 31st in scoring, 28th in rebounding and 31st in blocked shots. The Dallas, Texas, native led the team in scoring 25 times and rebounding 17 times in 2008-09. His 19 double-doubles marked a team high.

The 6-11, 240-pound Aldridge started all six games for Portland in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, where he averaged 19.5 points (49.0% FG), 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.67 blocks in 39.5 minutes per game. He netted 20 points or more in three games and led the Trail Blazers in rebounds three times.

Acquired by the Trail Blazers in a draft day trade on June 28, 2006, Aldridge was originally selected by Chicago with the second overall pick out of the University of Texas in the 2006 NBA Draft.

The Portland Trail Blazers exercised their fourth-year option on center Greg Oden and third-year options on the contracts of guard/forward Rudy Fernandez, forward Nicolas Batum and guard Jerryd Bayless.

The moves, announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard, keep all four players under contract through the 2010-11 season.

Portland selected Oden with the No. 1 overall pick and acquired Fernandez via trade in the 2007 NBA Draft.

The Trail Blazers acquired Batum and Bayless in 2008 draft day trades.

Joe Freeman of the Oregonian writes (via blog): The Trail Blazers have featured four coaches, orchestrated 39 trades and endured one NBA lockout since Brian Wheeler’s smooth, soothing voice started belting “Boom-chaka-lakas” out of Portland radios. But during that time, one thing has never occurred — Wheeler has never missed a game. The longtime play-by-play broadcaster called his 1,000th consecutive game on Friday, when the Blazers lost to the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. This is Wheeler’s 12th season behind the microphone for the Blazers, and not a scratchy voice, illness nor any other hindrance has forced him to miss an exhibition, regular-season or postseason game along the way. “Luckily, I’ve never really had any trouble with my voice,” Wheeler said. “I don’t know if that’s because of the great training I had in the school choir as a kid, where they taught you to breathe from your diaphragm and not put extra strain on your throat. But whatever it was, I’ve been lucky that I haven’t had any real issues with that.”

The AP reports: Greg Oden had 18 points and nine rebounds in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 98-86 victory over the Sacramento Kings in the preseason opener for both teams on Tuesday night… LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points for Portland and Andre Miller, signed as a free agent in the offseason, came off the bench to score 16 and heat up the competition with Steve Blake for Portland’s starting point guard spot… Rookie Tyreke Evans started for the Kings after bruising his left knee at the start of training camp. The fourth overall pick from Memphis had 12 points and five rebounds in 24 minutes.

Good NBA seats are expensive. Fans shelling out big money to sit near the court should expect a good view of the action.

But what about when players get off the bench and remain standing for a while? On the one hand, it’s nice to see guys cheer their teammates. On the other, these giants prevent fans from seeing what they paid to see.

The Cavs are one team with players who remained standing a lot, and now the league office has reportedly taken action.

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

The NBA has issued a memo to its teams directing players on the bench to remain seated during games. Game officials will be keeping a closer eye and will issue faster warnings and possible technical fouls if not followed. Players are permitted to cheer, but standing during regular-game action and blocking the fans’ views apparently isn’t going to be allowed.

That goes for Tuesday night’s first preseason game at The Q, where the Cavs will host the Charlotte Bobcats in the first of eight practice games before the season opener.

The Cavs weren’t exactly thrilled that their custom has been legislated.

“It is hard to take that out of the game,” LeBron James said. “Part of the game is emotions, your teammates are all you have. That was part of the reason we played great basketball, because we cheered each other.”

I support the league protecting the paying fan’s view.

Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports: Andre Miller was the only player with a guaranteed contract who didn’t pass the Trail Blazers conditioning test on Tuesday night, while Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw and Greg Oden recorded notable times. In each of his five training camps, coach Nate McMillan holds a conditioning test that requires players to run the length of the court and back five times, or in other words, 10 lines. They have to do this in four different sets. Guards are allowed 61 seconds to do 10 lines, forwards 64 seconds and centers 65 seconds. Players are allowed to “bank” time in each set, meaning if they finish under the designated time for one set, it carries over to the next sets.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Miller isn’t especially quick or fast. He also can’t make outside shots. Yet he’s been a successful NBA point guard. That’s pretty unique. He’s like a rich man’s Anthony Carter.

Portland Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge wants a contract extension, and apparently the team isn’t quite ready to offer what he may feel he’s worth.

Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports:

LaMarcus Aldridge expressed displeasure and confusion Monday afternoon at the unresolved status of his contract negotiations with the Trail Blazers.

Speaking publicly for the first time since negotiations started in July, Aldridge said at the team’s annual media day that he was stunned the Blazers had not signed him to a long-term contract, particularly considering the prominent role he has played in helping transform the franchise into a Western Conference power.

“I didn’t think it would take this long,” Aldridge said. “I thought that after what we did last year, having 54 wins and after the big change that’s happened … here, I just felt like it wouldn’t be this hard to get it done. But it is. I can’t say that I’m happy about it.”

Nothing really to worry about just yet.

The Trail Blazers have signed forward Ime Udoka, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re really excited about having Ime back,” said Pritchard. “He played a key role in our resurgence and we look forward to adding a player of his talent, character and experience to what is shaping up to be a very competitive camp roster.”

Udoka (6-5, 220), a five-year NBA veteran, has posted career averages of 6.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 20.4 minutes in 227 games (78 starts) with the L.A. Lakers, New York, Portland and San Antonio.

The 32-year-old saw action in 67 games, including three starts, with San Antonio in 2008-09. He averaged 4.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 15.4 minutes.

As a Trail Blazer in 2006-07, Udoka experienced his best season as a professional, notching career highs of 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 28.6 minutes in 75 games (all starts). His .461 field goal percentage and .406 three-point percentage also marked career bests.

A Portland native and Jefferson High School graduate, Udoka played his senior season and graduated from Portland State University in 2000.

Trail Blazers training camp tips off on Tuesday, September 29.

Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Maurice Lucas, who underwent successful bladder cancer surgery in April, has resumed coaching duties and will be with the team when training camp begins on Tuesday, September 29.

Lucas, 57, has elected to adopt a schedule that will allow him to continue player development responsibilities at the Trail Blazers practice facility and at home games. At this point, he plans to travel only occasionally with the team to road games.

“I feel great,” Lucas said. “I have been listening to my doctors, getting my rest, and I’m very excited about being back. I am fortunate to have the support of an organization and a head coach that have allowed me to continue to contribute, and grateful to have had the support and encouragement of a lot of great fans during the past six months.”

A 14-year NBA/ABA veteran and five-time All-Star, Lucas was a starting forward on the Trail Blazers 1977 NBA Championship team. He joined the Trail Blazers coaching staff in 2005 at the request of Head Coach Nate McMillan, a former teammate of Lucas when both were in Seattle during the 1986-87 season.

“We are glad to have Luke back, healthy, and working with our big men again,” McMillan said. “He is a very important part of our family and we all missed having him here during the stretch run last year.”

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed free agent forward Juwan Howard to a one-year contract, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Juwan Howard will add a wealth of experience and veteran savvy to our young, talented roster,” said Pritchard. “We look forward to Juwan’s contributions on the court and in the locker room.”

Howard (6-9, 250, Michigan) holds career averages of 14.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 1,043 games (871 starts) over a 15-year NBA career with Washington, Dallas, Denver, Orlando, Houston and Charlotte.

Originally selected by Washington with the fifth overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, Howard garnered All-Rookie Second Team honors in 1994-95 and earned a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team in 1995-96.

Howard averaged 17 points or more and seven-plus rebounds in each of his first five seasons in the league. He has tallied 188 career double-doubles.

Howard, 36, played three games last season for Denver and appeared in 39 contests for Charlotte. In 42 total games, Howard averaged 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 11.2 minutes in 2008-09. He reached double figures in scoring five times.

The Chicago, Ill., native has appeared in the NBA Playoffs four times, averaging 9.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 23 games.

A member of the “Fab Five” at the University of Michigan, Howard was named Third Team All-American in 1994 after averaging 20.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in his junior season. Howard then entered the NBA Draft, becoming the first NBA player to leave school early and graduate on time.

Howard becomes the 14th player on Portland’s roster. He will wear jersey No. 6.

The Portland Trail Blazers have named Hersey Hawkins Player Development Director, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today.

“We’re very excited to be adding a person of Hersey Hawkins’ character and stature to our team,” said Pritchard. “He brings wisdom and a wealth of experience both on and off the court. Hawk was the consummate pro as a player and will play an integral role in the off-court development of our players.”

In his new position with the team, Hawkins, 42, will be a resource to support each player’s professional, social and personal development. He will help build strong relationships with players, their families, agents and business associates. Hawkins will also work closely with Basketball Operations, player representatives and the Trail Blazers’ business departments to help build and maintain strategic partnerships.

“To be joining one of the best franchises in sports is extremely exciting for my family and me,” said Hawkins. “They have a great nucleus of players there and Portland fans support their team like no other, and that made it a very compelling opportunity.”

As a senior at Bradley University, Hawkins led the nation in scoring (36.3 pts) and is one of only seven NCAA Division I men’s basketball players to score 3,000 career points.

He was the sixth overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft and played 13 seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics and Chicago Bulls.

Hawkins partnered with Nate McMillan in the SuperSonics backcourt when Seattle took on the Chicago Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals.

For his career, Hawkins ranks 27th in NBA history in three-point field goals made (1226) and finished in the top-10 in three-point shooting in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1995.

Among his many career accomplishments, Hawkins also won the 1999 NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Since retiring from the league in 2001, Hawkins has split his time as a TV analyst for NBA and college basketball broadcasts and as an assistant basketball coach for his son’s team, Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear, Ariz.

The Portland Trail Blazers signed rookie forward Jeff Pendergraph, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Also announced today, Pendergraph will undergo surgery on Wednesday, Sept. 9, to correct a left hip impingement.

“It feels great to officially be a part of the Trail Blazers organization,” said Pendergraph. “I’m here to help this team and contribute in any way that I can. While this is a challenging week with my surgery, it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve accomplished a dream and can proudly wear the Blazers logo. I will do all that I can to recover and get back on the floor.”

“We’re really excited to add Jeff to our team,” said Pritchard. “It’s a bittersweet day, but Jeff has worked his tail off this summer and we know he’s going to put every bit as much into his rehab as he has preparing for the NBA.”

Dr. Marc Philippon of Vail, Colo., will perform the surgery. A timetable for Pendergraph’s return will be determined upon completion of the procedure.

The Trail Blazers acquired the draft rights to Pendergraph from Sacramento in a draft day trade on June 25 in exchange for Sergio Rodriguez, the draft rights to Jon Brockman and cash considerations.

Pendergraph, 22, played four seasons at Arizona State, where he finished with career averages of 12.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.04 blocked shots and a 58.0 percent shooting percentage. As a senior, Pendergraph averaged 14.5 points and was named to the Pac-10’s First Team. His 66.0 percent field goal mark led the nation.

He started all five games for the Trail Blazers in the 2009 NBA Summer League, averaging 10.8 points (55.3% FG), 7.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 1.2 blocked shots.

Pendergraph becomes the 13th player on the Trail Blazers’ current roster. He will wear jersey number 31.

The Portland Trail Blazers signed rookie forward Dante Cunningham to a multi-year contract, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.  Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“We are really excited about the versatility and determination Dante brings to our team,” said Pritchard. “Dante had a great summer league and we believe he has the potential to become a very good player in this league.”

Selected by the Trail Blazers with the 33rd overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Cunningham led Portland’s 2009 NBA Summer League entry with 18.3 points to go with a team second-best 5.8 rebounds and 1.50 steals in four games (all starts).

“I am so grateful and happy to be a Trail Blazer,” said Cunningham.  “This is a dream come true and I can’t wait to get to work with my teammates.  I’m looking forward to moving to Portland and helping this team in any way that I can.”

Cunningham, 22, played in a school-record 139 games during his four-year career at Villanova and is one of six players in school history to reach 1,300 points and 800 rebounds. The 6-8, 230-pound Maryland native finished his collegiate career with averages of 9.6 points (52.4% FG), 5.9 rebounds and 1.17 steals.

As a senior, Cunningham was named the Big East’s Most Improved Player and was a member of the All-Big East Second Team after leading the Wildcats with collegiate highs of 16.1 points and 7.5 boards.

The signing of Cunningham boosts the Trail Blazers’ current roster to 12 players. He will wear jersey number 33.