Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge has taken his talents to San Antonio, but feel free to enjoy some of these memories of his time on the Portland Trail Blazers:
Category: Portland Trail Blazers Blog
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Trail Blazers waive Brendan Haywood
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The Portland Trail Blazers have waived center Brendan Haywood, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.
Portland acquired Haywood, guard Mike Miller and two future second round draft picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 27 in exchange for cash considerations.
According to the Oregonian, “the Blazers acquired Haywood on Monday, along with sharpshooter Mike Miller, in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland moved Haywood to shed his $10.5 million salary and gain luxury tax relief, and the Blazers — who acquired two second round draft picks in the deal — never planned to keep him on their roster.”
Cavaliers trade Mike Miller, Brendan Haywood to Blazers
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded center Brendan Haywood, guard/forward Mike Miller and two future second round draft picks to Portland, General Manager David Griffin announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.
As a result of the trade, the Cavs will receive two trade exceptions of approximately $10.5 million and $2.8 million, respectively. The two draft picks that Cleveland is sending to Portland in the deal are the Cavaliers’ own 2020 second round draft pick, and the more favorable of Minnesota’s own 2019 second round draft pick and the Los Angeles Lakers’ own 2019 second round draft pick.
Haywood, a 13-year veteran, has played in 816 games (549 starts) with Washington, Dallas, Charlotte and Cleveland, averaging 6.8 points on .528 shooting from the field, 6.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22.9 minutes per game. This past season with the Cavs, he played in 22 games (one start) and averaged 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5.4 minutes per game.
Miller, a 15-year veteran, owns career averages of 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 28.3 minutes over 965 games (568 starts) with Orlando, Memphis, Washington, Miami and Cleveland. During the 2014-15 regular season, he played in 52 games (15 starts) with Cleveland and averaged 2.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game.
Mike Miller and Brendan Haywood being sent to Blazers
Here’s ESPN.com reporting on an agreed trade that should be official soon:
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to trade Mike Miller and Brendan Haywood to the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal aimed to create future options and save luxury-tax money, sources told ESPN.com.
The Blazers will likely cut Haywood and could eventually work a buyout with Miller and will receive two future second-round picks from the Cavs for facilitating the deal with their cap space.
The Cavs will create two trade exceptions with the move, one for $10.5 million, which will be the largest active trade exception in the league, and the other for $2.94 million. The Cavs will also receive cash in the deal, sources said.
Trail Blazers sign Phil Pressey and Cliff Alexander
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Phil Pressey and forward Cliff Alexander, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.
Pressey, 24, holds NBA averages of 3.1 points (33.3% FG, 35.7% 3-PT, 66.0% FT), 1.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 125 games (11 starts) over the past two seasons with the Boston Celtics.
Undrafted out of Missouri, Pressey (5-11, 175) averaged career highs in scoring (11.9 ppg) and assists (7.0 apg) his junior 2012-13 season, finishing No. 13 nationally in assists per game on his way to First Team All-SEC and All-SEC tournament honors.
Also undrafted, Alexander, 19, averaged 7.1 points (56.6% FG, 67.1% FT), 5.3 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 1.32 blocked shots in one season at Kansas in 2014-15. His field goal percentage led Kansas and ranked fourth in the Big 12 last season.
The 2014 Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year, Alexander (6-8, 240) was a 2014 McDonald’s All-American, a member of Team USA at the 2014 Nike Hoop Summit and earned co-MVP honors at the 2014 Jordan Brand Classic.
Allen Crabbe out with sprained ankle
Here’s the Oregonian reporting on a Trail Blazers summer league injury:
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The Trail Blazers will be without shooting guard Allen Crabbe the rest of Las Vegas Summer League. But they will have him back well before the start of training camp.
A magnetic resonance imaging test performed on Crabbe’s left ankle revealed a ‘severe sprain’ but did not show any serious damage, the team announced on Thursday.
His recovery is expected to take four to six weeks, so he will not play again in Las Vegas but will be back with time to spare before the start of the 2015-16 season.
Magic trade Maurice Harkless to Blazers
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The Orlando Magic have acquired a conditional future second round draft pick from Portland in exchange for forward Maurice Harkless, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.
Harkless played in 45 games (four starts) last season with Orlando, averaging 3.5 ppg. and 2.4 rpg. in 15.0 minpg. He led (or tied) the team in assists once. Harkless scored in double figures three times, including a season-high 18 points on Mar. 18 @ Dallas.
Originally selected by Philadelphia in the first round (15th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft, Harkless was acquired by the Magic on Aug. 10, 2012 as part of a four-team, 12 player deal. He has appeared in 201 career NBA regular season games (104 starts), all with Orlando, averaging 6.8 ppg., 3.5 rpg. and 1.08 stlpg. in 22.9 minpg.
Trail Blazers sign guard Luis Montero
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Luis Montero, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.
Montero, 22, worked out for the Trail Blazers prior to the NBA Draft and is on the team’s 2015 NBA Summer League roster.
Playing for Westchester Community College in 2013-14, Montero averaged 15.6 points (52.9% FG, 43.7% 3-PT, 67.2% FT), 5.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Montero (6-7, 185) played high school basketball at Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts.
Trail Blazers sign Damian Lillard to contract extension
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The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Damian Lillard to a contract extension, bringing the two-time NBA All-Star under contract through the 2020-21 season, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.
According to ESPN.com, “the deal is the maximum five-year extension worth $120 million. The extension kicks in with the 2016-17 season.”
Lillard, 24, has career averages of 20.2 points (42.9% FG, 36.8% 3-PT, 86.1% FT), 3.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 0.95 steals and 36.7 minutes in three seasons with the Trail Blazers.
“I’m grateful to the Trail Blazers organization for believing in me with this contract extension,” said Lillard. “The city of Portland has made me feel welcome since the day I arrived. My family and I have made Portland our home.
“I feel fortunate to be a part of a great organization and community. I’m proud of what we’ve created together as a team and I’m excited to keep building.”
Selected by Portland with the sixth overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft out of Weber State, Lillard holds the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a player’s first three seasons (599), while becoming the first NBA player since 2003-04 to record 4,000 points and 1,200 assists in his first 200 games.
“From the day he arrived in Portland, Damian has embodied all of the characteristics we value and expect as a player and a person,” said Olshey. “The level of commitment we are making to one another provides the foundation our organization will be built on. We could not find a finer example of the organizational culture we are working to create than Damian.”
Lillard set new career highs in points (21.0 ppg), rebounds (3.8 rpg), assists (6.1 apg), steals (1.18 spg) and field goal percentage (43.4%) during the 2014-15 season.
The first NBA player in 14 years to start in all 82 games for the same team in each of his first three seasons, Lillard represented Portland as an NBA All-Star in 2014 and 2015, earning All-NBA Third Team honors in 2013-14.
Lillard is one of four players in league history to be the unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year after winning the award in 2013.
Trail Blazers sign guard Pat Connaughton
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Pat Connaughton, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.
“Pat’s character, competitive nature and ability to make shots will be a welcomed addition to our team,” said Olshey. “He is an excellent fit for our basketball system and our culture.”
Acquired in a draft day trade with Brooklyn, Connaughton (6-5, 215) was selected with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft.
Connaughton, 22, averaged 10.5 points (45.0% FG, 38.6% 3-PT, 77.7% FT), 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in four seasons at Notre Dame.
An All-ACC Third Team selection in 2015, Connaughton posted averages of 12.5 points (42.3% 3-PT) and 7.4 rebounds his senior year for the Irish, who made an NCAA Tournament run to the Elite Eight.
Connaughton will make his Trail Blazers debut at the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Portland tips off its schedule on Saturday, July 11 vs. Boston at 5 p.m. (Pacific).
He will wear No. 5 for the Trail Blazers.