Portland Trail Blazers Blog – Page 29 – NBA Blog

Blazers promote Jim Moran to assistant coach

The Portland Trail Blazers have promoted Jim Moran to assistant coach on Head Coach Terry Stotts’ staff, it was announced today by President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey.

“I am excited to add Jim to our coaching staff,” said Stotts. “He is a young coach with a bright future. He has a terrific work ethic coupled with a refreshing personality. He has already demonstrated a unique ability to work with our players and he will add a new perspective for us.”

Moran joins a staff that includes fellow assistant coaches Jay Triano, David Vanterpool, Nate Tibbetts and Dale Osbourne.

Moran begins his first year on the Trail Blazers bench in 2015-16 after spending last season in Portland as an associate video coordinator. A player development coach for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League in 2013, Moran played his entire professional career for CB Gran Canaria in the Spanish ACB League from 2001-11.

He is the only player in team history to have his number retired by Gran Canaria, finishing his career with 2,060 points, 802 rebounds and 321 assists. Moran played collegiately at William & Mary, where he was twice named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association Team his junior and senior seasons. A native of Syosset, New York, Moran played for the Irish Men’s National Team from 2001-06.

Al-Farouq Aminu steps up for Nigeria at AfroBasket

This summer, basketball teams around the world are trying to lock down spots in the 2016 Olympics. Here’s the Oregonian reporting on a new member of the Portland Trail Blazers:

Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu helped Nigeria get one step close to qualifying for the 2016 Olympics on Wednesday. Aminu led his home country to an 88-63 win over the Central African Republic at the AfroBasket, a FIBA tournament held in Tunisia in which the winner earns an automatic bid to the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

Aminu scored a team-high 15 points to go with eight rebounds and three assists in just over 20 minutes of playing time. He hit 6 of 8 shots and added an impressive dunk in the opening minutes of the game when he finished a half court alley-oop lob from teammate Olaseni Lawal.

Video: LaMarcus Aldridge Blazers highlights

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:

Trail Blazers waive Brendan Haywood

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

Cavs trade Mike Miller, Brendan Haywood to Blazers

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:

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:

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

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.