Category: Portland Trail Blazers Blog

Three weeks, six exhibition games and more than a dozen practices have cemented J.J. Hickson’s stranglehold on the Trail Blazers’ starting center job.

Coach Terry Stotts on Tuesday said Hickson will be his starting center Halloween night, when the Blazers open the regular season against the Los Angeles Lakers.

“He’s earned it,” Stotts said. “He’s played well.”

Heading into training camp, Stotts said the undersized Hickson would be the favorite to man the middle because of his experience in the NBA and his 19-game history with the Blazers last season. But Stotts wouldn’t simply hand Hickson the starting spot, he’d have to beat out rookies Meyers Leonard and Joel Freeland for the gig.

— Reported by Joe Freeman of the Oregonian

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When the Portland Trail Blazers gave Adam Morrison – the No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft – a chance to return to the National Basketball Association by signing him to a training camp deal, I’m not sure anyone knew this could probably be his last chance.

After being out of the league the last two years, Morrison, 28, told CSNNW.com that if he didn’t make the Trail Blazers’ regular season roster, he has plans to end his professional playing career and start a new one.

“I’m going to finish school and start coaching (If he didn’t make the Trail Blazers roster)…I did the Europe thing and it just wasn’t for me,” Morrison told CSNNW.com. “Not saying the (Europe) culture or anything like that, (or) the people, it just wasn’t for me. So, yeah, if it doesn’t work out, I’m willing to look myself in the mirror and say, ‘I gave it a honest shot’ and turn the page. Do something else.”

Coach Morrison has a nice ring to it.

— Reported by Chris Haynes of CSNNW

And although this Blazers season will be littered with a heavy dose of new — from coach to general manager to an overhauled roster that features five rookies — Stotts says he will open training camp with Hickson at center, in part, because of his history with the team.

“J.J. is the incumbent,” Stotts said. “I’m not saying he’s going to be the starting center opening night. We’ll have to see how training camp goes, see how the preseason goes, and then we’ll make that determination. Meyers (Leonard) has played very well (this summer). But it’s just like politics: J.J. has been here, he’s the returner, so going into it he has the advantage.”

Who starts at center is just one of many questions looming over the franchise as the Blazers prepare for a rebuilding season that is sure to feature plenty of bumps and bruises along the way. The Blazers’ 15-man roster averages just 25.0 years old, likely making it one of the youngest in the NBA this season.

— Reported by Joe Freeman of the Oregonian

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed Adam Morrison, Demonte Harper and Dallas Lauderdale, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey.

Morrison (Forward, 6-8, 205) was selected with the third overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Bobcats out of Gonzaga, earning NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2006-07. He has career averages of 7.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 161 games over four seasons with Charlotte and the L.A. Lakers. He played in Serbia and Turkey before joining the Brooklyn Nets and L.A. Clippers summer league squads in July. Morrison averaged 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 30.0 minutes in five games with the Clippers.

Harper (Guard, 6-4, 195) was a four-year standout at Morehead State, where he finished his collegiate career in 2010-11 by earning All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team and conference tournament MVP honors his senior year. He spent last season playing in Croatia before playing for the Denver Nuggets NBA Summer League squad in July.

Lauderdale (Forward, 6-8, 260) also made a 2012 NBA Summer League roster, appearing for the Golden State Warriors. He played collegiately at Ohio State from 2007-11, finishing his four-year career with the Buckeyes averaging 4.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game. Lauderdale spent the 2011-12 season playing in Poland.

With today’s signings, the Trail Blazers training camp roster stands at 18 players.

Entering his fifth season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Love hasn’t had a sniff of the postseason. Minnesota, in fact, has finished fifth and last in the Northwest Division in each of his four seasons. That could change in 2012-13 as the Timberwolves have beefed up a roster that has their Western Conference competition on notice.

“It will be a big surprise to me if we didn’t make a huge leap this year and make it to the playoffs,” the Lake Oswego native told me Wednesday.

With Hall of Fame-to-be coach Rick Adelman and rookie phenom Ricky Rubio at point guard, the Timberwolves nearly made it there a year ago. They were 21-19, but a game later, Rubio was lost for the season with an ACL knee injury.

Thus began a progression of injuries that saw the Wolves without their top five scorers — including Love — at one point. They went into free-fall, losing 13 of their last 14 games to finish 26-40.

— Reported by Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune

The Portland Trail Blazers have named Michael Lewellen as Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Engagement, the team announced today. He joins the Trail Blazers after nearly 30 years of communications, public relations and marketing experience with a variety of category and industry leading brands.

In his role with the Trail Blazers, Lewellen will be responsible for directing the team’s communications and public engagement strategies. He will lead a team of communications executives in the areas of media relations, community relations, and team relations.

“We are thrilled to have Michael on our team,” said Trail Blazers Chief Operating Officer Sarah Mensah.  “He brings the right balance of knowledge of our team and city, along with added new energy, leadership and experience.”

“This is an exciting and transformative time in the Trail Blazers’ history, and I’m so pleased to have this opportunity,” said Lewellen, who spent five years in the Portland community earlier in his career.  “I appreciate the confidence that Sarah Mensah and the Blazers’ executives have placed in me, and look forward to being a contributing member of the organization.”

Lewellen returns to Portland from Orlando, Fla., where he most recently served as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Heart of Florida United Way. Lewellen also held the roles of Board of Directors Chairman for the Central Florida Urban League from 2008-11 and Vice President of NBC Universal/Universal Orlando Resort from 2007-09.  He also launched his own media strategies and issues management firm while in Orlando in 2009.

From 1999-07, Lewellen held the positions of Vice President and Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for Black Entertainment Television (BET Networks). During his tenure, BET enjoyed six years of double-digit ratings growth and launched some of its most successful programming franchises, including the annual BET Awards.

Lewellen’s diverse communications expertise also encompasses the sports business industry.  Prior to joining BET, Lewellen served as Vice President of Media Relations for Fox Sports Network/Fox Broadcasting in a bi-coastal role in New York and Los Angeles from 1998-99. Prior to that, Lewellen held the position of Public Relations Director for the Goodwill Games on behalf of Turner Sports.

His multi-discipline career path also includes Beaverton-based Nike, where he worked from 1991-96.  Lewellen served as the world’s leading athletic brand’s Urban and Minority Affairs Manager, Corporate Development Director and General Manager/Product Line Manager for Baseball and Softball Equipment.  While previously in Portland, Lewellen was an active member of the local community, having served on the boards of directors of the Urban League of Portland, Oregon Public Broadcasting and the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs.

An award-winning executive, Lewellen’s career first began as a sports writer and radio broadcaster in his home state of Arkansas in the early 1980s.  Lewellen was honored with the 2009 Robert S. Abbott Memorial Award for Meritorious Service in Mass Communications at the Southern Regional Press Institute. The Arkansas State University graduate also received the Founders Award for his service and advancement of the public relations profession from the National Black Public Relations Society in 2005.

The Trail Blazers partnered with Generator Group in their executive search for the senior vice president position.

Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Terry Stotts has added Dale Osbourne to the coaching staff, it was announced today by the team.

“I’m very excited about Dale joining our staff,” said Stotts. “His diverse coaching background and experience at the college and D-League level will be very valuable in the development of our younger players both on the court and off.”

Osbourne joins the Trail Blazers from the Tulsa 66ers, where he served as head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA Development League affiliate. USA Basketball selected him as an assistant coach for the 2011 Pan American Games, where the team medaled for the first time since 1999.

Osbourne spent parts of three seasons as an assistant in Tulsa before being promoted to head coach in December 2011. He has also been an assistant with the D-League’s Utah Flash and Austin Toros, in addition to coaching tenures in the WNBA, CBA and USBL.

In seven years as an assistant at the University of South Alabama, Osbourne helped guide his alma mater to a pair of Sun Belt Conference titles.

Osbourne joins Kaleb Canales, Jay Triano, David Vanterpool and Kim Hughes on the Portland coaching staff.

The Trail Blazers tip-off training camp Tuesday, Oct. 2, in preparation for the NBA season opener vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Terry Stotts has added Jay Triano, David Vanterpool and Kim Hughes to his coaching staff, the team announced today.

“Jay, David and Kim bring a wealth of experience as coaches, players and front office personnel,” said Stotts. “I have always had a lot of respect for their basketball knowledge and they will be very valuable additions to our staff.”

Triano, 53, joins the Trail Blazers from the Toronto Raptors, where he most recently held the position of Vice President of Pro Scouting after serving as the team’s head coach from 2008-11 (87-142, .380). The first Canadian born head coach in the NBA, Triano was previously an assistant in Toronto from 2002-08.

A native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Triano served as the head coach for the Canadian men’s national team from 1998-2004 (52-42, .553) and later as an assistant for USA Basketball. A former captain of Team Canada who played collegiately at Simon Fraser University, Triano competed in three Olympics for his home country.

Vanterpool, 39, joins the Trail Blazers bench after spending the past two seasons as a pro scout with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played for European power CSKA Moscow from 2005-07, winning a Euroleague title there before becoming an assistant coach with the club upon retirement. Vanterpool was also a member of the Trail Blazers’ 2010 NBA Summer League coaching staff.

Appearing in 22 games for the Washington Wizards in 2000-01, Vanterpool played collegiately at St. Bonaventure.

An assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers for seven seasons (2003-10), Hughes, 60, finished the final 33 games of the 2009-10 season as interim head coach. He spent the previous five seasons with the Denver Nuggets, where he served as director of scouting, director of player personnel and assistant coach. The Freeport, Ill., native and Wisconsin alum was also a scout for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Hughes is a six-year veteran of the ABA and NBA, playing for the New York/New Jersey Nets, Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers before finishing his career in Italy.

Triano, Vanterpool and Hughes join Kaleb Canales as assistants on Stotts’ staff.