Portland Trail Blazers Blog – Page 60 – NBA Blog

Trail Blazers sign coach Nate McMillan to 2-year contract extension

The Portland Trail Blazers signed Head Coach Nate McMillan to a two-year contract extension, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

“With his NBA and USA Basketball track record, Nate has established himself as one of the premier minds in the game of basketball,” said Cho. “What Nate has accomplished in the last few years is truly remarkable and getting his contract extended was a top priority for the franchise and me.”

McMillan, 46, is currently in his sixth year with the Trail Blazers after signing with the team prior to the 2005-06 season. He has a 234-239 (.495) record with the Trail Blazers and a 446-422 (.514) overall mark in 11 NBA seasons with Portland and Seattle. He is the second longest tenured Trail Blazers head coach behind only Jack Ramsay.

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to finish what we started,” said McMillan. “Portland is home for me now and I greatly appreciate the bond between the fans and this basketball team. It’s a very special place to be and it’s the only place I want to be.

“I want to thank all the support that I’ve been shown along the way, especially that of our owner, Mr. Allen, who time and time again demonstrates his commitment to this franchise and winning basketball. I also want to thank Larry Miller, Rich Cho, my coaching staff and everyone in the Trail Blazers family as we continue on this journey of bringing another championship to Portland.”

He became the 15th youngest coach in NBA history to reach 400 wins with a March 12, 2010 victory at Sacramento. Fifteen days later, he earned his 191st win in Portland, passing Mike Dunleavy for third among all-time Trail Blazers head coaches.

“Over the past 12 months we have made significant investments in this team, all keenly focused on assembling the right pieces to compete this year and in the future,” Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen said. “We’ve done that by adding Marcus, Wesley and most recently, Gerald and, now, I’m glad that after productive discussions, Nate is now committed to be our coach for two more years.”

His first year in Portland marked a rebuilding season that saw the team finish with 21 wins, but McMillan developed the young talent on his roster to improve to 32 wins the next season, followed by a jump to 41 wins in 2007-08.

“Without question Nate has ascended into the upper echelon of coaches,” said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. “He’s more than demonstrated his leadership and commitment to the team and this community and the time was right to demonstrate our commitment to him by extending his contract.”

McMillan and the Trail Blazers vaulted to a 54-28 record in 2008-09 that earned the team a share of the Northwest Division title and landed Portland in the NBA Playoffs for the first time in six years. Portland finished the year with the best record by a Trail Blazers team since 1999-2000 and the sixth-best record in franchise history.

In 2009-10, McMillan’s Trail Blazers overcame 311 games missed due to injury to finish with a 50-32 record and a second consecutive trip to the NBA Playoffs.

A member of the U.S. Men’s National Team coaching staff since 2005, McMillan and Team USA took home the Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. McMillan and the coaching staff returned to the international stage in 2010 when they led a new-look USA squad to the country’s first FIBA World Championship since 1994.

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Trade to Blazers made Gerald Wallace feel betrayed by Bobcats

Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports:

Trade made Gerald Wallace feel betrayed by Bobcats

Clearly, ex-Charlotte Bobcat Gerald Wallace hasn’t gotten over the shock and hurt he felt over being suddenly traded to the Portland Trail Blazers last month.

“Basically, you feel betrayed by somebody you love,’’ Wallace told the Observer before Saturday’s Blazers-Bobcats game. “I totally didn’t see it coming. I’d been there seven long years and then you feel like you’re not wanted anymore. That’s a bad situation to be in, especially for me, who committed so much to the organization.

“I understand the situation – it’s a business and they’re looking to start all over. They wanted cap room, and I guess I was the logical answer for them trying to get draft picks.’’

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Ed Manning, one of the original Trail Blazers owners, dies at 68

One of the original Trail Blazers, Ed Manning, passed away yesterday at the age of 68.

Selected from Chicago in the 1970 NBA Expansion Draft, Manning appeared in 79 games during Portland’s inaugural 1970-71 season. He averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in his only year with the Trail Blazers and last in the NBA.

“It’s a sad day as we have lost an original Trail Blazer with the passing of Ed Manning,” said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. “We’ll honor Ed with a moment of silence tonight pregame. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to the Manning family and friends.”

Manning continued his basketball career in the ABA following his stint in Portland. He played in 604 games over nine seasons in the NBA and ABA from 1967-76, averaging 5.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists.

Following his playing days, Manning served as an assistant coach at North Carolina A&T and then under Larry Brown at the University of Kansas from 1984-88. The Jayhawks won the National Championship in 1988 when his son and current Kansas assistant coach, Danny Manning , was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

More recently, Manning worked as an assistant coach and scout with the San Antonio Spurs.

“Ed was an important part of our first Blazer team and what a fine gentleman he was,” said Trail Blazers President Emeritus Harry Glickman. “He later became an assistant coach for several teams in the NBA and is probably most noted that his son, Danny, became the first pick in the NBA draft in 1988.”

The Trail Blazers will hold a moment of silence in honor of Manning prior to tonight’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Patty Mills keeps pushing to raise money for Australian flood victims

Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports:

The devastating floods that wreaked havoc throughout Australia have slowly disappeared from the daily news cycle, but Patty Mills’ efforts to raise money and awareness about the plight of his homeland is just hitting its stride.

Mills teamed with the Blazers to raise nearly $5,700 through a variety of fund-raising efforts in January. Now, through a grass roots campaign to sell T-shirts that Mills helped create, the Australian point guard has set a new goal of raising $50,000 to aid his battered country.

“When you’re on the other side of the world, when you’re far away from your family and friends, you really feel helpless,” Mills said. “So I’m trying to do all I can to help out.”

Mills came up with the idea to sell T-shirts with friend Josh Unruh, a former South Salem and St. Mary’s basketball player who owns a T-shirt company (WheresMyShirt.com) that raises money for charities. Mills designed the shirt and the two made an initial batch of about 300 to sell at a women’s basketball game at St. Mary’s during the NBA All-Star break.

The shirts sold out.

“So we made some more,” Mills said. “We’ve just been getting batch after batch because they just keep going out.”

Trail Blazers assign Luke Babbitt to D-League

The Portland Trail Blazers have assigned rookie forward Luke Babbitt to the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

Babbitt, 21, is averaging 1.1 points, 0.9 rebounds and 4.8 minutes over 21 games with the Trail Blazers.

Babbitt was assigned to the Stampede earlier this season on Dec. 8, posting averages of 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 27.3 minutes in four games before The Trail Blazers recalled him on Dec. 18.

Babbitt is the 41st NBA player assigned to the D-League this season, and is one of two players assigned by the Trail Blazers (Armon Johnson, Jan. 28 – Feb. 22).

Portland acquired the University of Nevada-Reno product from Minnesota in a draft day trade on June 24, 2010.

Trail Blazers sign Jarron Collins to 10-day contract

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Jarron Collins to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

Collins, 32, holds career averages of 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 15.9 minutes in 537 games (216 starts) with Utah, Phoenix and the L.A. Clippers. He appeared in 23 games this season for the Clippers, posting averages of 0.7 points, 0.7 rebounds and 6.8 minutes.

A 10-year NBA veteran who played collegiately at Stanford, Collins (6-11, 249) spent the 2009 preseason with the Trail Blazers, averaging 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 14.0 minutes in four games.

The Trail Blazers roster stands at 14 players with today’s signing.

He will wear jersey No. 31.

Bobcats trade Gerald Wallace to Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired forward Gerald Wallace from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for center Joel Przybilla, forward Dante Cunningham, forward/center Sean Marks, a 2011 conditional first round pick acquired from New Orleans and a conditional 2013 first round pick, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

“I want to welcome Gerald to the Trail Blazers,” said Trail Blazers Owner Paul Allen . “He is just the sort of talent we were looking for. I’m sure our fans will embrace him and hopefully he can help us make some noise in the playoffs.

“I also want to thank Joel, Dante and Sean. Joel has been a warrior for this franchise over the past six and 1/2 seasons and Dante has played an important role in the success this team has had this season.”

Wallace, 28, posted averages of 15.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.23 steals, 1.00 blocked shots and 39.0 minutes in 48 games (all starts) with the Bobcats this season. He scored 20 points or more 17 times and recorded 14 double-doubles.

“I’d like to thank Joel, Dante and Sean for their hard work and professionalism while in Portland,” said Cho. “We are very excited to add a player of Gerald Wallace’s caliber to the roster and feel that his athletic, defensive-minded style of play will be a great fit for us.”

Wallace (6-7, 220) was named to the 2010 Eastern Conference All-Star Team and the 2009-10 All-Defensive First Team.

Blazers recall Armon Johnson from D-League

The Portland Trail Blazers recalled guard Armon Johnson from the NBA Development League’s Idaho Stampede, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

In nine games (one start) with the Stampede, Johnson notched averages of 18.2 points (59.7% FG), 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 27.6 minutes. He netted more than 20 points in five games.

Johnson, 21, is averaging 3.1 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 8.1 minutes in 28 games this season with the Trail Blazers.

Portland selected Johnson in the second round (34th pick overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft out of the University of Nevada-Reno.

Brandon Roy almost set to return for Blazers

The AP reports:

Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy is returning to practice, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll play this weekend.

Portland’s three-time All-Star had arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees just three weeks ago.

He was averaging 16.6 points in 23 games before he was sidelined indefinitely by the team. Roy says now he is nearly pain free, but still needs to practice at full speed.

LaMarcus Aldridge scores 42 in win over Bulls

The AP reports:

LaMarcus Aldridge scored so easily against Chicago that he allowed himself a broad smile and a few high-fives from teammates before the game was even over.

“It was fun,” he said after putting up a career-high 42 points Monday night in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 109-103 victory over the Bulls.

So was there a little I-told-you-so feeling after not being selected for the All-Star game? No, Aldridge insisted.

“Me getting 42 tonight isn’t going to change their mind, so what is it going to do for me?” he said. “I thought tonight I just came out and got those easy dunks early and that was my big thing that got me going.”

Derrick Rose had 36 points for the Bulls, who lost their second straight.