Portland Trail Blazers Blog – Page 63 – NBA Blog

Blazers exercise options on Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez

The Portland Trail Blazers exercised their fourth-year options on the contracts of forward Nicolas Batum and guard/forward Rudy Fernandez.

The moves, announced today by General Manager Rich Cho, keep both players under contract through the 2011-12 season.

In 119 games (104 starts) with Portland, Batum has averaged 7.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 20.7 minutes. He is a career 48.3 percent shooter from the field, including a 39.0 percent mark from 3-point range.

Fernandez has posted averages of 9.3 points (38.9% 3-PT), 2.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 24.4 minutes in 143 games (six starts) for the Trail Blazers. His 159 3-pointers in 2008-09 are the most in a season by a rookie in NBA history.

The Trail Blazers originally acquired Batum (2008) and Fernandez (2007) via trade.

Blazers sign Fabricio Oberto

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Fabricio Oberto, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are pleased to welcome Fabricio to Portland, and feel he can help us by providing depth in the frontcourt,” said Cho. “He’s a veteran center who has achieved success at both the NBA and international levels.”

A native of Las Varillas, Argentina, Oberto (6-10, 245) played four seasons for the San Antonio Spurs (2005-09), winning an NBA Championship as the starting center in 2007, before spending last season with the Washington Wizards.

Oberto, 35, holds career NBA averages of 3.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 14.6 minutes in 331 games (128 starts).

A veteran of international play, Oberto was a member of the Argentine National Team that won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, took home the bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and won the silver medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championships.

Blazers waive Jeff Pendergraph

The Portland Trail Blazers have waived forward Jeff Pendergraph, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.

“We want to thank Jeff for his hard work and professionalism since he arrived here in Portland, and we wish him a fast and successful recovery from his injury,” said Cho. “We sometimes have to make difficult decisions in this business, and this was certainly one of them.”

Pendergraph suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in an Oct. 7 preseason game at Utah and is scheduled to undergo surgery as a result.

Pendergraph, 23, averaged 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 39 games (four starts) as a rookie in 2009-10 with the Trail Blazers after being acquired from Sacramento in a draft day trade on June 25, 2009. The Arizona State product was the 31st overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft.

With Monday’s move, Portland’s roster stands at 14 players.

Blazers trade Jerryd Bayless to Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have acquired guard Jerryd Bayless from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a conditional future first-round pick.

“We have always been very high on Jerryd as a basketball player and person,” said General Manager Dell Demps. “He is an explosive, young guard who will be able to come in and help us right away. He has the ability to do a variety of things and has stepped up many times for the Blazers when called upon. We are very excited about adding him to our team.”

Bayless (6-3, 204) was drafted in the first round (11th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. His rights were traded along with Ike Diogu to Portland for the rights to Brandon Rush (13th pick in 2008 NBA Draft), Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts on draft night. Bayless played under current Hornets Head Coach Monty Williams in Portland for his first two seasons in the NBA.

Last season, Bayless averaged 8.5 points, 2.3 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 17.6 minutes of play over 74 games (11 starts). In those 11 games as a starter, Bayless averaged 12.6 points, 3.3 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 24.4 minutes of action. During his rookie season, Bayless appeared in 53 games,averaging 4.3 points, 1.6 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 12.4 minutes of play. The Phoenix native was named the 2008 NBA Summer League MVP after leading the league in scoring at 29.8 points per game.

Bayless spent one season at the University of Arizona before declaring for the NBA Draft. In his lone season for the Wildcats, Bayless averaged a team-high 19.7 points to go along with 4.0 assists and 2.7 rebounds. He was named second-team All-Pac-10 for his efforts. The 23-year old guard was a McDonald’s High School All-American coming out of St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix.

NBA fines Rudy Fernandez

Rudy Fernandez of the Portland Trail Blazers has been fined $50,000 for public statements detrimental to the NBA, the league announced today.

The statements, which concerned a desire to be released by the Trail Blazers, were made by Fernandez’s agent, Gerard Darnes, on October 6. Fernandez was previously fined $25,000 on August 19 for statements concerning his desire to be traded or released by Portland.

Trail Blazers sign Steven Hill

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Steven Hill, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Hill, 24, appeared in one NBA game for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008 before being assigned to the NBA Development League’s Tulsa 66ers, where he averaged 3.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.33 blocked shots in 18 games over parts of two seasons from 2008-10.

Undrafted out of the University of Arkansas, the Trail Blazers signed the former SEC Defensive Player of the Year in August 2008 before waiving him prior to the 2008-09 season. Hill (7-0, 245) averaged 1.0 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.67 blocked shots and 9.0 minutes in three preseason games for Portland that year. He was previously a member of the Trail Blazers’ 2008 NBA Summer League team.

With Hill’s signing, the Trail Blazers’ roster stands at 19.

Jeff Pendergraph to have surgery for torn ACL in right knee

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jeff Pendergraph will undergo surgery in the coming days after an MRI today revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, it was announced by General Manager Rich Cho.

A timetable for his return to the court will be determined upon completion of the procedure.

“Jeff has been playing well and has been a big part of the team, so this is an unfortunate setback,” said Cho. “With his work ethic and determination, we know he’ll work hard in his rehabilitation to return to the court.”

The injury occurred at the 10:48 mark of the second quarter in Thursday’s preseason game at Utah.

Blazers big-man Jeff Pendergraph injures right knee

Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports:

Second-year center Jeff Pendergraph left Thursday’s exhibition game at Utah with a right knee injury that appears to be serious.

Pendergraph crumpled to the court holding his right knee after Jazz center Kyrylo Fesenko drove and scored on him with 10:48 left in the second quarter. Blazers players immediately signaled for athletic trainer Jay Jensen. Pendergraph was unable to put pressure on the knee as he was positioned into a wheelchair on the court. He was wheeled off with his right knee extended and Jensen holding his foot.

InsideHoops.com editor says: The Blazers should just get rid of their entire roster, then sign 15 centers. And then have a contest: Player who remains healthy the longest wins a pony.

2010 FIBA Hall of Fame Class announced

A total of 17 outstanding basketball personalities from 12 different countries will be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame on 12th September during the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istanbul (Turkey), the International Basketball Federation announced today.

National icons Oscar Schmidt (Brazil), Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania), Dino Meneghin (Italy) and Vlade Divac and Dragan Kićanović (both from Serbia) are among the inductees for the 2010 Class of the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Two of the best female players of all time, Cheryl Miller (USA) and Natalia Zassoulskaya (Russia), complete the list of players.

A combined 14 Olympic medals and 15 FIBA World Championship medals underline the prominence of the seven players and three coaches inducted.

The selected referees and contributors were at the top of the game for decades and belong to the most decorated in their field.

“The 2010 Class has stardom, character and countless merits for the promotion of our game,” said FIBA President Bob Elphinston.

“The inductees were and still are brilliant on and off the court. We are very proud to host the 2010 ceremony in the presence of all these great women and men during the FIBA World Championship and give them the public platform they deserve.”

Here is the full list of the 2010 Class:

PLAYERS:

Vlade Divac Serbia
Dragan KiĆanoviĆ Serbia
Dino Meneghin Italia
Cheryl Miller U.S.A.
Arvydas Sabonis Lithuania
Oscar Schmidt Brazil
Natalia Zassoulskaya Russia

COACHES:

Lindsay Gaze Australia
Evgeny GomelskY Russia
Mirko Novosel Croatia

TECHNICAL OFFICIALS:

Jim Bain U.S.A.
Konstantinos Dimou Greece

CONTRIBUTORS:

George Killian U.S.A.
Hans-Joachim Otto Germany
Ernesto Segura de Luna (posthumously) Spain
Abdoulaye Seye Moreau Senegal
Al RAMSAY * Australia

* Al Ramsay was selected for the 2009 Class, but will officially be enshrined in 2010.

Full 2010 preseason schedule

The NBA today released its 2010 preseason schedule, which is highlighted by a comprehensive international slate of games that includes seven contests in China, Europe and Mexico. The preseason slate tips off on Oct. 3, when the New York Knicks visit Armani Jeans Milano – the former team of Knicks forward Danillo Gallinari and head coach Mike D’Antoni – in Milan, Italy, and the New Jersey Nets host Maccabi Haifa.

As is the case these days, the action starts overseas, with a few NBA squads heading to Europe.

I’ve always had mixed feelings about teams playing preseason ball overseas. Because generally it’s just a warmup. I think if NBA fans overseas are going to get a rare taste of live NBA action, it should be the best basketball possible, and we usually don’t see that before the regular season begins.

See the complete 2010-11 NBA preseason schedule.