Udoka available again

[Drucci]

The Portland Trail Blazers plan to release forward Ime Udoka and center Jarron Collins, a source close to the team confirmed Wednesday. In return, Portland plans to retain rookie guard Patty Mills.

However, an official announcement by the team is not expected until Thursday, because Mills has not yet passed his physical. According to the source, there is less than a one percent chance Mills will not pass the test.

An initial report of Colllins speaking with Udoka at today's practice, and McMillan speaking shortly thereafter with Udoka can be found here.

Source

I say release Giddens, sign Udoka, and then you've got an almost perfect bench : House/Marquis/Udoka/Big Baby/Sheed. I know there will be limited minutes for Udoka since the bench is already deep but he could still be useful, especially in the playoffs, and for the minimum salary.

[GKC]

It's weird though; he wasn't good enough to make the Portland training camp and was easily expendable by the Spurs. He turns 33 during the season, and something tells me that his age may have just caused him to be a liability defensively now.

That also seems to be the case looking at the blazersedge forums.

[Drucci]

It's weird though; he wasn't good enough to make the Portland training camp and was easily expendable by the Spurs. He turns 33 during the season, and something tells me that his age may have just caused him to be a liability defensively now.

That also seems to be the case looking at the blazersedge forums.

He may have declined, but still, it's not so weird when you think about it.

Portland has really a lot of useful and effective wings (Batum, Webster). San Antonio could have kept him but they preferred to spend their money on Dice, Jefferson and Bogans (who fills the Udoka role with more talent and youth).

So I still think he would be perfect for us, for the minimum salary.

[GKC]

It's weird though; he wasn't good enough to make the Portland training camp and was easily expendable by the Spurs. He turns 33 during the season, and something tells me that his age may have just caused him to be a liability defensively now.

That also seems to be the case looking at the blazersedge forums.

He may have declined, but still, it's not so weird when you think about it.

Portland has really a lot of useful and effective wings (Batum, Webster). San Antonio could have kept him but they preferred to spend their money on Dice, Jefferson and Bogans (who fills the Udoka role with more talent and youth).

So I still think he would be perfect for us, for the minimum salary.

Minimum salary is still just shy of 2 million since we're in tax. And if Danny really wanted to upgrade, wouldn't he have just cut Walker or Giddens already instead of Sweetney?

I think we may be grasping at straw at this point, but I think one of Giddens / Walker / TA will work for spot minutes.

[indeedproceed]

Udoka would be a good asset to us. He brings something nobody else can do on the wing, and that's play consistent defense without fouling.

SIgn him up, I say. Cut giddens.

[nickagneta]

I think at this point, unless a two for one trade materializes that opens a spot for Udoka, the chances of his becoming a Celtic are pretty remote. I do think Danny will do a two for one or three for one or three for two trade at some during this season to open a roster spot. At that point, I also believe Danny will bring in a free agent(whether because he didn't start the season with anyone or because he got bought out).

Who that free agent will be will of course be decided by who they trade for. But without a trade, I don't see anyone on the current roster being cut to add someone else. If the team was that down on a player, they would have already cut his guaranteed contract and brought people in on make good contracts to try out for the position during the entire training camp and pre-season.

[the_Bird]

Gidden's upside is to maybe someday be as good as Udoka.  Hell, I'd be happy if someday Giddens were as good as Tony Allen!

Doubt anything will happen, if they wanted Udoka, they could have pursued him earlier in the offseason.  Wasn't like there was a dozen teams all fighting to sign him.  He never even got any guaranteed money, did he?

[Who]

I'd love to see Ime Udoka signed ... he'd bring some badly needed insurance on the wing behind Marquis Daniels.

However, I don't think Danny has any intention of making roster changes at this point.

[jdpapa3]

I think we would've gotten him before the Blazers if we really wanted to. I can't think of one thing he does better than the league average.

[xmuscularghandix]

can we just have a collective WHO CARES!?! Udoka is nothing special.

[ThaPreacher]

"I say release Giddens, sign Udoka, and then you've got an almost perfect bench : House/Marquis/Udoka/Big Baby/Sheed. I know there will be limited minutes for Udoka since the bench is already deep but he could still be useful, especially in the playoffs, and for the minimum salary."

Giddens is a very athletic, very young, specialized talent that has many years in front of him.  Why would Boston release Giddens?  The playoffs aren't until this spring.  Certainly, there are alot of better options than a player who PORTLAND cut because he could't make their Bench.  Seriously, we have to think more and talk less

[indeedproceed]

I say release Giddens, sign Udoka, and then you've got an almost perfect bench : House/Marquis/Udoka/Big Baby/Sheed. I know there will be limited minutes for Udoka since the bench is already deep but he could still be useful, especially in the playoffs, and for the minimum salary.

Giddens is a very athletic, very young, specialized talent that has many years in front of him.  Why would Boston release Giddens?  The playoffs aren't until this spring.  Certainly, there are alot of better options than a player who PORTLAND cut because he could't make their Bench.  Seriously, we have to think more and talk less

Portland currently has on its team:

Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez, Martell Webster, Nicholas Batum, Travis Outlaw

That's 5 guys who will see time at the 3. 5 guys who have clear NBA talent, 5 guys who have shown they can contribute, and 5 guaranteed contracts.

We have at the SF position:

Pierce, Walker, Scalabrine, Giddens(maybe), Daniels

Pierce and Walker are the only guys that can actually play the position. People in favor of bringing Udoka here are not guilty of not thinking. 

[P2]

Udoka would be a good asset to us. He brings something nobody else can do on the wing, and that's play consistent defense without fouling.

SIgn him up, I say. Cut giddens.

He's also a threat from beyond the arc. I would take him any day over Giddens, he could play around 5 minutes per game, and his role would expand in the playoffs to 10-15 MPG.

[greenwise]

The Portland Trail Blazers plan to release forward Ime Udoka and center Jarron Collins, a source close to the team confirmed Wednesday. In return, Portland plans to retain rookie guard Patty Mills.

However, an official announcement by the team is not expected until Thursday, because Mills has not yet passed his physical. According to the source, there is less than a one percent chance Mills will not pass the test.

An initial report of Colllins speaking with Udoka at today's practice, and McMillan speaking shortly thereafter with Udoka can be found here.

Source

I say release Giddens, sign Udoka, and then you've got an almost perfect bench : House/Marquis/Udoka/Big Baby/Sheed. I know there will be limited minutes for Udoka since the bench is already deep but he could still be useful, especially in the playoffs, and for the minimum salary.

Agreed 100%, TP. Do it Danny!

[greenwise]

It would be even better if we got rid of TA and still keep JR in the inactive list