Petteri Koponen sighting?

by spencerbutte on May 3, 2008 2:50 PM PDT Comment 24 comments

With the draft approaching and talk of trading up for another PG,

has anyone heard about the status or recent play of Petteri Koponen?

Last years read: ...showing good ball-handling skills, an ability to change directions quickly on the fly, excellent leadership skills, great poise, a high intelligence level, terrific intangibles, and a real winning attitude that made him standout in everything he did.

How does he look now?

Utube? European play? Progress toward next season?

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Dave usually has updates from a 'friend' in the land of Fins

I think the situation was that he was going to play for us this summer league, and if he is the next comming of MJ then we would sign him. Realistically, he would just play summer league and then re-evaluate next year. We have plenty of time to wait on the playboy.

by Sabonis4Ever on May 3, 2008 2:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He's doing pretty well, but is still a project

This year, he continued to play with the same Finnish team that he was on before. As all finnish men are required to do, he spent some time in the military, but he was in a program for athletes that didn’t interfere with his basketball career too much. In the past he was known as a pass-first point guard who would rarely take a shot himself unless he didn’t have any other good options. This year he had a bigger role in the offense (partly due to injuries to some of his team’s other starters), and increased his scoring by about 50% without losing efficiency. He has been making a big effort to get in shape and it seems that he has improved in terms of quickness and footwork. His team won the Finnish championship though Petteri missed most of the finals due to an injury.

Petteri has also been a important contributer to the Finnish Senior National Team. The team had a successful campaign at the European B-level championships and won enough games to get promoted to the A-level.

Koponen’s progress is encouraging. A year ago, I would have considered his skill level to be only slightly above average by Finnish professional standards, while this year he was clearly one of the league’s top players. However, the level of play in the Finnish league isn’t as high as in the Spanish ACB league (where Rudy and Joel Freeland are playing), and it is a obviously a long way away from the level of the NBA. So while I am happy with the amount of progress Petteri has made this year, he remains a project and is probably not good enough to earn much playing time in the NBA yet.

by trk on May 3, 2008 3:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Could he play for us next year

if a roster spot was availible?

If all I'm remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I've done a bad job with the rest of my life. - Isiah Thomas

by JTDuck22 on May 3, 2008 5:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He could

But would he be able to get any playing time?

I think he is in a bit of a difficult position: he may be improving, but so are the blazers. This means that he is chasing a moving target, since the level of play that he needs to demonstrate to get on the team (and also to get playing time) will just keep increasing. I think he has a pretty good chance of enjoying a successful career in the NBA, but he may end up being on another team, rather than with us.

by trk on May 3, 2008 5:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He looked good, but raw, in 2007 summer league play.

The next step (as it was the most recent step last year for Freeland)
is to see him in a second summer league, a year later, and see how he’s progressed.
Not looking for any absolute how-good-is-he, just improvement.

I think he’s on the radar for 2009, IF he shows progress this summer over last summer.
In general, for that matter, Freeland and The Petter’s summer league showing
both can affect our judgement on how many of our 2009 free agents to keep.
If The Petter looks good this year, it could mean keeping just one guy from our JJ/Sergio/Blake group
for the 09-10 season (we know one is probably gone anyway).

I could see it being a Sergio-vs-Petteri battle for our long-term 3rd point guard,
and Frye-vs-Freeland for 4th-TRUE-big (after LMA, Oden and Joel).
(Keep in mind, I’m talking long-term here, NOT next season.)

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on May 3, 2008 5:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Frye versus Feeland

That should be a battle of mythic proportions. Somehow I can’t see Freeland winning that one.

Where have all the flowers gone?

by bilingual octopus on May 3, 2008 7:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Which one's better as a compliment to our 2010-2015 lineup?

We’re talkin’ FUTURE here!

What are we talkin’ ‘bout? Future?
We’re talkin’ ‘bout future? Future! We’re talkin’ ‘bout FUTURE.
I mean, what are we talkin’ ‘bout? Future? We’re talkin’ FUTURE.
I mean, FUTURE? Future! We’re talkin’ ‘bout future! Future?

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on May 3, 2008 7:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Freeland hasn't shown a thing yet

Last I heard he’s still not much better than a D League backup.

Where have all the flowers gone?

by bilingual octopus on May 3, 2008 7:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

But still I credit your dedication to the Future

In the future all improbabilities will occur and pasty Euros will excell in the NBA.

Where have all the flowers gone?

by bilingual octopus on May 3, 2008 7:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huh?

It isn’t really that improbable that Freeland has a brighter future than Frye. Nothing is definite, but keep this stuff in mind: Freeland is 4 years younger than Frye. Freeland has a more physically aggressive style than Frye. Freeland is more athletic than Frye. Freeland is stronger than Frye.

I like to think of Freeland as a high-energy-dirty-work-down-low-rebounder-off-the-bench type of PF. Kind of like Birdman minus drugs minus embarassing dunk contest performances minus nickname. I think that he could end up being very valuable in that role for this team.

by JackBrown on May 3, 2008 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Freeland played Spencer Hawes to a draw last year

In pre draft work outs. And Hawes light it up (to some extent) at the end of the year after Miller went down. So, I don’t think it is too much to ask for from a player some look at as a taller David Lee. (Well, I’m not guaranteeing anything, just don’t count him out).

Joel Freeland=Stud

by hightide on May 3, 2008 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm. David Lee.

There’s a best-case-scenario-for-Freeland comparison of which I’d not thought, or heard.
And it’s a good one.

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on May 3, 2008 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is it a stretch?

Probably, but ESPN made the comparison and I’ll take good news, since Freeland hasn’t been producing much of it himself lately.

Joel Freeland=Stud

by hightide on May 4, 2008 12:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good News

Freeland has gotten about 5x as much playing time in Europe this year as he got last year. He’s still not a starter or anything, but he is producing about as well as the person who is. If Freeland doesn’t join the Blazers next year, he should at least be able to look forward to a larger role and more playing with Gran Canaria.

by trk on May 4, 2008 1:53 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

At five times as much playing time,

That ups him to what, 45 seconds a game?

It’s much easier to be snarky when I’m ignorant. Hmm….

One of Two Official Blazer's Edge Poets Laureate for the 2008-2009 Season

"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus

by T Darkstar on May 4, 2008 8:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

10-15 minutes per game

And he isn’t racking up DNPs anymore. Still not as much playing time as we would like him to get, but it is progress.

by trk on May 4, 2008 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Plus

HIs stats stretched out over 40 minutes is impressive and almost comparable to other MVP quality big men like Marc Gasol. But, I have a feeling that Joel’s weaknesses in his game, (overall skill, passing, and versatility) are exposed in the European game. Plus his post and interior defensive strengths (plus NBA level physicality) are covered up by perimeter oriented Euro play (more so than NBA because of closer 3p line). So he ends up giving up his time to a weak, perimeter oriented, offensive forward because they fit Euro league better, but would never make the NBA (I’m guessing here, I haven’t watched any Euro league outside of highlights).

While some Euros that come over that have great stats in Europe, they fizzle in the states because their skills are more suited to play European style, my thing is that Joel’s game is American. Compare him to the other Portland Euro in summer league, Mancinelli, Joel had a clearly different game. And Joel played better (in my opinion), even though Mancinelli is a star in the Italian league putting up great stats while Joel couldn’t get PT at the same level. So, while most players have a transition to the NBA with decreased stats, I think because of Joel’s game he will be able to translate his Euro stats almost directly into production in the NBA. Hence, it is okay to get some what excited over 15 minutes a game.

Just think about it, in Summer League Freeland>Mancinelli (I think, it was a while ago), when Mancinelli is a Italian Stallion quality star and Joel couldn’t even get PT last year. Freeland game is more suited for the NBA than Euro league, and it hurts his PT and stats. So, I wouldn’t base my analysis of his potential by comparing his stats to other Euros.

Joel Freeland=Stud

by hightide on May 4, 2008 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's good to hear.

But now I am no longer ignorant, and I have nothing snarky to say.

(Sigh.)

One of Two Official Blazer's Edge Poets Laureate for the 2008-2009 Season

"Scholars have long known that fishing eventually turns men into philosophers. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to buy decent tackle on a philosopher's salary." - Patrick McManus

by T Darkstar on May 4, 2008 2:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs