Drew Gooden?

by Salem Stephen on Mar 2, 2009 7:23 AM PST

UPDATE (8:16 P.M.): Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie has confirmed the buyout.

"It's something going forward that we think made sense for us given where we are, and it made sense for him," Petrie said this evening by cell phone. "It got done about 25 minutes ago."

***

Drew Gooden's Sacramento stay is over.

The forward acquired Feb. 18 in the six-player trade with Chicago has agreed to a buyout agreement with the Kings and has been waived, according to sources close to Gooden with knowledge of the situation. He has an expiring contract and is owed $7.1 million this season, but Gooden had an interest in joining a playoff team in the season's final months. To do so, he had to be waived before tonight's 9 p.m. Pacific deadline for postseason roster eligibility. The Kings, according to the sources, saved approximately $2 million in the deal.

Gooden - who had been exploring this option in recent days - will likely be on his way to a more competitive team. Cleveland could be a possibility, as could San Antonio.

While Gooden has missed his last two games with a groin injury that kept him out of action from Jan. 19 until his Kings debut on Saturday, he remains committed to playing "until the wheels fall off" this season, as he said recently. While Gooden wasn't fully healthy in his one game with the Kings against Charlotte, he had 12 points and 13 rebounds in 26 minutes before leaving the floor hobbling in the fourth quarter. - Sam Amick

Sacramento Bee

Hideous facial hair aside, Drew Gooden would be an excellent use for our trade exception. He can play in the post and has a midrange shot. He is a physical player. He rebounds from the PF position. Despite being a bigger guy, he runs the floor quite well. His defense isn't great, but it is certainly better than Frye's, Outlaw's or Randolph's. He has playoff experience and is comfortable being a role player.

Poll

Would Drew Gooden be a good fit for the Blazers?

Heck Yeah! His name isn't Drew "Bad"en!

44 votes

No! Frye/Outlaw are a better fit at the PF position

44 votes

There is a perfect option... His name is Shavlik!

22 votes

He'd be a good fit, but save the exemption for the offseason.

56 votes

166 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 16 comments | 2 recs |

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Comments

Take it from a Cavs fan...

GOODen is a misnomer. It’s no accident the Cavs swapped him and Larry Hughes for Big Ben and Delonte and then almost immediately became a title contender. Gooden is not good. At all.

And unless I’m missing something, you can’t use the trade exception to sign a free agent. Not sure if the Blazers have their midlevel to use, or not.

Channing, Trout, Shav – I would prefer all of them to Drizzle Fingers (named after his patented celebration after he randomly connects on a couple ill advised 18-footers).

I see Gooden going to somebody like the Spurs, where, make no mistake, he will do more harm than good.

Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.

by KP Corleone on Mar 2, 2009 8:32 AM PST reply actions

Yes

We have our MLE. I see little point in using it on Gooden.

When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.

by jscot on Mar 2, 2009 9:58 AM PST up reply actions

But you're missing the point, stupid

If we got Drew Gooden, FINALLY we could have someone to blame for every loss and every other little thing that goes wrong that we could ALL agree on.

Anyone who gets Gooden gets a guy who is gonna jack as many jumpers as he wants and just go after his own stats, since he’s playing for a new contract.

I hope he goes to the Suns.

Morty

by Mortimer on Mar 2, 2009 12:49 PM PST up reply actions

Anyone still have their Rasheed Wallace Atlanta Hawks jersey?

I hope you got your Drew Gooden Sacramento Kings jersey last Wednesday night.

Oh, and Gooden would not be a “good” fit on the Blazers.

by TallTimber on Mar 2, 2009 10:30 AM PST reply actions

I wish

I could get my “GO ODEN” jersey.

GO’s personal cheerleader.

Book it!

I miss Marty. Come back soon!

by mannyfresh1 on Mar 2, 2009 12:11 PM PST reply actions

Absolutely!!!!!

He is a tough guy, he wont take crap from opposing teams, he will get a lot of rebounds and he will lay out a good screen. I say he is the tough guy that we need on our team. For real. If we get him, that would be a great pick up. He may not fit our culture to a T, but for the reasons listed above, I would take a chance on him.

by neBo503 on Mar 2, 2009 12:58 PM PST reply actions

After reading what Cavs fan said...

Maybe I don’t want him now?! lol

I like what I have seen from him, except he has a tendency to shoot more then he needs to. I do like the tough guy attitude he has though. We really need that.

by neBo503 on Mar 2, 2009 1:02 PM PST up reply actions

He doesn't have a tough guy attitude

His beard is confusing. I get that. Usually guys that are tough have crazy beards.

But you’re forgetting that weird, head-in-the-clouds guys ALSO have crazy beards. Gooden is not a tough guy. He’s a weird, head-in-the-clouds guy.

He’s famous for not only forgetting the play that’s being run, but forgetting that he’s in the middle of a basketball game. I bet if you asked him at any random point of the game where he is, there’s about a 20% chance he would know, unless you gave him multiple choice.

You think Trout has a low BBIQ? You ain’t seen nothing yet.

Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.

by KP Corleone on Mar 2, 2009 1:27 PM PST up reply actions

He sucks.

He’s actually pretty skilled but I swear he’s stoned every game. He just seems to space out and lose track of where he is and what he’s doing constantly. We want no part of gooden.

by howlingfantods on Mar 2, 2009 1:41 PM PST reply actions

w0rd

He’s a waste of skill and potential with a sub-Lamar Odom Space Cadet brain.

If anyone can use him, it’s a solid veteran team with personalities that dominate the entire team and can force Gooden to focus… and even then, there isn’t anything in his past that suggests he is capable of such a thing.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Mar 2, 2009 1:43 PM PST up reply actions

octo-beard

I’d like to see him go to the Clippers where, along with Brian Skinner, they would lead the league in awful beards.

by davidbowie on Mar 2, 2009 1:58 PM PST reply actions

God no...

I don’t want to ruin my Blazer games by having to stare at this all night.

My stubbling is perfect...

by In Walks Rudy on Mar 2, 2009 4:46 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

His EFFORT fits our culture...

Honestly, I DIG Drew Gooden… aside from his radical look this dude is legit.

Right now, this 6’10" 250lb. 27 year old is averaging 13.7ppg and 8.7rpg, which is a very solid number. He is stong on the boards, runs the floor great for his size, and I honestly remember watching a handful of Chicago games this season where I was like “Man, it would be solid to have that badass coming of our Blazers bench.” At age 27, he isn’t too far off the timeline of the Blazers timeline, which really starts next season.

Last week there was a post about what options we have have with our $3million dollar trade exception, and the best player I saw in that group was Eduardo Najera. Najera is great, but Gooden gives us more of the toughness that we need in the lineup.

Who would I rather have? Channing Frye, Eduado Najera, or Drew Gooden? Well, it is close because I really like Channing Frye and his game, but I think the rebounding that Gooden would give us, and his post defense would be the difference and depth that we are looking for. I can’t believe there aren’t more people jumping on this post and expressing more pros or cons to this guy.

Now I am a HUGE Oden believer, but I do want to say that getting a guy like Gooden gives us extra Insurance to the bigman and Joel Pryzbilla. We need the front court strength… with Oden, Pryzbilla and LaMarcus we have a solid trio. Channing is a good player and has shown great effort and improved play as of late, but still, we don’t know if he is going to be resigned or what. Gooden is legit and if we can grab him and keep him from being on another contenders team… like any Western Conference playoff foe… it would be nice to upgrade the Shavlik roster spot and protect our post depth.

I like this move and can’t see anything better for the trade exception.

by Portland Dynasty on Mar 2, 2009 8:07 PM PST reply actions 1 recs