The Latest on Joel Freeland

by Ben Golliver on Jul 28, 2009 5:38 PM PDT in News

As Andre Miller's signing ceremony took place this afternoon in Portland, there was another Blazers signing making news halfway across the globe.

Joel Freeland, as you might have read in Kap's fanshot, inked a new deal with Spain's Unicaja Malaga that his previous team, Gran Canaria, chose not to match. Freeland's NBA rights are held by the Blazers and there has been some discussion recently that the team might renounce those rights.

Yesterday's initial report (linked above) stated that Freeland's new deal was for 5 years; this morning's official report from Euroleague.net simply stated...

Unicaja announced the signing of center Joel Freeland to a multi-year deal on Monday.

...

Gran Canaria had the option to match Unicaja's offer and keep the player, but opted not to do so, allowing Unicaja to sign one of the most promising big men in European basketball.

Given the reported long-term nature of the deal, the Blazers' extraordinarily deep roster, and the organization's tight cap situation, the kneejerk reaction to yesterday's news was that this signing could be the end of the road for Freeland as a Blazer.

I spoke with General Manager Kevin Pritchard this afternoon and he was careful to state that Freeland remains a part of the team's long-term plans.

What's more, Portland was involved in Freeland's move. "I don't want to say that we brokered the deal," Pritchard stated, "but we were always a part of that communication. Joel was pretty adament about going back overseas for a couple more years. He does absolutely want to come back to the NBA, he just wants more playing time, so when he comes he can be ready and we love that."

Asked to confirm the length and terms of the deal, Pritchard seemed taken aback, shaking his head when asked about the initial 5 year report. He did say, "I think they're saying multi-year. I don't know specifically, I'd rather [the Spanish club] say it."

The big question, as always with international deals, is the contract's buyout situation. As David Kahn is finding out in Minnesota, prohibitive buyouts can make life miserable. Pritchard noted that the Blazers "understand how his buyout works," and although he wouldn't put a specific dollar figure on it, stated that te amount is " where we can get him [to the NBA] when it's time."

Asked if that applied to both next summer and 3 years down the road, Pritchard re-asserted that Freeland's buyout structure would not be an obstacle to bringing him to the NBA. Does that mean we'll ever see Freeland in a Blazers uniform? Who knows.

-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)

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Comments

You can never have to many bigs

and it’s good to plan for the future. (insert any other cliche here as well)

Glad to see KP involved and not letting this asset slip away. Freland could be a decent player with a couple more years experience in Europe.

"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green

by antediluvian on Jul 28, 2009 5:45 PM PDT reply actions

I gather that KP is involved in every detail of every player we hold rights to

No grass growing under that guy’s feet
Nothing slips through the cracks

Other cliche’s anyone?

by lee3022 on Jul 28, 2009 11:17 PM PDT up reply actions

I think

we should give him a good final look – would hate to lose someone who might have some potential.

Brandon Roy, 'nuff said.

by johnv59 on Jul 28, 2009 5:49 PM PDT reply actions

i'd be shocked if he ever played for the blazers

i’m just amazed so many people still pay attention. he was a last first or 2nd round pick from 3 years ago wasn’t he?

by colinmarsh on Jul 28, 2009 5:57 PM PDT reply actions

and his Spanish League numbers last year were very good

He will play in the NBA at some point.

by jksnake99 on Jul 28, 2009 6:00 PM PDT up reply actions

he is a project

and still pretty young

Brandon Roy, 'nuff said.

by johnv59 on Jul 28, 2009 6:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Are you kidding me?

There are no rotten apples in the basket – KP will make applesauce.

I am still waiting for a trade in which KP includes the rights to Federico Kammerichs to some lucky GM!

Seriously Freeland is a good player who likely is priced out of our market but would be prime trade bait to a good team for whom he could start. Or he could actually want to play a backup role in Portland to get the league wanting to trade for him or sign him as a FA. I do believe he will play in the NBA. The London Olympics intend to feature Basketball and he is a home-grown talent who can use the NBA to promote his own English endorsements.

by lee3022 on Jul 28, 2009 11:29 PM PDT up reply actions

historically all of the good euro players have been late drafts

Parker, Manu, Batum,Sergio, Rudy. The only one I know of that was a lottery pick off hand is Bargnnani. I think even dirk was later in 1st rd but again not sure.

by eclecticspider on Jul 29, 2009 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions

I assume that Joel Freeland has an annual buyout clause of $500,000, which is similar to what Sofoklis ...

“Baby Shaq” Schortsanitis — whose rights are owned by the Los Angeles Clippers — has with Olympiacos.

Because the Portland Trail Blazers brass was reportedly indirectly involved within the negotiations between Freeland and Unicaja Malaga, it’s almost certain that he doesn’t have a cost-prohibitive buyout like the kind possessed by Ricky Rubio of DKV Joventut and Fran Vazquez of Regal Barcelona.

Stupid people have stupid ideas.

by AK1984 on Jul 28, 2009 6:26 PM PDT reply actions

Great news

Sounds like he is perfectly stashed in a situation where he can get better, and where we can bring him over any time we want. And starting next year we’ll be able to pay him enough instead of the rookie scale. Let’s hope he keeps improving. I think we’ll see him in the NBA within the next couple years, either here or else we’ll trade him for something at least a little valuable.

Disclaimer: everything I know about basketball I learned on Blazersedge.

by pualo on Jul 28, 2009 9:15 PM PDT reply actions

Not sure what happens next year to take him off the rookie scale?

by lee3022 on Jul 28, 2009 11:32 PM PDT up reply actions

It's a little loophole in the CBA, if you check my linked by Ben for more info

We could have done that already this year (three full seasons after the player was drafted yet didn’t sign his rookie scale contract). In the future, it’s not sure when we will next have that kind of cap space. And if the loophole still exists in the next version of the CBA.

by Norsktroll on Jul 29, 2009 12:58 AM PDT up reply actions

All I ever hear about him is that he's just playing well somewhere else and doing absolutely nothing for us

by collectiveshane on Jul 28, 2009 10:33 PM PDT reply actions

Freeland isn't overhyped...

We hear a lot about him because he potentially could develop into a solid big man. The reason we haven’t seen him is because he’s relatively new to basketball.

If I remember correctly, he was discovered at age 16-ish bagging groceries. He had no basketball experience. I’ll liken him to Hasheem Thabeet, minus the college. So, his experience is being gained in Europe, where we can stash him away, and hope he develops well enough to bring him over when a guy like Joel ends up getting too old, or moving on. I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the deal was coming to an end around the same time Joel’s was. It’d make a ton of sense to do that, in my mind.

by Jeremiah S on Jul 28, 2009 10:59 PM PDT reply actions

And to clarify...

When I mention “Joel” I mean Pryzbilla. Sorta spaced that they were both named Joel, lol…

by Jeremiah S on Jul 28, 2009 11:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Thanks Ben. There were reports the Blazers were in contact with his agent and supported the move after Joel made it clear he wanted to stay in Europe for a while longer.

In principle that could be the best move for them, letting Joel develop and only bringing him over once he is ready to be the first backup on a position (e.g. once Pryz might leave, or much later). Problem would be to have the cap space then, or for him to take a pay cut. So ultimately he might have to get traded to a team that has the cap space and need, a la David Andersen from the Hawks to the Rockets. We will see.

In Malaga he will have to compete for playing time with fellow British player Robert Archibald (center), Spanish player Gabriel German (center), and Greek national team player Georgios Printezis (power forward). They list Freeland as a C/PF.

by Norsktroll on Jul 29, 2009 12:54 AM PDT reply actions

Can't we sign him with the MLE sometime?

Disclaimer: everything I know about basketball I learned on Blazersedge.

by pualo on Jul 29, 2009 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions

I thought that, but reading in the CBA as someone brought up in the case of Tiago Splitter to the Spurs (they will have cap space) it only talks about “room in excess of the scale amount”. Hard to say if that room could be an exception. The Spurs will have the cap space in 2010. Maybe KP plans to have some later too, e.g. if Joel Przybilla leaves in 2010 or 2011. But it seems unlikely if I look at our projections (paying LaMarcus and Roy and maybe Blake/Travis, then paying Oden, then paying Rudy/Nic/Bayless, …).

by Norsktroll on Jul 29, 2009 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions

Eh

http://basketpedya.com/Acc002InfJug.php?idjug=71581

Freeland,Joel Born in: Aldershot
Year: 1987
Height: 208
Position: F General Information
Article

Year by year Career
National Leagues
Team Competition Year G PPG RPB APG MPG
Gran Canaria Grupo Dunas España ACB 2007 16 1,9 1,1 0,1 4,9
Kalise Gran Canaria España ACB 2008 28 4,0 2,3 0,2 9,5

National Cups
Team Competition Year G PPG RPB APG MPG
Gran Canaria Grupo Dunas Copa del Rey 2007 0 0,0 0,0 0,0 0,0

International Club Competitions
Team Competition Year G PPG RPB APG MPG
Gran Canaria Grupo Dunas ULEB Cup 2007 8 1,5 1,0 0,0 8,7
Kalise Gran Canaria ULEB Cup 2008 13 7,5 3,8 0,2 15,6

Wake me up when the kid’s a player

Blazer Fan

by leeroyjenkins on Jul 29, 2009 12:52 PM PDT reply actions

There's the back burner...

Then there’s the back burner in your vacation home…

Well, at least the guy gets to play pro basketball for living!

Good luck Joel!

by Knobby on Jul 29, 2009 2:29 PM PDT reply actions

Luol Deng a day ago on Joel Freeland

"I’m a big fan of Joel; I enjoyed playing with him. He’s such an energetic player, very skilled and very athletic, and he’s capable of being a great player … I really believe he has the talent to be in the NBA. For Joel, last year was the first time he started to play a lot and I think that the more he plays and the more opportunities he gets, the more he’ll show his skills. I’m interested to go back and see how much he has improved and what he added to his game because I know he was very serious about it in terms of getting better."

by Norsktroll on Jul 29, 2009 3:05 PM PDT reply actions