When I logged on the morning of  July 1st, after NBA teams could officially open dialogues with free agents, I was greeted wth the headline of "Portland first team to call Hedo's Agent"

1. SHOCK & DENIAL-

I had seen Hedo in the playoffs. He was a defensive liability, with a limited shooting percentage. Wen you looked up "effecient" in the dictionary, his name was not there.

This wasn't really happening. THis was just a rumor circulated by Turk's agent to inflate his value. Cruel, but... no harm, no foul.

He's Brandon Roy dipped in Molasses, covered in carmel, running through mud, but 4 inches taller.

2. PAIN & GUILT-

Who was going to be out now? Outlaw? His name has "out" in it... that seems reasonable. Sergio's gone. So are Frye, Ruff, and Shav. But there aren't enough minutes to go around.

I forgot about Batum! Oh! I am so sorry Nic! And you , Rudy.

This sucks.

3. ANGER & BARGAINING-

How DARE KP do this???? He's Prtch-slapping himSELF!!!!! Rudy is angry!!!!

There's got to be a secondary move to this.

Maybe we'll sign him and trade him....

I HATE THIS!!!!!!

4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS-

Oh Travis... we only knew ye for six semi excruciating years.

What would have been if we'd stayed together?

Is the dream dead?

5. THE UPWARD TURN-

This can't be as bad as it looks.

Didn't Dwight Howard praise how much Hedo helped his offensive game?

Wow! What a youtube clip of highlights!!!

6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH-

OK. I just checked realgm, bustabucket, O.Live, truehop, bedge, etc. etc. etc. There's lots of people who like this!

Hedo plays "point forward" isn't that pretty much what we were getting at when we on the BEdge wanted a point guard and a backup PF?

Wow! I just saw more clips of him working the pick and roll with Dwight! It would be great for someone to actually pass BACK TO THE PICK SETTER once in a while.

(Nate, KP. Anyone reads this.... Please. Do this. the Pick and Pop must stop.)

7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-

Ok. Ok. I think I can see this.

He doesn't shoot a high percentage, but he IS a playmaker. He can take a LOT of pressure off Brandon. Wow.

With him on board, Oden should SKYROCKET!!!

With as many open 3s as Nic and Outlaw got this year, Hedo's % is bound to be good!

Update

Back to square one.