Blazers Confirm Jeff Pendergraph Injured; Surgery Set For This Week
by Ben Golliver on Sep 7, 2009 1:48 PM PDT
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Update: 6:15PM
Jason Quick writes with further details...
The second-round pick from Arizona State has an impingement in his left hip, a mechanical disorder that in Pendergraph's case, is congenital. Wednesday's surgery will be in Vail, Colo.
Pendergraph has not signed a contract with the Blazers, but general manager Kevin Pritchard on Saturday said a deal was imminent. Indications are that the injury and subsequent surgery will not discourage the team from signing the power forward.
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Update: 6:00PM
The Portland Trail Blazers have confirmed to Blazersedge that Jeff Pendergraph has injured his left hip and will undergo surgery this Wednesday. A timetable for recovery will not be known until after the surgery.
Pendergraph has not yet been signed by the team. With 12 players already under contract, Pendergraph was slated to be the 13th, and possibly final, roster addition. It's unclear how or if this injury will affect his future with the team.
While the team signed its other 2nd round draft pick Dante Cunningham last month and maintained until recently that Pendergraph would be similarly signed going into training camp, news came out at the end of last week that the Blazers were auditioning veteran power forwards Juwan Howard and Stromile Swift.
Although Pendergraph is active and physical, he does not possess elite athleticism or refined offensive skills, and in the midst of a successful Summer League, Blazers scout Chad Buchanan questioned whether Pendergraph could handle NBA 4s and 5s on the defensive end.
For the Blazers, who appear to be in "win now" mode, going with a veteran 4 as injury insurance for LaMarcus Aldridge might be the smart play in the short term.
The last three or four months have certainly been a rollercoaster for Pendergraph. From being completely off many scouts' radars, to being drafted by a former college teammate's father (Nate McMillan), to having a successful Summer League and expecting a contract, and now to the operating table. Here's hoping Pendergraph, whose smile and energy lit up pre-draft workouts earlier this summer, eventually finds his way to the Portland bench.
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Original Post:
Check this report from Rip City Project...
We've heard from a reliable source that power forward Jeff Pendergraph, the 31st pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, will have hip surgery this week and is expected to be out for the majority of the 2009-10 season. Pendergraph is said to have injured his hip participating in NBA assistant coach Tim Grgurich's summer camp in Las Vegas this past August. The Blazers have neither confirmed nor denied this story. The team has yet to sign Pendergraph to a rookie contract.
This would make Pendergraph the second Blazer drafted in 2009 -- along with Australian Patty Mills -- to be injured prior to signing a contract with the team.
The timing of this report is curious given last week's report that the Blazers were working out veteran Power Forwards Juwan Howard and Stromile Swift.
More details and confirmation from the team as they become available.
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)
Picture via Alex McDougall for BE.
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this is no coincidence.
I’m down with Juwan Howard though
D'OH
I feel bad for Pendy. I liked what I saw, and I hope this is only a bump in his career.
Obviously, we can’t sign a guy who can’t play, so I feel bad he didn’t get his contract done sooner.
Never know what will happen.
Morty
Yeah, if true
it’s bad news for Jeff.
It also explains why the team is evaluating potential backup PFs and why the Blazers haven’t yet reached contract terms with Pendergraph.
I guess that's why KP drafted 4 rooks
since the off-season attrition rate is 50%
Cunningham is the sole surviving rookie. He’ll catch the brunt of the “hazing” (He said Bayless told him which veterans to watch out for…)
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Maybe KP drafted them
To absorb all of our team injuries for the next few seasons.
I like the idea, if so.
M—
by Mortimer on Sep 7, 2009 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
karma fodder
yessssssss
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
One of your best posts ever, Morty
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
by jscot on Sep 8, 2009 1:12 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Especially painful
since we passed on DeJuan Blair — twice — for fear of just this happening.
And it looks like Blair will be suiting up for the Spurs nice and healthy.
Blast!
Don't give in just yet...
Blair still has time to go down injured too
Blazers win!
by The X-man on Sep 7, 2009 2:14 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Hard to predict injuries
But if someone has knees that can explode going up stairs or getting out of a car, it makes sense not to put him in a position where you rely on his production.
I’d hate to grow used to Blair being a great backup (if he indeed becomes one), and then he has the knee problems everyone suspects he will have. Then we’re even more screwed.
I want a backup rebounding PF as much as the next guy (well, maybe not as much as Timbo), but we’ll get by without a bonafide one. As long as Oden and Joel can alternate being on the court for 48 minutes.
Morty
If Blair does get hurt
I won’t give a sigh of relief either… injuries be lame. I hope Blair plays 10+ years relatively healthy, but I understand not going for him because of the risk.
M—
by Mortimer on Sep 7, 2009 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Hear Hear.
Blair doesn’t need to sustain an injury to validate the Blazer’s decision. The draft is a crapshoot, outside of a few studs once in a while. The Blazers made an informed decision and that is enough for me.
Good luck to Blair as a basketball player. Better luck to Portland as a team.
by blacknoiseNW on Sep 7, 2009 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions
I will talk about DeJuan Blair no more forever.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
Blair already missed one Summer League game because of his knees.
That guy has more red flags than a Communist Christmas parade.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 7, 2009 5:30 PM PDT up reply actions
...his red flags are nonexistent?
communists hate christmas on probably at least 3 levels that I can think of.
(consumerism, religion, happiness and joy)
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Oh, thanks for correcting me Trotsky.
They still love to march on Holidays, so there.
I think I see a couple red flags. Anyway, technically you’re right, Communists hate Christmas. I guess that means Blair will have perfect knees forever. Good job you humorless dick. (Kidding, kidding. Pure joking.)
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 8, 2009 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Makes you wonder.
Chances are, they didn’t know about the injury before hand.
I’m with you though, Blair from all account seems like the real deal.
It's pure coincedence...
Yeah… That’s it…
Blazers win!
by The X-man on Sep 7, 2009 2:13 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
I'm not going to be the first to mention a certain other power forward we could have had......
I will only say that a healthy Pendergraph didn’t excite me so…….
Still feel bad for the guy, he would have been a good 14th man with than quirky personality of his
Ok, CBA experts
Can we still be responsible, as I’m sure we want to be, for Pendy’s rehab and progress, if he isn’t under contract?
And if he’s capable of coming back THIS season, when is the deadline for signing him?
Maybe this just means he gets the least he can possibly get… which really, won’t be much less than the max he could get, as a 2nd rounder.
Morty
I am not an expert but since he is unsigned is he even covered by the CBA?
The Blazers can spend their money on whoever they want for rehab and medical would be the reasonable answer. we have treated even other team’s players and we have rehabbed and treated guys like Petteri so Pendy should be no different.
I think I read
This won’t influence his signing. The negotiations will go on. but money wise Portland has the upper hand.
hg
by BBK on Sep 8, 2009 7:36 AM PDT up reply actions
Oh man injuries can so easily ruin our hopes.
Lets just wish all players good health
"shaq and zach randolph have the same trainer... "
best one liner i ever heard.
Minny has to
I heard Rubio would never play for them and only will play for the hotbed for Spaniards, New York City.
An injured Pendy is the best Minny will get. Take it or leave it. And they have to! Rubio must be traded right this week or for some reason his value is lost forever.
M.
I thought Sac-town was Rubio's first choice
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
(disregarding the humor of your post)
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
He said he'd like to go there, amongst others
I only used NYC because every lame NYC sports writer tries to make it act like there’s no other place Rubio would go, and that Minny is dumb for not just trading him for Wilson Chandler already.
I think Rubio only listed Sactown because they had a high draft pick, and because it’s in California, and foreigners think California is all the same. They think if you live in Stockton it’s like Malibu.
He also listed us in the same sentence as Sactown, likely because of our rich Spanish basketball player heritage (so he has heard of us), and Miami (because one Spanish speaking person = another?), and LA, and… uhh… I forget.
I think he’ll end up being happy wherever he goes as long as he plays and they are good. That heals all worries about a location… not like you spend ALL your time in that city anyways.
Morty
This may also have been part of Grgrich's revenge plan against the Blazers
Ever since Steve Patterson mistreated him because Grgrich was leaking stuff to Canzano and Friends.
He knew just how to hurt us, too! This has to be an inside job.
Mortimer
Portland shouldn't have let him run his infamous
“hit Blazers players in the hip with lead pipe” drill. I’m told it builds character though.
This doesn't really sadden me
but I am curious how much money we could possibly have now to work with starting the season.
Trade players for picks and draft Cole Aldrich 2010
dougall is all over the place
wikipedia pic of Blout, 95.5 the game, and front page pic on BE.
Props man, props.
"It's true, we live in a beautiful world, but ugly souls push the buttons."
Man, that sucks.
I hope he can come back and make a nice career for himself.
Hate to see a guy get so close like that.
Rudyculize: The act of Rudy making others look slow, dim and generally oafish.
http://www.myspace.com/y5k
patty mills got screwed first now him
"shaq and zach randolph have the same trainer... "
best one liner i ever heard.
Swift? Dang!
I actually like the sound of Stromile Swift better if he can be had for cheap.
"It is only when we lose everything that we're free to do anything." -- Tyler Durden, 'Fight Club'
Can someone please tell me how Swift or Howard
Would be better than May or Blair would have been? At least they would have had something to talk to Oden about in the whirlpool or sitting next to him in the locker room with bags of ice on their respective rehabbed knees. Honestly Im worried that the Blazers are playing it too safe and if they do not take a risk then the reward will never be the main prize for the players or the fans alike.
by TheOdenator52 on Sep 7, 2009 5:17 PM PDT up reply actions
Veteran experience.
I don’t care how good everyone thinks Blair is right now. He’s never played a minute in the NBA. Our window is open now. A veteran will help more in the next two years than any rookie not scheduled for entry someday into the NBA Hall of Fame.
question for KP
“Knowing what you know now (that Pendergraph would suffer a hip injury in August) would you have still passed on DeJuan “no ACLs” Blair at #31?"
I’d sure like to hear the answer to that question
Blair is undersized, but he offers bulldog toughness and had the best rebounding % in the NCAA in decades. (He also played in the big East, which is a notoriously tough conference re: inside play)
The best news for BEdgers? If KP had drafted DeJuan, you-all wouldn’t have had to listen to me and (I assume) AK1984 talking about adding a veteran PF/C to the roster all summer. I would’ve sat back and said “yeah, that KP, he sure knew what he was doing. He had a need to add toughness to his roster and he chose the perfect PF in the 2009 draft for the job”
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I suppose
.. it’s that you don’t know what you’re getting with May or Blair.
With Howard you’re getting a softy. With Swift you’re getting half a Defensive presence.
"It is only when we lose everything that we're free to do anything." -- Tyler Durden, 'Fight Club'
Welcome to the roster....
Juwan Howard. He will bring toughness, experience, and 6 fouls to the bench at the back up 4. He’s still insurance, even at his age.
His teams have also improved on the average of 10 games the season after he leaves the team.
by TheOdenator52 on Sep 7, 2009 5:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Is that Portland will make its run to the title?
Sign Howard to get the 10 game bounce the next season?
No...His previous teams improve on the average of 10 games after he leaves
Im not saying he is a cancer but Id much rather have a young guy who is gonna work his arse off then a 36 year old has been who brings nothing to the table either than being on teams that have been failures and succeeded more after he left the team. What has Juwan accomplished either than a huge 80+ million dollar contract he never deserved in Washington. Honestly who would not rather have Blair on the roster rather than even working out Howard right now? In a crowd of showing your hands I bet there would be a lot of filled pockets.
by TheOdenator52 on Sep 7, 2009 5:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Again, he would be insurance...
even at 36 his knees are still better than Blairs, he has both acls. Blair won’t even come close to Howards years in the nba. He isn’t going to improve the Blazers 10 games on his own, but he will be 6 physical fouls when someone thicker than Travis is needed..
As for as his accomplishments, he’s a tough role player with experience, exactly the insurance that would make me worry less about Oden,Przy and LA in foul trouble. Since the Miller signing did nothing to improve our perimeter defense.
In all his years, I have never seen Howard pass up a good hard foul.
I like him in a Blazer jersey. Go Blazers !!!!
I'd much rather see a baller with a chip on his shoulder then one with a pay check
In his pocket that never amounted to the signing bonus he received nor locker room preacher he is perceived.
by TheOdenator52 on Sep 7, 2009 6:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I want to see the Blazers make a run at a title
I don’t see KP and Co signing him to a ridiculous contract. What he was paid in the past means nothing now to me. I also don’t expect him to be the “leader”, he is an insurance/ practice body.
If we want LA to be more physical, he needs to bang with someone bigger than Travis/Dante in practice. I want to see Blazers taking heads off anyone trying to get to the rim.
But that’s just me.
I guess what I am sayinjg is that his past has no voice
he has not won a championship and his teams have benefitted more with his demise rather than him on the team going by records. I am not saying he is a defactor in the locker room but what I am saying is that if we were to sign a 12th or 15th man I would rather have it be someone with a championship experience as well as someone whom has benefitted a team rather than just a career who has only beneffited by a paycheck and worse free throw-line jumper than Kurt Thomas. I shall throw out Dikembe Mutombo as our last reserve. Not because I see him as a contibutor but rather as a big man coach for travis ( rebounding ), aldridge ( rebounding, block shots ), Oden ( rebounding, block shots, confidence ).
by TheOdenator52 on Sep 7, 2009 7:14 PM PDT up reply actions
And yes I relize Mutombo never won a championship but I would recommend him as a 12th man
by TheOdenator52 on Sep 7, 2009 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions
I think he was done with that injury in the playoffs
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
For this year I will raise my hand for Howard
Howard brings the veteran’s savvy and real toughness to the position. He has never been accused of being a cancer in my reading until you raise this. Do you have anything to support this idea?
I do not buy that a team wins more when he leaves is a determinative. There are many factors we do not know. For example did his leaving open a significant opportunity to sign a FA? Did his leaving indicate he had trained his replacement sufficiently to have a break-out year?
Juwan Howard is the antithesis of toughness.
Howard is a Charmin soft, defensively inept pick-‘n’-pop shooting power forward; he’s like an over-the-hill, washed-up version of LaMarcus Aldridge, who’s a pansy in his own right on the court.
With that said, Howard isn’t a cancer and probably is a nice guy. It’s just that, well, he’s an overrated pile of excrement.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
It opens up old wounds
That’s the thing, AK used to be the president of Juwan’s fanclub, but Juwan himself removed AK for embezzling from the t-shirt funds.
AK is planning on Selena-ing Juwan for revenge.
I mean, I can’t imagine why else someone would hate Juwan Howard THAT much. It’s the only thing that fits! He’s just Juwan Howard.
Mortimer
His offensive game is pick and pop and some offensive rebounds
He shoots better than 50% and that is certainly an upgrade over Channing. He has not earned minutes in his last few stops and that leads to the conclusion that he is not much more here than a veteran presence and a decent stop-gap. he is not likely, in my opinion, to take away minutes from Cunningham but may teach the youngster the veteran tricks that help him to adjust.
To say any player who has collected over 6900 rebounds and over 56 win shares in his career inept and soft is an opinion that you are entitled to. Some day you may actually get one of these right. But this time you vastly underestimate a player who has earned his place in the association for 15 years. His last real opportunity was with Jeff Van Gundy’s Houston teams as a starter for three years and Jeff is not known for tolerating softness. Those teams 2004-2007 were never out of the top 5 defensively as Howard as PF and often had to play center with Yao injured. He is certainly not as injury prone as Yao. He is not Charles Oakley but your characterization of him seems too inclined to cute phraseology and not appreciative of a man playing a man’s game likely before your time to appreciate it.
It sounds like he is coming to camp to earn a spot on the team as a cheap insurance policy. I have read that he brings a mental toughness and a veteran’s perspective to the team and do not expect him to play, short of injury to LaMarcus or Cunningham if he makes the team. If he brings enough to camp he will be added, If not there should be later opportunities to acquire someone. At a minimum salary he is intriguing.
by lee3022 on Sep 8, 2009 3:56 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Jeff will still be signed,
Jeff will still be signed but will probably only get one year guaranteed, I think that since the injury occurred during a program requested by the Blazers that they would be responsible for his rehab anyhow.
by Uncle Dave in NC on Sep 7, 2009 6:06 PM PDT reply actions
It's nice to see that Blazer's take care of their 2nd round picks
BY signing despite his injury we really aren’t losing more than a practice player for a part of the season(and Paul Allen’s cash), but are demonstrating a trend of paying all picks regardless of long-term prospects. We’ve had several one and done-ers lately but they were all paid (with guaranteed money), which says something about the team. And that something is positive.
As for Swift and Howard, those guys are being considered as insurance for Lma, cause there is no way Trout will start at 4 if Lma gets an extended injury. it better to lock up a solid vet now for the minimum than try to pick up ten-day contract guys if it became necessary.
RT: better to lock up a solid vet now
This is true, but the term “solid vet” deserves a definition. (Howard might’ve been one in the past, Swift never was)
Would you have felt comfortable with Shav, Diogu or Ruffin as the primary backup to LMA last year?
(heck, I wasn’t even comfortable with Travis or Frye in that role, heading into the last post season…)
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
What specifically is wrong with the hip that it requires surgery?
What are the chances of a full recovery?
What are the Blazers plans now for Jeff?
We need much more information on this one.
There is more to an athlete than how fast they can run, they also better be able to see what they are doing and know why they are doing it.
Basically, the head of the femur and the socket that it connects to don’t fit together perfectly. This causes damage to cartilage in the hip, and if left untreated it would get progressively worse and lead to arthritis. If caught early the chances of making a full recovery seem to be pretty high, but if there has already been severe cartilage damage before the condition is discovered then the prognosis isn’t as good.
by trk on Sep 7, 2009 7:54 PM PDT up reply actions
is that what Bo Jackson had?
I assume there are “degrees” of degradation.
Paul Konerko was diagnosed with a bad hip pretty early on, but he’s had a long, productive career in MLB
I would think that it’s more important for a NBA PF to be pain free in this area, however
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Arthroscopic surgery?
If arthroscopy then appears it could be relatively minor, even if they have to remove some bone. They are not jumping directly to hip replacement would be my bet. http://emoryplasticsurgery.org/departments/ortho/services/arthroscopyforhip.html
Think A-Rod (not Bo Jackson who took lots of hits and had other issues) http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2009/03/05/hip-expert-a-rod-will-need-surgery/
Wishing Jeff a routine 12-16 week recovery.
Until then, are you telling me that Howard and Swift are the best beef available on the entire planet? KP should not just settle – its not closing time yet and I don’t have my beer goggles on. Don’t waste that cap space. At least make them earn it in camp.
Lorenzen Wright?
Is he still out there? This article makes him seem like a class act and a good teacher for the young bigs.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/feb/24/wrights-stuff-still-valuable/
Sounds like good insurance to me if he can defend.
Anyone know something to shoot him down?
Guys like Loreznen Wright, Calvin Booth, and Brian Skinner are all has-beens.
Instead of joining some team in camp, they should all retire and save themselves the embarrassment of being a hanger-on deep into their 30s.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
He's still pining after Hinrich
and can’t get over it.
Don’t ask him that question, or he’ll nominate Kirk for backup PG.
Either that or some guy named Foster.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
I'd like to see Jeff Foster, Nick Collison, or Kurt Thomas with the Portland Trail Blazers.
While Foster is my favorite of the group, Collison seems like the most practical acquistion.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
did you see my trade idea for Milwaukee?
Since they need to shed 3+ mil to stay under the luxury tax threshold (next July) and match Sessions, I suggested that they deal Kurt Thomas and their #1 draft choice (unprotected) to Portland for Travis Outlaw and his expiring contract
then the Blazers use the Buck’s #1 pick to select John Wall, next June
(and no, you can’t have any of whatever I may be smokin’)
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Kurt Thomas and Travis Outlaw make about the same salary, since Thomas will earn ...
just $200,000 more than Outlaw this season Anyhow, I’d be pleased with just a straight-up swap of Thomas for Outlaw.
Regarding the Milwaukee Bucks, its best bet at slashing payroll to clear room for matching Ramon Sessions’ offer sheet without going over the luxury tax would be to cut bait with Joe Alexander by trading him elsewhere.
FROM MINNESOTA & TO MILWAUKEE
PG Chucky Atkins ($3,480,000)
FROM MILWAUKEE & TO MINNESOTA
SF Joe Alexander ($2,583,360)
C Francisco Elson ($1,700,000)
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=mlvgol
Since Atkins is partially guaranteed only $760,000 this upcoming season if he’s waived by a certain point, the Bucks would shed $3,523,360 in salary in this scenario. To be perfectly honest, Sessions is more valuable than Alexander; therefore, the cost-cutting move would be worth it.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
I also thought of Alexander
but the Bucks don’t have an “team option” on his contract until next fall, Aand I suspect Joe’s trade value isn’t all that wonderful, at present. I like the Outlaw-KThomas deal, better. And I suppose I’d settle for something “less” than an unprotected #1 draft choice from Milwaukee ;^)
BTW, Jason Quick said he expects a mid-season deal, see my fanshot for the quote
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
This only heightens our need
For more insurance bigs. Please a PF/C, not Howard or Swift.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Too bad
but creates an interesting situation.
Pendergraph was going to be signed before training camp. Now, he doesn’t have to be signed until after the season starts.
His contract was going to eat into our available cap space. Now, if he isn’t signed until mid November, KP will have a little more cap space available to do whatever it is he wants to do once the Euro cap holds come off.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
too late
I’m more interested in the cap space that will be available once the Euro-holds come off (10/27) especially when combined with Outlaw’s expiring contract. Unless there’s a training camp injury to LMA/Greg/Joel, Portland won’t “need” to make a deal for a veteran backup PF until next Feb at the latest. By then, we should know how well Webster’s foot is doing and Travis should be getting real antsy for more PT (contract year, etc)
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
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