Wojnarowski: Travis Diener is the 15th Man
by Ben Golliver on Mar 1, 2010 10:11 AM PST
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PrintAdrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets...
After clearing waivers, Travis Diener will sign with the Portland Trail Blazers, league sources tell Y! Sports.
Jason Quick of The Oregonian writes...
Travis Diener's 28th birthday is Monday and his present is a contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Oregonian has learned the Blazers will sign the former Indiana Pacers guard today to occupy their 15th roster spot once he clears waivers.
(Update: 10:40AM)...
Marc Stein first tweeted news of Diener's release earlier this morning.
The Pacers just announced the release of G Travis Diener
Diener has played in just four games this season, averaging a sparkling .8 points, 1 assist, and 0 turnovers in 6.3 minutes per game. He last saw game action on February 6th against the Detroit Pistons. Diener has battled a toe injury that required surgery in November.
Diener is 6'1" and 175 pounds. He's 28 years old and attended Marquette. His career averages: 4.9 points, 2.5 assists, .6 turnovers per game. According to Synergy, Diener rated "Excellent" in offensive efficiency last year as a pick and roll ball handler. Otherwise, his production is pedestrian as you might expect. The Invisible Ninja notes that he is limited defensively.
Indy Cornrows.com has the waiver statement from the Pacers...
"We want to thank Travis for his time with us," said Pacers President of Basketball Larry Bird. "Unfortunately, he struggled with injuries while with us and that held him back. He's a tough player who I'm sure will contribute somewhere in the NBA. We wish him the best."
Tom Lewis of Indy Cornrows writes...
There's no doubt Diener wasn't happy with his situation on the roster, simply because he didn't have a chance to play. Rookie A.J. Price pushed Diener out of the picture for playing time this season and any available second of time Price doesn't play at this point is a crime against humanity.
Diener was set to be a free agent at the end of this season.
The Blazers faced the most exposure to injury at two positions: center and point guard. With a lack of quality 5s on the market, the question became: do you compromise for another swing 4/5 like Kenny Thomas or do you add depth to the point guard position?
In the final analysis, management likely felt that an injury to Andre Miller or Jerryd Bayless would cause more rotation issues than an injury to one of their 5s. LaMarcus Aldridge has swung up to 5 for stretches this season and Dante Cunningham has proven capable of handling minutes at the 4 spot in his absence. Jeff Pendergraph has also shown the ability to play spot minutes with some degree of effectiveness.
If Miller or Bayless were to go down, McMillan would be left to decide between playing Patty Mills, a rookie he doesn't seem to particularly trust and has only played in the most garbage of garbage time, and sliding either Rudy Fernandez or Brandon Roy down from the 2 spot. Playing an untested, high-tempo rookie heavy minutes in pressure situations would be anathema for McMillan. Rudy hasn't shown sufficient ball-handling ability or lateral quickness defensively to handle the point guard position. Roy remains hampered by his hamstring and is struggling to keep up with the opposing team's 3rd perimeter option, let alone their point guards.
Thus, Diener. That Diener doesn't turn the ball over very often and can stick a jump shot are positives (particularly in Nate McMillan's eyes). That he has never played in a playoff game in his career and that he has been sitting behind A.J. Price would be, uh, the negatives.
(Update:10:56AM)
Here's Bradford Doolittle's analysis of Travis Diener in this year's Pro Basketball Prospectus.
His primary value is as a spot-up shooter, as he takes over half of his shots from behind the arc. If he's hitting 39 percent, like he did last year, he's a valuable role player. If he's hitting 32 percent, like he did in 2007-2008, that's a problem. Diener is a good ballhandler who keeps mistakes to a minimum and does a good job of running an offense. Defensively, he will compete but he's limited athletically and has trouble staying with quicker point guards. He's too small to guard twos, so the option of playing him alongside one of the other point guards is really only viable in snippets.
Kevin Pelton would like to add to that analysis (via text):
He's a thousand times better than Kenny Thomas.
Update (12:02PM)
Portland Roundball Society interviews Tim Donahue of 8 Points 9 Seconds here. Donahue writes...
He is very reluctant to try to finish at the rim, often getting into the teeth of the defense, even to the rim, then either dribbling back out or dumping it out to a perimeter player. This is demonstrate by the fact that he only took 52 shots at the rim, and he only had 7 shots blocked in his almost three years in Indy.
Further evidence of his tendency to be over-conservative is his 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Outside of the occasional quick three, he almost never does anything other than the safe play.
You can almost hear Nate McMillan nodding his head vigorously while reading that.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter
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or Blount?
Diener is a frisky little guy though
Ball handling and dribbling are my strongest weaknesses."—David Thompson
Wow
Sounds like a vote of “no confidence” for Mills and Bayless. How bad do they gotta be that the Blazers sign Diener instead of a big man?
by tominhawaii on Mar 1, 2010 10:15 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
They're hedging their bets
for when Miller throws a tantrum and gets permanently benched by Nate.
This was a huge failure, Tom. How can you pass up an opportunity like this, when they sign a PG of all things, to turn it against Andre?
You’ll be escorted to the front desk by security right now, where they’ll make you turn in your Hater’s Badge. Any chance of making the Bedge Haters HOF just died. You might as well go back to cheering for Andre, you just can’t cut it anymore when it comes to hating. We know you’re a rookie at this hating thing, and you’ve made a good effort, but you just can’t hack it. You should have chosen someone who is actually bad to hate, that would have made it easier for you.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
by jscot on Mar 1, 2010 10:23 AM PST up reply actions 3 recs
Nice save
or not.
Some people, when they get called out, man up, acknowledge it, and say, “Yeah, I blew it. I should have done better with the opportunity given to me.”
Others say, “I was going to wait until….”
I’ll never be able to count on you to hate a Blazer again.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
Travis is way better than Andre.
I’ve heard that he actually asks what kind of donuts the guys like and better yet, remembers. Andre doesn’t ever ask. He just gets what he likes.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
I don't like this move because I don't get it.
Maybe they just want a kid for Mills & Bayless to scrimmage against in practice? Maybe it is simply a not so subtle push for Bayless to improve? I would argue neither is needed.
My thoughts are that a good back up big man who likes to box out would be perfect.
In Bayless I trust.
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Mills probably goes back to the D League
so he can get some actual play.
He’s probably just injury cover, and there’s no reason to hold back Patty’s development by having him be the guy sitting on the bench providing injury cover and never playing.
I can’t imagine we give him minutes at Jerryd’s expense, because Bayless, while inconsistent, can turn a game for us.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
There's a limit?
Is that for a year or for a career?
If it is for a career, they won’t send him down, because they’ll want the option to send him down next year as well, I’m guessing.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
Read the description of Diener's game.
Nate has Steve Blake back.
by raoulduke on Mar 1, 2010 12:35 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
only hes not as good
cash rules everything around me CREAM get tha money dolla dolla bill yaaaaallll
by staceyaugmon4HOF on Mar 1, 2010 1:35 PM PST up reply actions
Exactly what I thought when Iread this
by Hermistonmelons on Mar 1, 2010 1:51 PM PST up reply actions
That was my first thought....
Nooooo! Just when we looked like we started to understand how to fast break!
I don't think...
…picking up a PG is any more a vote of no confidence in Mills or Bayless than picking up a big man would of been in LA, Camby or Howard…we are talking about the 15th roster spot.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
Exactly. With Camby, we have some depth at the bigs.
I am not going to say the 5, because our 5’s are on IR. We play the 4 and 5 by committe. Maybe we should call it 4.1 rather than 5? This is insurance in case of injury or fouls.
by Hermistonmelons on Mar 1, 2010 1:57 PM PST up reply actions
Shhhh
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
I just keep messing up ...
this keeping things quiet business. It is always a hard choice between bragging and sneaking up on people?!
#52+1.5
how is it possible to have a "No Confidence" vote on Patty yet?
Kid has barely frickin’ played for cryin’ out loud. This would be just like Nate to mentally bench the kid before he’s even been given a legit chance to show what he can do. (Not saying he’s ready to be the backup, but a No Confidence vote is waaaaaay premature imho)
He was Dwayne Wade's backcourt mate at Marquette.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
That's how I hear it.
He was so dangerous that teams would leave Wade all alone.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
wow
i know he’s not going to see the floor, ideally, but i don’t see why this is the guy signed. why not get a big? ugh.
He's a real "point" guard
Just look at his career stats:
0 “point” 8 pts
0 “point” 5 rbs
1 “point” 0 ass
by ralphzillo on Mar 1, 2010 10:21 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
For how many minutes.
In Bayless I trust.
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Not many
There’s no doubt Diener wasn’t happy with his situation on the roster, simply because he didn’t have a chance to play
He’s not going to get much chance here, either.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
diener
If the Blazers need to scrape this deep in the bottom of the barrel for a 15th player, why bother filling that slot to begin with.
I think Diener will be the first time that even the most diehard optimist isn’t going to claim that this guy has the potential to be part of a winning rotation.
We have had hopes and still have hopes for 2nd round picks like Pendy and Mills.
But Diener? Good grief!
Winning rotation?
You do realize that we are discussion the 15th spot on the roster. Even me, with my wanting to see two units, doesn’t see how the 15th guy needing to be part of a “winning rotation” make the least bit of sense.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
13th
We have two guys who are out injured, so he’s #13 on the depth chart.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
Well, that makes all the difference.
Bet he still is the guy who has to get the donuts.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
Only if Mills gets sent down
There’s no way they are letting an Aussie rookie off of that duty.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
I dont get the uproar
Is it really a big deal who this 15th guy is?
Sure I would have liked to have seen a big man, but really, Diener is actually a pretty solid pick-up.
Check out basketball-reference.com for his career numbers…seems like he had a nice run with the Pacers in 07-08
by abobo84 on Mar 1, 2010 10:30 AM PST reply actions 2 recs
Rec.
You would have thought they just benched Miller and plan on making Travis the starter.
I really have to wonder about some of the folks here. For people who apparently pride themselves on being knowledgeable, most of the comments so far shake that belief. What is really surprising is not recognizing that Diener is basically an iteration of Steve Blake. If we all recall, even the people who were big Blake bashers usually admitted to liking him as the backup PG. Well, KP went out and signed a guy that should be able to do a pretty decent Blake imitation. Besides, who is the backup PG on this team? Bayless still hasn’t shown that he can consistently run the offense and Mills is a rookie with almost zero playing time. Signing Diener makes sense.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
by timg56 on Mar 1, 2010 12:38 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I agree with both of you
Plus, c’mon, give KP some room here. He is generally pretty good at assessing guys. I will defer to his talents
by Hermistonmelons on Mar 1, 2010 1:59 PM PST up reply actions
I'm told I exhibit a fallascious tendancy for bowing to authority ....
…. when I make arguments similar to that.
Silly me. To think that perhaps both Pritchard and McMillan might know more about the subject matter than any of us.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
Just hold the line there, buddy
That should have read “know more about the subject than any of us except jscot.”
Don’t let it happen again.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
he shot 39% from three last year, and actually, his usage to AST% rate is tremendous. He is more an NBA player than Patty is.
#52 #10 #7
by Cablinasian on Mar 1, 2010 10:30 AM PST reply actions 2 recs
The guys a carbon copy
of Steve Blake…arguably a more handsome version. WELCOME TRAVIS! (apparently you can only have one Travis on a team at a time…)
bingo
I would’ve preferred a veteran PG with more (any?) playoff experience, but last week the story was KP was going to watch the waiver wire and see who shook free, and evidently Deiner was the closest “Blake clone” who did
Obviously if Deiner is the answer we don’t want to know the question…if Nate ever runs him into a close game in lieu of Rex/Rudy at the PG I’ll be surprised
but not shocked
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
His first name is Travis?
I figured Diener’s first name was Blake – he seems much more like a Blake than a Travis in terms of his skill set.
doesent he have a brother named blake?
cash rules everything around me CREAM get tha money dolla dolla bill yaaaaallll
by staceyaugmon4HOF on Mar 1, 2010 1:38 PM PST up reply actions
if you were going to make a comparison based solely on offensive numbers, Diener bears an eerie resemblance to one Steve Blake.
Similar 3p%, usage, AST%, Diener turns it over less. They’re carbon copies offensively.
#52 #10 #7
Dave thinks Blake's wife is hot
This is the comparison we’ll be looking forward to from our fearless leader.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
by jscot on Mar 1, 2010 11:01 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
that;s just funny
I don’t care who you are
by Hermistonmelons on Mar 1, 2010 2:00 PM PST up reply actions
Blake's had more stitches...
and is a way better defender….and could kick Chuck Norris’s *ss!
We'll miss you #2 & #25!
More of and NBA player than Patty?
How can you say that? Mills has had very limited court time. When he did go back to the D-Leauge he dominated. You think Diener would go to the D-League and put up 36 and 11 in a game? Mills has yet to be given a decent chance. I think Nate needs to swallow his pride a bit and give him a chance. They were up 30 against Minnesota the other day and he still played Bayless at the start of the 4th. Incidently, Minny went on a run and Patty sits on the bench. Give the kid a chance. I watched him at the Olympics and he gave Team USA fits. There is no reason why he couldnt be used like Bayless. He has proven he can handle big games in the Olympics.
huhh?
He must be a great locker room guy and a helluva practice player!. KP is giving the big guys we have confidence in thier abilities and letting Bayless and Mills know that he isnt convinced about thiers
if it can be conceived it can be achieved
by lyfefindsaway on Mar 1, 2010 10:30 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Diener isn't the biggest player around and he lacks athleticism,
but he is thriving in his role because of sheer determination and savvy play. - From http://marquette.scout.com/2/737705.html
sooooooo
he’s white then?
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Mar 1, 2010 10:58 AM PST up reply actions
64-18 will be pleased
or not
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
vote of confidence in Mills
“Mills probably goes back to the D League so he can get some actual play”
Could be. Picking Diener might actually be a vote of confidence in Mills. What they might be saying is, so long as Mills is not ready for prime time in NBA play, let’s have someone else who is not ready for prime time on the roster to serve as our PG in case of 1000 year flood, someone who has absolutely no future in the NBA but at the present time is just as viable to put out on the floor as Mills is. That allows us to get Mills into some actual play in D-league, so he can get some experience, and hopefully then play in summer league and compete for a rotation spot next year.
Its also called if Mills plays two more NBA games
His contract becomes guaranteed, reducing our flexibility this off-season.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
by skywaker9 on Mar 1, 2010 10:42 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Bingo
As I was reading through I was wondering if anyone was going to catch this reason for the signing. And it also allows more playing time for Mills. A win win for management.
#52+1.5
Exactly
We don’t know how Mills does or does not impress management in practice. But it’s always good for the Blaszers and for scouts from other teams to get more looks with DLeague court time.
If he does well in DLeague, I could see Mills being a throw-in on a draft day, or off-season trade. I doubt he’s going to be a rotation player on a contending team, but you never know—best to get more looks in game situations.
Free Mills
I beg you Blazers, give us one REAL look at the guy before you send him down again.
we can still win........
If they send him down
it probably means they are committed to developing him further and wanted him to get more playing time this year.
In the long term, this would be good for Mills. Better than sitting on the bench until the last minute of blowouts.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
follow the money
if Patty was all that and a bag of chips as a PG prospect, this “4 game thingy” wouldn’t be a concern
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Remember
Patty played hard ball a little bit earlier by forcing the Blazer’s hand on signing him. Now, turn about is fair play. Plus the Blazers get more of a game time extended look.
#52+1.5
I haven't forgotten
nothing against the kid, but he’s not a “Nate McMillian” kind of PG (and Deiner…is) Mills is tiny and will be a defensive liability against every NBA PG not named Barrio. Patty could be used as a tempo-changing PG but Portland already has Jerryd to do that. Mills can simulate the quickness of opposing PGs (like Brooks) in practice, and that might be his biggest “contribution” to the team
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
You also have to take into account
That Diener is about the same size and also has, “defensive limitations.” I think the guaranteed contract for next year is a big deal, and possibly a little back at you to Patty for not working with management more earlier on.
#52+1.5
Barrea
not Barrio…brain cramp
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I think you were right the first time
because I think Mills couldn’t guard Barea either.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
Not the Travis I wanted in a Blazer uniform,
and I’m still trying to figure out why it was we had to have Mills with the 15th spot in the first place ??
Til the wheels fall off.... Marcus Camby
Go Blazers !!
Paul Allen
quick-PG fetish
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I think Patty forced their hand a little bit.
They probably wanted him overseas from some of the comments that were made. End result = 15th man.
#52+1.5
I must have been thinking about
Dana Barros
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Too bad he doesn't have a big man fetish....
Not a good sign when I looked the new guy up and the first word I got was injury prone :(
Til the wheels fall off.... Marcus Camby
Go Blazers !!
I'm puzzled...
Larry Bird says, “He struggled with injuries while with us and that held him back”.
Uh? Welcome to Portland where struggling with injuries is just Business as Usual.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
Larry Bird
Awesome player, horrible GM.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
Anyone check out the game log for Anthony Tolliver lately?
He’s been in double figure in points or rebounds several times and has even had a few double doubles in the same game! Maybe some of these guys DO have talent and just need some PT. Still, not likely Denier will see much action.
That's the GS system
You play there, you get lots of stats.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
Maenwhile, Will Conroy just let out with a Anakin~Vader-like
NOOOOOOO!!!
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
by two4larue on Mar 1, 2010 11:31 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
lolz
Juwan Howard, drafted June 29th, 1994. Netscape first released November 14th, 1994
Seriously
They should have taken Conroy. What’s the point of the D-League if it’s all time leader can’t even get signed?
Not like the Utah Jazz... it's about REAL jazz. Go Dawgs, Go Blazers, Go Tarheels!
by jazzaholic17 on Mar 1, 2010 2:01 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Our prayers have been answered...
Or maybe not. I’ve never heard of this guy. Since he’s was hurt this year he comes to us already broken (in). Should be a good fit for the most injured team in the league. I agree, why not just leave the 15th spot open since I can’t imagine this guy playing at all this year. Is he better than Mills? Doubtful. Why not give Mills whatever playing time is left over instead of bringing this guy in?
or
Maybe Blazers figured by taking on Diener they could convert that good-looking Pacers fan into a Blazers fan.
Diener is a bruiser
watch him slam Amare to the ground:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99dyVeG7ucg
by mangas on Mar 1, 2010 10:40 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
That was awesome. There needs to be Technical fouls for flopping.
"What people need to know is that those pictures were taken a year and a half ago, and I've grown since then." - Greg Oden
by dario argento on Mar 1, 2010 10:48 AM PST up reply actions
another possible explanation
“Diener has battled a toe injury this year”
Maybe that’s the key. Blazers angling to get their injury chart into the medical textbooks, and they are weak in the toe department.
by lsjogren on Mar 1, 2010 10:44 AM PST reply actions 7 recs
Best line so far this thread.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
Gimme a freaking break. Seriously? Another PG? When is he gonna get playing time?
I just don’t get it.
"What people need to know is that those pictures were taken a year and a half ago, and I've grown since then." - Greg Oden
Like our 15th roster guy was going to get PT anyways
Really.
Demote Mills, two injured guys and you have your 12 active players.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
Even with Mills de-activated Diener still won't get any PT.
All I’m saying is another big body, any big body I think has more value than a 4th or 5th string PG. Another injury to one of our bigs and all of the sudden we’re even thinner than our our already thin front line.
"What people need to know is that those pictures were taken a year and a half ago, and I've grown since then." - Greg Oden
by dario argento on Mar 1, 2010 11:00 AM PST up reply actions
No big man was going to get any PT, either
unless there was an injury, or two injuries.
We’re only one injury away from Diener getting some PT, probably.
It’s injury cover, and we were only two deep at PG. Diener is undoubtedly ahead of Mills (at this point in time) on the depth chart. I doubt there is any big man available who would be ahead of Juwan, Dante, or Jeff.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
Yeah, but I doubt he plays ahead of Jerryd
so he’s still just injury cover and/or human victory cigar.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
To me
Diener’s signing is as much about Patty as it is about any actual play we get out of Diener.
#52+1.5
"we were only two deep at PG"
That would be Miller and Roy. Bayless has shown conclusively since Blake left that he is not yet ready to play PG. Maybe someday, but not now. For now, Roy is our backup PG while Miller rests.
"Brandon eats first around here" - KP
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 1, 2010 12:09 PM PST up reply actions
especially in big games
Nate needs to “stagger” the rotation to keep either Brandon or Andre on the floor at all times…this will be easier in the playoffs
foul trouble to either of these players will be Portland’s Achille’s heel
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Don't worry. That's why they have those short busses.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
Mills
“Its also called if Mills plays two more NBA games His contract becomes guaranteed, reducing our flexibility this off-season”
I guess that’s the same clause that got Pendy guaranteed for next year after he was in a certain number of games?
Might that not be a POSITIVE for the Blazers rather than negative? If his contract doesn’t become guaranteed, he’s a free agent after this year, is he not?
Seems like it’s worthwhile to lock in Mills for a second year at rookie salary to have more opportunity to try him out. With 15 roster spots you can afford to use a couple of them for low-cost players that you haven’t had sufficient opportunity to evaluate yet. I mean, the guy did excel at Olympics and was at one time considered a first-round draft prospect. And clearly the guy can shoot the ball, something that could come in handy with this particular Blazer team.
Ah-ha. That's it.
"What people need to know is that those pictures were taken a year and a half ago, and I've grown since then." - Greg Oden
by dario argento on Mar 1, 2010 11:01 AM PST up reply actions
I think we have the option if he doesn't play ten games
If he plays ten, we don’t have the option, so by not playing him, we keep our flexibility.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
At a guess, I'd say Portland probably has a team option ....
…. on resigning Mills. He isn’t free to go anywhere until the deadline for Portland to decide about renewing or not. If it is true that his deal gets guaranteed, then the Blazers lose a bit of flexibility. It is possible they land a couple of nice players in the draft who they like even more than Patty. If so, they can let him go. If he’s guaranteed, they have to pay him even if they cut him.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
according to storyteller's website
no team option on Mills next year. I don’t know how long (or if) the Blazers will retain Patty’s draft rights
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
he's better than people realize - I like the pickup
look, he’s got more experience than Patty Mills, and he was actually decent when he was in Orlando for a bit – he just couldn’t catch playing time in Indiana.
He can ball – he went to school with my sister at Marquette and I got to meet him and hoop with him once, really smart player and a very good outside shooter…we could have done a lot worse
But as stated, our 15th guy is more of an insurance policy than a guy that;s going to see the floor
by rip_city_swagger on Mar 1, 2010 10:52 AM PST reply actions
Agreed...always liked him.
He ran the point when D-Wade was also playing at Marquette. He really is a Steve Blake lite in all aspects: will hit 3’s, not make many mistakes (but also won’t pressure opposing D), tries on D albeit his athletic limitation, and tough.
He’ll be fine as our emergency PG. Now, if he starts getting significant time sans injury, that’s when I’ll start getting concerned.
"I think he’s been doing some good things. I think he’s been doing some good things. He’s had to play a lot of minutes lately with Blake being out. I think he’s been doing some good things." -Nate McMillan
Steve Blake lite??
What keeps him from floating away into space?
This comment brought to you by LITERALNET, the part of the Internet that can’t be bothered with subjective information and comedy.
But how is he on "Kung Foo Fighting"?
We need the toughness we lost back
by Hermistonmelons on Mar 1, 2010 2:05 PM PST up reply actions
He torched you
That makes him good enough for the Playoffs? Sorry, I just couldn’t resist i am pro-Denier given KP’s talents as an evaluator. I don’t know him at all
by Hermistonmelons on Mar 1, 2010 2:04 PM PST up reply actions
I just upchucked...
…a bit of last night’s diener!
"I was surprised, I was listening to the coach on the bench and behind me, she touches me and says, ‘Rudy, I love you. Nice to meet you. Good game.’ - Rudy
by The Mallorcan Rocket on Mar 1, 2010 11:02 AM PST via mobile reply actions
A Day In The Life Of Travis Diener. Part 1 deals with Danny Granger, who is not part of the deal ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRhHYKUvR78
Not much is happening although it’s the night he gets his career-high in scoring (19). But a nice look behind the scenes.
I forwarded it to Ben, maybe he also links it above.
Bears fan? I'm not down with that
But at least he knows that Favre > Manning
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Jeff Foster busted TD's chops
classic…you can’t say you’re a fan of the Spice Girls and have that wind up on your bio
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
looks like he's gonna enjoy
flying on Blazer 1
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
FREE MILLS!!!
I just wish we could get a good look at Patty. Just once.
A ten minute stretch with actual time to run the offense, not just 50 seconds where his only goal is to jack up a shot and mark up a stat sheet.
Patty seems like more of a PG than Bayless to me. Gimme Patty at PG and JBay at the 2. I’ll settle for 5 minutes…
we can still win........
In this case, I suppose the front office and coaching staff has unfortunately decided that they have seen enough of him in training and in the D-League to not go that route.
yeah
The office and the coaches have seen it but we haven’t. I might be on the “bench Mills and get a broken-toe-3rd-string-insurance-PG” bandwagon if I could just get a real look at Mills.
Plus game time > practice time for evaluation. In his only stretch of playing time over 2 minutes Patty averaged around 2pts. per minute.
We just haven’t been able to hold on to any leads long enough to evaluate anyone that deep on the bench.
we can still win........
If Patty played 40 minutes, we'd get 80 points a night from him
by Hermistonmelons on Mar 1, 2010 2:07 PM PST up reply actions
let's hope he never plays
because he isn’t needed
lol, I have no problem with this at all.
We’ve got like 42 bigs already.. and we have 1 actual pg in Miller. He’s a 3rd stringer for sure, but he doesn’t make many mistakes and thats what we need out of our 15th guy.
Blake
Hey, if Diener was really another Steve Blake then he would be a steal to get him off the shelf like this.
I myself was critical of Blake quite often but geez, give me a break, comparing a capable backup PG like Blake to an NBA reject like Diener, that is over the top.
Fans Dreams and Expectations...
…are always that even with the 15th spot we are going to pick up some miracle contributor that is a budding or secret all-star.
I’m not familiar with Travis Diener but it seems to me he fills a 15th spot just fine. He evidently has some skills we could use in a dire emergency.
There is very little reaction to this news at Indy Cornrows. Infact one poster refered to Diener as “Blake-Lite”.
I’m fine with that. Hey, we are killing two lost birds with one stone. The guy incharge of locker updates only has to cross out OUTLAW and replace with DIENER and we get a player that is Steve Blake Lite….since Travis Outlaw was out most of the season with a foot injury, it’s almost like having Steve and Travis back!
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
Thanks...
…that’s interesting. As I admitted I’m not familiar with Travis Diener but I always think it is a good sign when you are picking up a player that the opposing fanbase say’s they are going to miss.
He seems to get good feedback from most of the Pacer fans.
In anycase, I’m not going to get too worked up about this. Some people are acting like this pick-up is some type of missed opportunity or season defining move. I wish Diener well, but I simply don’t think that would be the case regardless of who we might of picked up.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
I remember Diener from his Orlando Magic days.
Dante and Galante loved him in the summer league. The guy played like a stud.
"I'm at the thingamajig talking the yakety-yak" - Kenny Smith
So what?
at least now in garbage time we call all yell “It’s TIME DIENER!”
hating advanced stats since 1980
I've heard it both ways
Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum
by thomasikehara on Mar 1, 2010 1:15 PM PST up reply actions
That chick is incredibly fine.
"Ain't nothin' in this world for free."
by Arby on Mar 1, 2010 12:08 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
I just noticed the picture caption.
lol
"I'm at the thingamajig talking the yakety-yak" - Kenny Smith
Beater Writer Jason Quick was just on the radio saying
the coaches have figured out that Jerryd Bayless in NOT a point guard. LOL. Well duh.
Treat people well because Karma can hit you at any second.
next coaching project
turn Batum into a point forward so it won’t matter “what kind of guards” Bayless and Rudy are?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Sounds like Thunder Dan
LOL you will soon learn that it is never over. As long as Diener is breathing it will continue. Diener is very much like Herpies. He might be irritating for awhile and he may go away for awhile, but he is never gone and will always be in the back of our minds.
What the????.....
My guess is that KP does not want to disrupt the chemistry that he’s trying to form w/duct tape among our current players. By signing this guy the rest of our team wont have to worry about a major change to the playing rotation. But seriously, If this guy get more pt than Mills I will no longer support the “In KP we trust” delegates.
"With the first pick of the 2007 NBA draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select: Greg Oden from Ohio State University"
sounds like a poor man's steve blake
Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum
high point in his career
was when he was something like top 5 in assist to turnover ratio some season ago
ridiculous upside is pretty pissed off
Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum
nate will probably start him by next week
Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum
As he rightly should.
Clarence, It's better to have a gun and not need it, then need a gun and not have it.
I like the move
I had an experienced pg as the main priority for the last roster spot. Now we just have to hope he doesnt actually need to be relied on…
RUDY > MJ
Thank you KP
James was available last week
according to Maxey’s article
I wonder if the coaching staff will ask Deiner to sit in on their Indy pre-game meeting (later this week) like Camby did with the Clippers? He should have some Pacer “scouting report” insights
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Well, he only got waived today just like Diener. Both in time to clear the waiver wire and still be eligible for the playoffs.
Irony
I made a trade proposal last summer that involved moving Outlaw + ? for Jeff Foster and Travis Deiner
The BE response was tepid, at best
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
No wonder
Foster is injury prone and we got Deiner for free.
If we listened to you, we wouldn’t have Camby. :)
You also said we wouldn’t be able to trade Travis unless he came back from his injury early and showed he could still play. I have an annoyingly long memory.
Give Blake the MLE in 2010!
Farewell to #2 and #25, good luck to you!
#10 #52 -- #5 #7 & #88 are back!
HAHA i love it. Another PG Nate hates Mills
this is what i would refer to as iClassic! ;)
S
The Princess of Blazersedge
Twitter.com/sophiabiabia Follow Me!!!
" It just takes an iron fist to keep the riff raff under control and her princess hand is mad strong" - Idoltime
LMAO word
WORRRRRD
The Princess of Blazersedge
Twitter.com/sophiabiabia Follow Me!!!
" It just takes an iron fist to keep the riff raff under control and her princess hand is mad strong" - Idoltime
on last week's wingcast
Ben said Nate didn’t seem to be quite as happy about the Camby trade as KP and the other scouts were
so now maybe Ben can report from the Deiner “presser” if he sees Nate get a gleam in his eye when Quick/Smith asks him about the “new Travis”
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
He caught Coach Nate's eye immediately...
“Diener has played … this season, averaging a sparkling … 0 turnovers … per game.”
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
FREE PATRICK MILLS
Dear Coach Nate,
Please let this kid play some meaningful time. We saw him in the Olympics and he did some serious damage.
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