Deveney: Agent Says Heat Or Bulls For Joel Przybilla
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News reports that former Portland Trail Blazers center Joel Przybilla has narrowed his list to two teams: the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls.
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Agent Bill Duffy said that Joel Przybilla will choose between the Heat and Bulls by week's end. For Przybilla, the proximity of Chicago to his family in Wisconsin will, "have no effect," on his Bulls-Heat choice.
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The Blazers had been linked to Przybilla earlier this season and Blazers president Larry Miller reportedly said last week that Portland was still talking to him. Blazers Acting GM Chad Buchanan said last week that his talks with Przybilla were of the friendly variety and that nothing was imminent at the time.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter
4 months ago
Ben Golliver
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that way i can still root for you.
unless you’re playing us. but, that’s a given.
I don't always root for an NBA franchise, but when I do, I prefer the Portland Trail Blazers.
going for the ring...
then the blazers will go to game 7 in the finals with the Bulls. During that game he’ll see that the Blazers are clearly looking stronger and at half time he’ll go to the locker room, put the Blazers Uni on once again and lead the team to a miraculous overtime victory.
Disappointing. Choosing a title over the fans that love him. But good luck Joel.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Feb 1, 2012 2:30 PM PST reply actions
I can't believe he wouldn't show loyalty to Portland and return to the team that traded him to NBA Siberia.
wut?
dinasour type of guys choir boys
I remember Joel saying that the Blazers never told him they wanted him on the team.
He said MJ made him feel wanted in Charlotte.
Here's the actual quote
“They were honest with me and told me they wanted me here,” the 31-year-old Przybilla said. “That means a lot, especially coming from Michael Jordan. He looked me in the eye and told me this. I’ve never, to be honest, had a general manager tell me that.”
To be fair, the Blazers made a big deal of re-signing Joel. Quotes from the signing ceremony:
"We are ecstatic about signing Joel to a new contract," said Trail Blazers President/General Manager Steve Patterson. "We want talented players with character who want to be here in Portland. Joel is the embodiment of the direction that this franchise has taken the last few years and his return is another great step in making this team the Pride of Portland."
.
Adds coach Nate McMillan: "It is great that we have Joel back with us and under contract. He brings leadership and work ethic to a very young team. "The fact that he wants to remain a Trail Blazer sends a very loud and clear message to his teammates that he believes in the path that the team is taking to turn things around."
Joel understood the trade and wasn't unhappy with Portland management.
When he left he said he might get to return.
Przybilla did not rule out the possibility of having his contract bought out by Charlotte, and he smiled wryly when talking about the Blazers.
"I still think there might be a chance I can come back,’’ Przybilla said late Friday night at Portland International Airport, where he prepared to board a flight to Charlotte. "It may be next year, but I think there’s more. I don’t think it’s over just yet. I just have that hunch.’’
But I understand why he would want to go for a title now.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Feb 1, 2012 10:33 PM PST up reply actions
come on, this is completely unfair
Joel poured his heart and soul into this team, including through some awful years. he doesn’t owe us anything. If he wants to chase a ring in the twilight of his career, I wish him good luck (unless he signs with Miami – can’t root for them).
"But if Ding Dongs and prime rib were the path to NBA pivot stardom we'd all be wearing the uniform." -Dave
I think you are misreading me. It wasn't meant as criticism of Joel.
I’m disappointed he chose not to come back here. He chose to go for a title, rather than come back to Portland fans. I can understand that. I wished him luck.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Feb 1, 2012 10:27 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah, I see how it could be read either way.
Anyway, Joel is one of my all time favorite Blazers players. It is disappointing to me that he won’t be coming back. There are a lot of fans here, like me, that love Joel. But I understand why he would make a decision to go for a ring. I don’t blame him for wanting a ring and I wish him luck.
There. Is that clearer for you?
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Feb 2, 2012 2:11 PM PST up reply actions
It's an understandable decision. One that many people would make in the same position.
That said, I think he’d look better in a Bulls uniform than a Heat jersey for aesthetic reasons.
"I Am Mine"
Yes, true.
black, red and white look better than red, white and black.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
the Bulls have some of the best jerseys period
I’m partial to the black with red pin stripes, but they’re all good
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
completely off topic
but JR Smith just dropped 60 (!) off the bench (!) in a playoff game in China. Thought that was kind of crazy
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
also key words
- 60 points
- off the bench
how often do you see that anywhere in basketball? Much less a pro league
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
how many minutes?
47? =)
Rip City Baby...People have no idea what is coming.
Follow my twitter @PDXBlazersFTW. Lots of random Blazer Posts from links I find around the blogosphere.
not sure on the minutes
but 21/32 FG, 14/18 3 PT, 8 Reb, 3 TO
looks like the other team zoned up and got lit up
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Good for him.
Just hope he goes to the Bulls. Him & Thibs will get along just fine.
"We gotta get this $#!^ together guys!" - Phil
I will lose all respect for pryz if he goest to Miami
"Tommy: Did you hear I finally graduated?
Richard Hayden: Yeah, and just a shade under a decade too. All right. "
why?
he is not under contract. he apparently wants to, like pretty much all veteran end of their career players, sign with a team with a chance to win a ring. I hate Miami as much as the next guy, but I don’t see how him signing there is any different than him signing with Chicago, or LA, or anywhere else.
"But if Ding Dongs and prime rib were the path to NBA pivot stardom we'd all be wearing the uniform." -Dave
This hurts...
I don’t blame him, but we could really use another big, and we all love Joel. I’m with everyone else…I hope he goes to the Bulls and not the Heat.
We need to keep Batum around.
another exaple that bball is a business
and players want to win.
not gonna come back to portland just cause we like him..dissapointing, but who knows how serviceable he really is still
Rip City Baby...People have no idea what is coming.
Follow my twitter @PDXBlazersFTW. Lots of random Blazer Posts from links I find around the blogosphere.
Good for him
Bulls or Heat, I wish him the best. My respect for Joel doesn’t change with whatever decision he makes. He earned the right to choose whatever team he wants to play with long ago.
by Jblaze on Feb 1, 2012 3:25 PM PST via mobile reply actions 3 recs
my respect doesn't change...
but I can’t root for the Heat. I just can’t. So if he played for Chicago it would be nice to root for him.
We need to keep Batum around.
Why would anyone be upset about this?
Its a business, we shipped him off last year for another player. He is at the end of his career and has given his all to every team he has played on. If he wants to play for a title contender and go for a ring, then he has deserves to do so. Good luck Pryz
by Kazper on Feb 1, 2012 3:37 PM PST reply actions 5 recs
totally agree
Joel’s worked damn hard over his career for a lot of not very good teams…if he’s going to put in the work, and he has the ability to choose, he might as well be doing it for a title
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
well, I'll root for the Bulls
just can’t do it for Miami. LeBron is pretty much the biggest prima donna D-bag in NBA history in my mind, so I can’t root for any team he plays for.
"But if Ding Dongs and prime rib were the path to NBA pivot stardom we'd all be wearing the uniform." -Dave
The idea that PDX deserves some acrimony from Przybilla is silly
Przybilla doesn’t have an offer from Portland at worst, and at best would find himself the 3rd or 4th center on this roster.
He wouldn’t come to Portland if he wants to play.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
Huh?
Joel might be able to outplay Kurt, if Pryz is back to where he was pre-patellar tendon rupture, but it wouldn’t be because of “the way Kurt Thomas in playing.” Crazy Eye’s has been legit.
Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!
by HailOden! on Feb 1, 2012 4:19 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Kurt Thomas and Craig Smith are so, so much better than Sean Marks, Fabricio Oberto...
and some other “backup” centers we’ve employed over the last few years. I’d even say better than Juwan Howard—but I do miss that guy. It’s so nice to have bigs that are not huge liabilities. Both Rino and Crazy Eyes have been great to watch and surprisingly skilled, if not totally dominant all the time.
On the other hand, I have no idea what Pryz would look like at this point. But I wish he’d come back here so we could find out.
by JasonCantDunk on Feb 1, 2012 5:24 PM PST up reply actions
Oberto is no scrub.
He started 12 playoff games for the world champion Spurs in 07 and shot over 50%
by Oden Mad, Oden Smash! on Feb 1, 2012 10:47 PM PST up reply actions
he was absolutely a scrub by the time he made it to Portland
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Why would he want to sign with Portland?
Portland is what, 5-7 in their last 12 games with losses against Detroit, against Utah without Bell and Jefferson all while blowing a 11 or 12 point lead with 5 minutes to go in the 3rd. Plus add in Golden State in that stretch.
I am not shocked, go for the ring, we traded him and sent him to a team to die, no reason he should come back to a team that looks like it is slowly dying over the last 12 games…
I hope he does well and gets good Playtime on either of those teams
would be fun to watch him contribute big in the Finals
WITH ODEN ON OUR SIDE
Sad I won't get to see Joel in a Blazers uni again.
But I’m super excited that he has a chance at a ring. Can’t wait to cheer him on, whichever team he chooses.
#52
I have my doubts he even steps on the court again,
I had no doubts that he would never be in a Blazer uni again.
See ya laters Joel, good luck.
"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind."
by thankyouforblaze on Feb 1, 2012 5:40 PM PST reply actions
Heat will have Joel, juwan Howard, James jones and Shane battier
Thank goodness I dont hate lebron or I would be very conflicted
62-4 baby
I can understand
that he wants to play for a ring. Like most people here, I hope he does that with Chicago rather than Miami. Le’brat will never be someone I root for regardless of who surrounds him.
Being a recovering double patella patient who was laying on the couch when Joel went down and then reruptured my patella shortly after he did, I have a special bond with Joel since my injuries and recovery have mirrored his.
Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'. -the shawshank redemption.
I know...
I know there is no tangible, legitmate reason I should be upset about Joels decision. It’s business and it’s his life.
But why couldn’t Joel of just lied?
Just “say” it’s a tough decison, just say it’s come down to PORTLAND, Chicago or Miami…even if it’s not true.
I don’t care if he wants to go to Chicago, or Miami…but couldn’t ya at least pretend you gave us a thought? I’d like to at least think not choosing to return was “sorta” a tough decision…
We didn’t even make the final cut.
Good Luck Joel…(and you don’t want to play with LeBron James…think about it…Miami? Really? ….come on? You’re the Anti-Miami…)
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
Pryz doesn't owe the Blazers anything.
He has already secured an honored place in Blazer history. I’m most afraid that he’ll go to Miami, slap LeFool upside the head, and tell him if he chokes in the playoffs again he’ll really clobber him. Then Miami would be unstoppable.
Pryz signs with Bulls.
Bulls trade Pryz to us to get Kurt Thomas back. There you go. Problem solved.
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice they're not.
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