The Portland Trail Blazers have officially announced the signing of Spanish forward Victor Claver, who was selected in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft and spent last season playing for Valencia in Spain's ACB league. Blazers GM Neil Olshey told reporters on Wednesday that the contract is a 3-year deal. Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports on Twitter that the value of the deal is $4 million over the three years.
Here's the press release.
The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward Victor Claver, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
A native of Valencia, Spain, Claver joins the Trail Blazers three years after the team selected him with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft.
"Victor is a player with a high basketball IQ who will come in as a good complement to our roster," said Olshey. "He defends well for his size, has a nice shooting touch, and we look forward to having him on board."
A member of the Spanish national basketball team that will compete in the 2012 London Olympics this summer, Claver (6-10, 235) joins the Trail Blazers from Valencia in the Spanish ACB League, where he averaged 8.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.22 steals and 25.8 minutes in 37 ACB and Eurocup games. In six seasons with Valencia, Claver posted averages of 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.99 steals and 22.2 minutes.
Claver, 23, won the 2010 Eurocup Rising Star Award, an honor given to the most outstanding young player in the competition.He will wear No. 18 with the Trail Blazers.
Here's a nice highlight mix via Kris Koivisto of the Blazers if you're interested (source).
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter