/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16003717/20130227_hcs_sy4_006.0.jpg)
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to sign unrestricted free agent forward Dorell Wright to a two-year deal.
The Portland Trail Blazers reached agreement on a two-year, $6 million deal with free-agent forward Dorell Wright, his agent, Greg Lawrence, told Yahoo! Sports.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had made Wright a priority in free agency, but ultimately Blazers general manager Neil Olshey secured Wright in the late stages of the courtship.
Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports on Twitter..
Dorell Wright has agreed to sign with Portland for two years and likely $6 million, his agent said
Agent Greg Lawrence on why Wright chose Blazers: "He was really impressed with Coach Stotts and Neil and how they thought he would fit in.''
More Lawrence on Wright's decision to join Blazers: "He's excited about playing with Lillard and he likes the city.''
Chis Haynes of CSNNW.com writes...
"It was a great opportunity to play with a good team that has great players in Damian Lillard, LaMarcus [Aldridge] and Nicolas Batum, Wright said to CSNNW.com. "Their style of play was one of the biggest things that enticed me. They run up and down and shoot threes. It reminds me of my days in Golden State.
"It rains a lot but it's cool with me. I would rather have rain the snow any day. They have some of the best fans in the NBA, so you have to love playing in that type of atmosphere. I just felt this was the best spot for my skill-set and I'm happy to be in Rip City."
Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com writes on Twitter...
Love Dorell Wright at $3M/year. Figured a contender would make a hard run at him as one of top shooters left on market.
Only Portland reserve w/ positive WARP last year was Luke Babbitt (0.5). Wright rated as worth 7 WARP.
Michael Levin of Liberty Ballers writes...
Dorell is primarily an outside shooter, but he won't kill you in other areas. He actually ran some point this year when Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday were out. He's not a liability on the boards or on defense. He's got pump fakes for days and he's not particularly fast, but for a role player, Wright's the guy you want. Doug Collins, however, decided he was too efficient and benched him for many stretches at a time in favor Damien Wilkins or his ego. I forget which.
John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com offers this player evaluation.
It was a tough year for Wright. When he was with the Warriors back in the 2010-11 season, he led the NBA in three-pointers made and attempted. And in two years with Golden State, he started all 143 games in which he appeared. He wasn't nearly as successful or valued with the Sixers.
...
"I call it the NBA. It's a roller coaster," Wright said in mid-March. "Sometimes there are going to be highs and sometimes there's going to be lows. The thing about it is you beat the lows and try to have as many highs as possible. I understand it. I've been through a lot with ups and downs as far as playing time and my efficiency and things like that. So I just have to go out there and continue to play hard and whatever happens, happens."
...
As with others who have played for head coach Doug Collins, Wright periodically fell out of favor and ended up buried on the bench for long stretches of games. During one span from late-January to late-February, Wright played 16 or fewer minutes in 10 of 16 games. And in six of those outings, Wright played single-digit minutes or not at all.
The Blazers were linked to interest in Wright earlier this week.
Wright, 27, averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game off the bench for the Philadelphia 76ers last season.
A first-round pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, Wright has spent his nine-year career with the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Sixers. He led the NBA in three-pointers made and attempted in 2010-11 with the Warriors and is a career 36.7 percent three-point shooter.
Wright signed a three-year, $11 million contract with the Warriors in 2010.
PS Thanks to Comments in the FanShots.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter