Isn't Ekpe Udoh a free agent? The Heat are after him. If he could ever stay healthy he'd be a great addition (as I have said ad nauseum). He's also big buds with Dorell Wright, I think
I think the reason dame was pissed was because mo wanted to come back but portland didn't want him back. I think that had something to do with dame being upset. Dorell seems to be tight with everybody as well.
If Mo wanted to come back he would have signed his players option. Loved Mo but I'm like good riddance at the same time. This team needs defense and team players. Awesome sounding camp though, would be a riot to watch.
If he signed his player option we could have traded him to philly for a 3082 second round pick. I'm sure he was aware of this. I don't know if that would be considered tampering, but I guarantee it happens.
Glad to see this! These camps are great. Wish they'd been around when I was growing up. Bunch of really good guys one and all
I have no idea if Portland wanted Mo back or not. Obviously it was not a priority for them or they would have been more aggressive. But once a player starts looking around for the best deal possible (And I don't fault them for trying) they risk staying with their previous team. Those two weeks after FA starts..... is a frenzy. It would have been a disaster to come away with no veteran PG. I don't think Blake is bad nor do I think he is great. But for only having the Vet minimum, I will take the "bird in the hand". Mo really seemed like he wanted to go to Dallas. He gambled and lost IMO.
I think this is what happened. Ptd may have been interested but Mo thought he could get a bigger contract and sounded like he was counting on Dallas. Ptd couldn't mess around and signed Blake (although I thought it was for the BLE not the vet minimum) By the time Mo realized he wasn't going to get his multi-year big contract, Ptd had moved on. My only thinking is once Minny offered what they did, Ptd could have jumped in and signed Mo for more. given the year the Blazers had, that Mo was a big part of it and the number of assists he averaged off the bench, why not lock him up for insurance purposes (even if to play behind Blake). But Blazer brass know more than I so for me it is a "Thank you Mo for what you gave us last year, wish you well in your NBA career"
