Blazers "caught a break" with Turk

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
Boise Blazer

Boise Blazer

Thread Lightly
Joined
Dec 12, 2008
Messages
7,265
Likes
2,592
Points
113
http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archi...itchard_blazers_caught_a_break_with_turkoglu/

Interesting to hear what Magic GM Otis Smith had to say:

After Hedo Turkoglu backed out of a verbal agreement with Portland in order to sign with the Raptors, many felt the Blazers let a top player slip away.

But Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith didn't agree.

In a conversation with Blazers' general manager Kevin Pritchard, Smith told Pritchard that he had "caught a break" with Turkoglu signing elsewhere and made it clear the Blazers "weren't missing out on anything," sources tell RealGM's Alex Kennedy.

Smith didn't feel that Turkoglu was worth the five-year, $50 million Portland was ready to spend.

Turkoglu spent five seasons in Orlando before signing with Toronto.
Click to expand...
 
I wonder if "sources" is Smith or Pritchard?

barfo
 
Just confirming what I already strongly suspected.

We obviously pulled one of these:




[video=youtube;3QMQOLgsIhw]"]
 
Sources tell me he's full of it.

The 6-foot-10 forward from Turkey will likely command a multiyear deal worth around $10 million per year.

The Magic had said they wanted Turkoglu to return.

Smith admitted Thursday that re-signing Turkoglu will now be considerably more difficult with them hampered by Carter’s contract. A Magic spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment Friday.

Still, bringing in an eight-time All-Star like Carter was an opportunity Orlando couldn’t pass up.

“Vince gives us a veteran, go-to scoring presence, especially at the end of games,” Smith said Thursday. “Our goal remains the same—to win a championship. Any time you can add an All-Star to help you reach your goals, you have to do it.”
Click to expand...

Hedo opts out

Hedo got what the amount he was expected to get. I can't imagine that conversation to taking place between two GMs either.
 
Says the guy who gave Rashard Lewis a max contract
 
It's like that time Jelly Rolls, the slightly overweight whore I used to have on the side back in the 1990's, took my last two ounces of smack and dumped me for a Puerto Rican pastry chef with syphilis.

Sure I said some bad things about her to her pimp, and that was probably uncalled for on my part. But what I said was also true.

There's a lot of pettiness in the jilted. But there's also a lot of honesty.
 
Do the Magic even count as "jilted?" It sounded like Turkoglu wanted to return to Orlando, but Orlando didn't want to pay him what he wanted. Then they went and got Vince Carter and withdrew even their lower offer to Turk. I'd say it's more that the Magic politely kicked him to the curb.

I doubt Smith actually called Pritchard to say that Turkoglu wasn't worth it...but his actions clearly show that that's how he felt.

The Blazers were definitely jilted...but why they were even courting Turkoglu, above other available players, I'll never understand.
 
I would have loved Turk for a 3 years deal. 5 years? Lucky we are not cosmopolitan enough.
 
Holy shit, 1080 just used this story in their 20/20 sports report. WTF? This isn't even a confirmed story, is it? What are they doing? Wow!
 
Minstrel said:
I doubt Smith actually called Pritchard to say that Turkoglu wasn't worth it...
Click to expand...

Yeah, it doesn't sound right to me. I have big doubts this story is true. Oh well, doesn't really matter anyway.
 
Shapecity said:
I can't imagine that conversation to taking place between two GMs either.
Click to expand...
Really? I think it's entirely plausible. NBA general managers talk to each other all the time; it's like a country club, or a frat house (choose your own analogy). I'd be willing to bet they talk about all kinds of things that might surprise you.
 
Alex Kennedy strikes again!

alexkennedy.png




(I'll use any excuse to post that picture)
 
Last edited:
The Professional Fan said:
Holy shit, 1080 just used this story in their 20/20 sports report. WTF? This isn't even a confirmed story, is it? What are they doing? Wow!
Click to expand...
Is this true? Up 'till now I've viewed "Alex Kennedy reports" humourously, finding comedy from a teenaged former mod on this site who makes up sources and takes himself too seriously. If mainstream outlets are actually taking it seriously though, it turns from funny to sad.
 
The first thing that jumped to mind when I read this was KP warming up the spin machine, but who knows, perhaps Smith really did feel this way about Hedo and perhaps he really did make a point of bringing this up in conversation ... my real question is why is a private conversation that supposedly took place between two top level executives get spilled into the media? Somebody (Smith or KP) sure seems to be trying to put a happier face on this situation. :dunno:

Either way, I'm still pretty happy with how things shook out for the Blazers in the end.
 
Shooter said:
Really? I think it's entirely plausible. NBA general managers talk to each other all the time; it's like a country club, or a frat house (choose your own analogy). I'd be willing to bet they talk about all kinds of things that might surprise you.
Click to expand...
I'm sure that they have all sorts of talks too, we just aren't privy to those conversations. How exactly are we supposed to be getting an in on this one and why should we believe it's a strait scoop/factual? To me the fact that both GMs have a bit of Hedo egg on their faces makes this supposed leak seem like it could be damage control/PR rather then the real deal. It suits both of their purposes of saving face a little too neatly which is what I think others are saying.

STOMP
 
STOMP said:
To me the fact that both GMs have a bit of Hedo egg on their faces makes this supposed leak seem like it could be damage control/PR rather then the real deal.
Click to expand...

How does Smith have "Hedo egg" on his face? He rejected Turkoglu, not the other way around. He acquired Carter before Turkoglu even talked to anyone else, because he didn't think Turk was worth what he wanted.
 
Minstrel said:
How does Smith have "Hedo egg" on his face? He rejected Turkoglu, not the other way around. He acquired Carter before Turkoglu even talked to anyone else, because he didn't think Turk was worth what he wanted.
Click to expand...
Because, until Orlando makes it back to the Finals sans Hedo, people will [justifiably] say they should have held onto him for another run.
 
handiman said:
Because, until Orlando makes it back to the Finals sans Hedo, people will [justifiably] say they should have held onto him for another run.
Click to expand...
exactly. This serves his purposes as an announcement that the decision to part ways was Smith's not HT's. Some Magic fans are (and will be) questioning the move next season and spinning it the other way, so this helps to buttress his side of the story... if this is a PR leak, he's being proactive countering this noise

My own opinion was that considering his age and the state of league finances, 5 years at 10M or so was too much $$$ for Turkoglu. Bully for him that he got it, but I was never on board with the Blazers courting him at those rates

STOMP
 
Well, regardless of who jilted whom, in the end Orlando, Portland, and Hedo all got what was best for them.

And Toronto? Well, fuck them. They decided to play Turkish Roulette, and they won. They'll soon figure out that Turkish Roulette is a lot like the Russian Roulette that Utah played with Kirelenko a few years ago.

Glad they took that bullet and not us.
 
handiman said:
Because, until Orlando makes it back to the Finals sans Hedo, people will [justifiably] say they should have held onto him for another run.
Click to expand...

Not justifiably, IMO, but I suppose you're right that that will happen. A lot of fans are knee-jerk reactionaries and don't worry much about analysis...if a healthy Celtics team beats Orlando, there are a lot of people who won't worry about other factors (like Garnett being healthy) and blame it on "not keeping Turkoglu."

But even then, it will count as (unjustified) egg on his face THEN. There's no egg on his face now.
 
I'm not saying I buy the reasoning, either, but they made it with Turkoglu and if they don't make it back without him, one cannot be faulted for arguing the point that he is a big part of the reason. (Sure, you could extend that out to guys barely in the rotation for defending champs, but that would be a bit silly.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top