Portland signs JJ Hickson to 1-year contract

[Fez Hammersticks]

He's in another contract year, I expect a near double-double average.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Pleasantly surprised.

 

[Wheels]

wtf this happened??? I totally missed this having fun with the Minny Dipwits

 

[chris_in_pdx]

[video=youtube;cec4tWITR3E]

and

[video=youtube;1bhq-zyZb90]

 

[Mote]

good news... I'd rather have him then a lot of the options that been thrown out lately. Unless management pulls a rabbit out of their hat, my guess is he's the starter at 5. I'd expect them to add at least one more vet Big... maybe Joel. Has anyone heard how JP is doing physically?

STOMP

Meyers is now wearing #11... doubt they see Joel coming back if they're giving away his number.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Meyers is now wearing #11... doubt they see Joel coming back if they're giving away his number.

Joel is #10.

 

[Natebishop3]

Meyers is now wearing #11... doubt they see Joel coming back if they're giving away his number.

Pretty sure Joel was #10.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I loved watching Hickson play last season, and now since we'll be giving other bigs more playing time we won't be forced to play him so much. He's great as an energy boost off the bench.

 

[BrianFromWA]

[video=youtube;cec4tWITR3E]

and

[video=youtube;1bhq-zyZb90]

Fun fact: at the 22 second point you see the ESPN ticker showing Crash going for 24/18/6steals.

 

[tlongII]

I'd like to see us sign Joel and a PG and I'm good to go.

 

[jlprk]

good news... I'd rather have him then a lot of the options that been thrown out lately. Unless management pulls a rabbit out of their hat, my guess is he's the starter at 5. I'd expect them to add at least one more vet Big... maybe Joel. Has anyone heard how JP is doing physically?

Przybilla was effective in his initial 3-4 games, then got with the program and eased off because we were losing in blowouts. I hope they bring him back. If not...

We got Mehmet Okur for Gerald Wallace and cut him fast. Now he'll return to Europe. We could have him for the minimum and we want someone to show Leonard and Freeland the ropes...

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/06/15/reports-okur-may-leave-nba-sign-in-native-turkey/

 

[chris_in_pdx]

Fun fact: at the 22 second point you see the ESPN ticker showing Crash going for 24/18/6steals.

With a real point guard, that was possible for him.

 

[jlprk]

Those tapes show that Hickson sells tickets. He was by far the center of the entertainment. I get the feeling that some people stopped watching games, and have no idea who he is. He's a bargain, is what he is.

He was here the last 19 games, and Aldridge was held out of (oops, I mean was injured and missed) 9 of them. The best I can do is to compare post-All Star stats for all Blazers to Hickson stats in those 19 games. They show that he was our 2nd-best player after Aldridge (you can view these stats per game or per 48 minutes).

http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketbal...trail-blazers/team/playerstats/12/25/18-3-eff

 

[Mote]

Joel is #10.

Yep, my bad! You and Natebishop3 are right. Must a been the partsheimers setting in. heh

 

[Nate Dogg]

Re: Hickson Coming Back

Why don't you just plug SG with

Matthews/Elliott/Barton

And SF

Batum/Claver/Babbit

I would rather have babbitt with nba experience over barton at that SF position.

 

[Nate Dogg]

I'd like to see us sign Joel and a PG and I'm good to go.

Joel looked so lost under the basket last season and couldn't make his shots. He would be a waste of vet min salary of 1.3 million and worthless spot on the bench.

 

[LameR]

Great, great signing! I thought that ship had sailed but I'm stoked. I'd start him at center with the roster as currently constructed. Would he be an all-star there? Heck no, but he'd be a good player to have.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

I wanted us to keep Hickson so bad. Two years ago, he was untouchable in Cleveland. Now, due to their (and Sactown's) incompetence, we've got a good PF (nowhere near in his prime) for cheap.

The glut of big bodies is a good strategy, I'm sure we told Hickson that we'll give him a year and if he comes out on top (behind LMA of course) then there's more money in it for him. He's got a huge advantage over Freeland and Leonard. Also, let's bring back Joel.

Lillard/Smith
Mathews/Williams/Barton
Batum?/Claver/Babbit
LMA/Hickson
Pryz/Leonard/Freeland

That.... is pretty bad. but could be worse.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I wanted us to keep Hickson so bad. Two years ago, he was untouchable in Cleveland. Now, due to their (and Sactown's) incompetence, we've got a good PF (nowhere near in his prime) for cheap.

The glut of big bodies is a good strategy, I'm sure we told Hickson that we'll give him a year and if he comes out on top (behind LMA of course) then there's more money in it for him. He's got a huge advantage over Freeland and Leonard. Also, let's bring back Joel.

Lillard/Smith
Mathews/Williams/Barton
Batum?/Claver/Babbit
LMA/Hickson
Pryz/Leonard/Freeland

That.... is pretty bad. but could be worse.

True, it could be last years roaster

 

[Nikolokolus]

At least if they're going to be bad it will be young and bad ... there's at least the hope and the chance that some of them might get better.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Not that this makes us any better, but if we did lose Nic for draft picks/no players, based on that roster I would prefer to use Wes a lot at the 3 depending on the match ups. Thus giving William/Barton more minutes at the 2. I think a Lillard-Williams-Matthews line up, along with our bigs who can all run, would be much more athletic and fun to watch.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I love that he signed for one year, and totally understand it from the Blazers side, but what the hell is the benefit to Hickson for doing it?

 

[Blazinaway]

I love that he signed for one year, and totally understand it from the Blazers side, but what the hell is the benefit to Hickson for doing it?

Agree, unless that was the best offer he could get?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Agree, unless that was the best offer he could get?

I find that hard to believe, but maybe?

 

[Blazinaway]

I find that hard to believe, but maybe?

me too, buy why else?

 

[HailBlazers]

Because with Portland he's sure to get the opportunity to prove himself further. Also, is it so hard to believe that Portland is actually a hot destination for young players.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Jeff Caplan: Chris Kaman on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM now says he went back & forth last 3 days between Dallas and Portland

Didn't know where to put this. But if this went down probably wouldn't of signed JJ

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Because with Portland he's sure to get the opportunity to prove himself further. Also, is it so hard to believe that Portland is actually a hot destination for young players.

Agree with this. His value had fallen last year and so he wasn't getting the kind of offers he wanted. So he decided to take a year to re-establish his value. And maybe he has a little attachment to Portland since they wanted him last year and gave him some playing time; this all at a time when he might have been getting down on himself.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Jeff Caplan: Chris Kaman on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM now says he went back & forth last 3 days between Dallas and Portland

Didn't know where to put this. But if this went down probably wouldn't of signed JJ

I wonder how long the deal was for?

Dallas was 1 yr = 8 million, so I assume the same

 

[Mediocre Man]

My theory is Portland will claim Darko then match batum