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3rd July, 2009 - 10:04 pm
by Brandon Hoffman
Hedo Turkoglu has agreed in principle to sign with the Trail Blazers, according to sources. The 6-10 small forward committed to a five-year, $50 million deal this afternoon.
Turkoglu's signing is likely a prelude to a trade since the Blazers have a surplus of small forwards. Travis Outlaw, Nicolas Batum, and Martell Webster have manned the position in recent seasons. I like the Turkoglu signing for next season. He'll bring playmaking and outside shooting, which should aid in Greg Oden's development. But there are several drawbacks. Turkoglu plays much smaller than his size. His defense is suspect. And you have to question the wisdom of committing $50 million to a 30-year-old small forward on the downside of his career.
Turkoglu's numbers dipped across the board last season after winning the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2008. He may bounce back, but should he continue to regress, the Blazers will be stuck with an immovable contract.
Stephon Marbury rejected Boston's $1.3 million offer. "Thank you Boston for allowing the world to see me play again after all that went on in N.Y.," Marbury told The Boston Globe.
"The fans treated me with open arms and that's all anyone can ask for." Marbury averaged 3.8 points and 3.3 assists in 18 minutes per game during 23 contests last season with Boston. He played well for brief stretches, but I have a hard time believing he'll receive a better offer elsewhere.
He struggled with his shot, never quite returning to form. Transitioning to the bench certainly didn't help, but a major role with another team is highly unlikely at this stage of his career. It remains to be seen whether his game can catch up after a year-long layoff from professional basketball.
The L.A. Lakers and Houston Rockets swapped free agent forwards yesterday. Ron Artest agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal with the Lakers, while Trevor Ariza committed to a five-year, $33 million contract with the Rockets. Both teams benefited from the swap. Ariza, six years Artest's junior, is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. He can handle the ball, shoot on the perimeter, and possesses the physical tools to develop into an All-NBA defender.
He will accelerate the inevitable rebuilding process brought on by Yao Ming's latest injury. Acquiring Artest was a high-risk, high-reward move for the Lakers. But in this case, the rewards far outweigh the risk. And with Phil Jackson calling the shots, and Kobe Bryant policing the locker room, it just might be crazy enough to work. Artest is eccentric, but he's a fierce competitor who will respond to Jackson's Zen-like coaching style. The defending NBA champions just got stronger.
How Much Is This Year's Free Agent Class Worth?, by Christopher Reina
Brandon Hoffman is a contributing writer for RealGM. To read more from Brandon, check out his blog at BallerBlogger.com. You can also email him at ballerblogger@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter.
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