http://www.eurobasket2009.org/en/coid_BWZgUSyoGEk,V8Mwzu47u2.articleMode_on.html (sorry about the typo in the title, didnt proof read. doh!)
He is still a few years out at best. It is nice to see him finally have some positive play though, we will probably never see him here.
I don't understand your post. Did KP fail by drafting him or by not bringing him over yet? With you it could be for both. I never know. It seens to me he is playing it perfect. The kid needs playing time. Europe provides that.
Actually it doesn't matter. We will see if KP releases both him and Freeland to get cap space. If he releases them and one of the two goes on to become a good NBA player then he has fucked up. Why wait this long if your not willing to wait as long as it takes? If KP releases them and they don't turn out to be jack squat, then he has made the right move. If KP releases them and they go on to become excellent Laker players, that, is what I call an epic failure.
Somewhere I read (here, in fact - a MINE of info on Euro players, especially Blazers) that Koponen's Italian team may waive him to save money (lots of Italian teams in deep shit financially). If that happens, I can't see what would stop us bringing him over. We have a roster spot, and now we've given up on Bayless as PG, let's bring over the PG that allows him to be a SG!
He had 26 points the next game. They lost the next though, but he still led the team with 15, I think, in the loss.
At this point, why would he release them for cap space when if he waits until fall they're not counted against the cap anyway? My guess is that the team goes to fall camp pretty much as is and that an additional FA or lopsided trade could happen in the fall. Either way, KP's been pretty consistent in saying he's not releasing either Peterri or Freeland.
I don't understand why you'd release them. They're still young and considered among the best dozen international players whose rights are currently owned. Even look at how some guys are coming over years after they are drafted (Scola) and making splashes in the NBA. Who's not to say Freeland can't be capable of that. Or Koponen...who even if he isn't a starter, could be a decent backup. Too early to tell. Let them hang in Europe for another year or two and then see what they have. I don't think freeing them up will give us cap space to go after anyone significant (helpful in the rotation) anyways.
According to Hoopsworld (via Hoopshype) KP has inquired about Freeland and Koponen. Joel signed a multi-year deal Friday to stay in Europe. Petteri wants to come over a.s.a.p., so who knows...
[video=youtube;jgTyVkpJY3g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgTyVkpJY3g"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgTyVkpJY3g[/video]
Because you can release them and get the salary cap space now, and then pull a lop sided trade, now, rather than waiting for the fall.
Yeah, I understand that. But at this point, the Blazers are most likely just looking for a banger backup PF. I don't see them being willing to lose the rights to Koponen or Freeland simply to sign a backup PF before camp.
You can renounce him after you've reached an agreement to trade him. You don't need to renounce him to talk to other GM's about the possibility of making a lopsided trade. Who knows, the team you're talking to might prefer to get PK as opposed to nothing, especially if they're over the cap. His caphold doesn't hurt a team that is over the cap.
