Blazers Get 'Talent,' 'Character'

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It didn't take long for LaMarcus Aldridge to figure out what the Trail Blazers valued when it came time to drafting players Wednesday.

As the second pick of the draft watched the team's whirlwind draft day unfold, which included heralded guard Brandon Roy being acquired in a swap of the sixth and seventh picks, Aldridge said there was a sense of pride in wearing his new red cap with the Blazers logo.

"Out of all of this, I'm noticing the coaches and the organization working toward getting players who believe in working hard. Because that's where it is all going to start. At the end of the day, if the players work hard, we are going to be great."

It was an astute observation from the 20-year-old forward from Texas, who was acquired for his hardworking character as much as for his untapped potential as a 6-foot-11 post player.

Team President Steve Patterson said the Blazers on Wednesday had an eye on character as much as talent.

So in the third year of owner Paul Allen's declaration of "a new era" of Trail Blazers basketball -- in which, he said, character would be valued as much as talent -- the Blazers on Wednesday had perhaps their greatest success.

The Blazers had not only rated Aldridge and Roy as two of the top four players on the court, but they also considered them at the top of the character charts for their work ethic, demeanor and passion for the game.

"I think with their core guys, they are trying to clear up their image and try to get some hardworking guys in there that Coach (Nate) McMillan can kick in the rear and they will respond," Roy said. "We are all going to be so young that we are going to have to do what (McMillan) says. I see something really positive here."

Said Patterson: "I think we continued on the path of acquiring young talent with character. We got everything we were looking for."

But although the two latest high-profile picks fall in line with recent high-character draft picks Martell Webster and Jarrett Jack, and the free agent signings of "good guys" Steve Blake, Juan Dixon and Joel Przybilla, there still are lingering character issues with two of the team's highest-paid players: Darius Miles and Zach Randolph.

And, there are still no guarantees that a young team based on character is going to immediately translate into success.

"The direction has been chosen, so we are going to go with it," McMillan said. "Of course you would like to do other things, but we got two young guys who are great guys in the sense of talent and character. But we are still talking about being a couple of years away."

That means a couple of years from being competitive, and more than likely a couple of more years of losing more than winning. McMillan said the Blazers had opportunities to trade for more veterans Wednesday, but he said none of the opportunities made sense for the team.

So for now, at least, the Blazers hope that a foundation of Jack, Webster, Blake, Dixon, Aldridge and Roy -- young, talented players with strong character -- will be enough to carry them through what is certain to be ensuing growing pains. </div>

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The Blazers made great moves to rebuild their team and image. They also ended up with two International prospects, Sergrio Rodriguez and Joel Freeland.