Re: Blazers sign IME!!!!!!!!!! Kind of an interesting idea. I doubt he's the official replacement for Outlaw in some impending trade. But if we had to trade Outlaw you could plug Ime in there for a few minutes and it wouldn't be the end of the world. Hopefully he can at least come in and give Batum and Webster a few pointers on defense.
Re: Blazers sign IME!!!!!!!!!! Ime must think he has a shot to make the team otherwise wouldnt he be in another training camp?
Re: Blazers sign IME!!!!!!!!!! Looks to me like Travis' days could be numbered Well, OK maybe not quite, but if Ime actually makes the cut, this team is going to be so overloaded with wings they could probably give Fire on the Mountain a run for their money -- something will have to give somewhere -- One wonders that with the addition of Juwan Howard, the supposed surge from Dante Cunningham and Pendergraph eventually getting healthy (maybe?) Travis entering a contract year almost seems to beg for a pre-season or mid-season trade. It should be an interesting training camp.
travis gets traded at deadline.... or sooner. thats my prediction. some crappy team with a solid sf will trade for him cause hes a free agent off the books next summer.
I love Ime Udoka. He does a lot of good things and doesn't make mistakes on the court. He would be another good locker room leader. The problem with him is he is a small forward. Probably the last thing we need on this roster. I wish now, we could take his body and stretch it out and add thirty pounds to it.
I've always been an Ime fan. He, along with Juwan Howard, is a great use of our 14th/15th roster spots. They are the kind of guys who play the game the right way, won't bitch about PT or touches, but will be ready to fill in if someone goes down with an injury. They won't put up big stats, but they also won't make costly mistakes. They will teach the youngsters a lot in practice and will keep them focused, but loose on the bench and in the locker room. Ime has always been undersized and under athletic for his position - yet he manages to play good defense by using good positioning and knowing his opponents tendancies - something he can teach Batum and Webster. I believe the contract is non-guaranteed. So, we can always cut him if someone better becomes available. I also like the fact that signing him keeps him from getting picked up by Denver. Denver's bench is pretty weak this year compared to last, and they could definitely use Ime. He also gained valuable post season experience playing for the Spurs. By adding Miller, Howard and Ime, we know have guys who have played with, and against the best in the league. They aren't going to be intimidated or star struck in the play-offs. The examples they set will help our young guys adjust to the intensity and spectacle of the NBA post season. BNM
Udoka Returns To Portland I like it! http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/61773/20090925/udoka_returns_to_portland/ Teach Nic some D. Insurance for Martell. I like it a lot!
Re: Udoka Returns To Portland sweeeet! So this was the secret signing that KP was mentioning the other day.
Re: Udoka Returns To Portland This is the third thread about Ime signing with the Blazers. Will there be 4???
Re: Udoka Returns To Portland Really? Can you link me to the one that says he is officially signed with the team?
Blazers Sign Ime???? A buddy of mine just said he heard on the radio that the Blazers have signed Ime Udoka. Can anyone confirm or deny? Or, is my buddy just stuck in a time warp in 2006. As long as we don't also bring back Jamaal Magloire and Juan Dixon, I'm cool with signing Ime. BNM
Ime making the team would be nice because it would probably make whoever fails more out of the Outlaw/Webster first half of the season battle, expendable.
Ime isn't nearly the threat to Travis's rotation spot on the team as he is to Webster's. He's only 6'5 so he's not taking any PF minutes. Like Martell he isn't much of an option when the shot clock is winding down but he is a solid defender. I think he's got better mental makeup to excel in the limited/scrap SF minutes available behind/with Batum, Roy, and Travis. I really like this signing STOMP
Another "pet" of Nate's that will just take time away from more deserving players like Batum. So by my count that puts Portland with 6 players that can all play SF, not including Aldridge who probably could for spot minutes. I get the whole vet thing, but this has Nate overplaying him written all over it.
If I were Pritchard, what this sets up is a nice, stable small forward situation of Batum as starter and Udoka as the steady, veteran backup. Then I look to trade Webster and Outlaw, perhaps either or both with other players as a package deal. Maybe with Bayless and/or Fernandez for a good young point guard.
Well. it appears an SG is going bye-bye. Bayless would be the obvious odd man out, but maybe it's Steve or Rudy? Hmmmm...
Bayless/Outlaw/1st rounder for Rubio! or Bayless/Outlaw/Blake for Conley/Gasol/Jaric... we need to thin things out for sure, though I'm not sure exactly how to do it as we don't exactly need much at the moment and I don't either of the above trades would get accepted.
It's nice to know that we replaced Ruffin, Randolph and Frye with Pendergraph, Howard, and Udoka. I'd say it's an upgrade regardless of their roles... or lack thereof.
As bad as he was, Frye is the best player there by a significant margin IMO. I was not at all enthused about the Howard signing and Ime is a yawner, too. Fortunately the 14th and 15th spots shouldn't matter much. Ed O.
