ESPN noted that he is a free agent - may be a possible pick up for the blazers? He is 6 10 and still young (after a terrible stint in Phoenix and a slightly improved stay with the magic) and could spell LaMarcus. Link is to draft express profile of him.

ESPN INSIDER

"Portland Trail Blazers

12 players under contract: LaMarcus Aldridge, Luke Babbitt, Earl Barron, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Camby, Raymond Felton, Armon Johnson, Chris Johnson, Wesley Matthews, Brandon Roy, Gerald Wallace and Elliot Williams
Total payroll: $69.95 million
2 free-agent cap holds: Patrick Mills and Greg Oden (using 2010-11 max cap hold)
Total: $14,738,854
3 first-round cap holds: Nolan Smith (No. 21), Victor Claver (2009 draft No. 22) and Joel Freeland (2006 draft No. 30)
Total: $3,078,600
Estimated over the cap: $29.73 million

Notes: Portland's cap can decrease slightly if it waives Barron and Chris Johnson, who have conditional contracts for next season. Regardless, the Blazers will be well above the 2011-12 salary cap when it is announced. They may be content with moves made so far, or simply have no choice."

One of the worst alongside:
Lakers, Celtics, Magic, Mavs, Spurs...

Breaks down individual matchup between LA and horford (noting that LA's key strength and intangibles) with LA being the winner.
"Aldridge is a GM's dream, a rare athletic talent with a handful of go-to moves and a strong desire to get better... As skilled as Horford is, his best fit will always be as a third option who can give his team consistently strong defensive play and much-needed hustle. And that's exactly what he does. With Aldridge embracing the role of franchise player and making good on his vast potential, he leaves Horford behind on the NBA's second tier while he looks to join the elite class of players in the game."

Luke Babbitt, Trail Blazers
Look, I have no idea whether Babbitt can play. Frankly, the early returns aren't encouraging. But his college numbers were really good and, as the Blazers look to retool, it's possible he can be had cheaply. This is very rare for first-round picks in their rookie season, but Babbitt wasn't selected by the current regime, so there's going to be less resistance to moving him if the right deal comes along.

Not sure if this got posted already --- apologies if it has.

it would be interesting to track all of the players the knicks are rumored to pursuing...

From Ric Bucher's ESPN chat...

goyo. keizer, oregon [via mobile]: Can the Blazers trade for Andre igaduala "Iggy" trade away miller and pryzbilla & a first rounder? Or who can Portland get to improve?

Ric Bucher (1:48 PM): Heard they offered Batum and Przybilla for Iguodala and Philly didn't bite. My sense is they'll move Roy before they move Miller.

Troy (Portland): Blazers have to move Roy, but how? What could they get in return?

Ric Bucher (1:49 PM): Don't know what they could get. But I can tell you 7 or 8 teams already have called to find out.

Right after Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings, and Serge Ibaka.

"It doesn't matter that Matthews is already making more money than any other player in his draft class, he still plays as though he's just trying to make someone's summer league roster."

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
What upbeat story deserves more attention?

That the Rose Garden has gone green? Seriously, it's that bleak in Portland. After another mysterious, season-ending microfracture surgery for Greg Oden and a career-altering knee injury to Brandon Roy, there's little left above water. The Blazers even lost beloved Portland great Maurice Lucas, who succumbed to cancer at the season's onset. Hope of an Aldridge-Roy-Oden championship-caliber nucleus has vanished. Now they're in a free fall.

What downbeat story deserves more attention?

The Blazers knew Roy's knees were problematic when they signed him to a max extension in 2009. Roy was rushed back in the 2010 playoffs, eight days after a meniscus tear and subsequent surgery. Now in his other knee Roy has no meniscus left to operate on, basically dooming him to a career of pain and limited mobility. While Roy deserves credit for helping turn the franchise around, his contract likely will strangle Portland if he can't produce.

-- Andrew Tonry, Portland Roundball Society

good little piece on Miller's observations about coming into the League (author compares Miller and Holiday)

brings up the option of bringing roy in as the 6th man.

"Wesley Matthews, Portland (9.69). His defense has been an asset, which is the main reason Portland signed him. But after an impressive preseason, his offense has been dreadful in the games that count. Expected to provide floor spacing, Matthews is just 4-of-25 on 3s and has done nothing else well enough to make up for it."

broussard and bucher debate who will challenge the lakers in the west.

broussard takes the blazers and bucher takes the point that a) OKC has the talent in KD, westbrook, and ibaka and b) that the blazers are a franchise on the down turn (ie., fernandez, penn/pritchard, nate's unwillingness to sign extension, etc).

RB: "This debate is about who has the best chance of pulling off an upset. You keep telling me why OKC can't without making a case for why the Blazers are better suited. Let's face it: The franchise's prospects are dimmer now than two years ago. The way Kevin Pritchard and Tom Penn were sent away is not the way a franchise headed in the right direction operates, regardless of what you think of Pritchard's performance. Nate McMillan even chose not to sign an extension, which speaks volumes. Rudy Fernandez wants out, Brandon Roy and Andre Miller have struggled to mesh, and Roy, at the tender age of 26, is having a hard time staying healthy for a full season. That doesn't sound to me like a team in the least bit ready to knock off the defending champs."

Jazz point guard Deron Williams missed Wednesday morning’s practice because of "gastric distress," team spokesman Jonathan Rinehart said.

not sure if someone posted this already...

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/304202/jeff_medium.JPG