With the NFL pre-season in full swing, NBA training camps will be kicking-off in a matter of weeks. After ending the season by losing seven consecutive games, Portland found itself in the lottery along with Northwest Division rival Minnesota.

Both teams look to compete for playoff spots in the Western Conference heading into the upcoming season. Here is a breakdown of how the teams match-up head-to-head in 2012-13.

Backcourt: Damian Lillard and Wes Matthews v. Ricky Rubio and Luke Ridnour

If this Trail Blazers squad makes the playoffs next year, Lillard is going to be handed a lot of the credit.

A point guard matchup with Lillard and Rubio is intriguing for those that like uptempo basketball.

Rubio is recovering from a torn ACL suffered at the end of last season and the level of aggressiveness that he will possess is a mystery to Minnesota fans. Although second-year guard Malcolm Lee is slated as the starting shooting guard, Rubio and Ridnour played crucial minutes together in the fourth quarter before Rubio’s injury.

Portland shooting guard Wesley Matthews is better than Ridnour or Lee, but he was inconsistent with former coach Nate McMillan at the helm. If he can gain confidence under the eye of Stotts, the Blazers are distinctly better at this position.

Advantage: Portland

Frontcourt: LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum v. Kevin Love and Chase Budinger

While Portland’s franchise power forward is in the process of trying to bounce back from yet another surgery (hip), Minnesota’s Kevin Love spent the summer studying championship pedigrees abroad in Europe on the way to earning a gold medal in the London Olymoics.

Love enters the season as one of the best power forwards in the game, and is head and shoulders above Aldridge. In addition to attempting flee Portlandia for Minnesota, Batum spent July doing some studying of his own, specifically anatomy, as he became involved in groin-gate in his country’s defeat in the hands of Spain.

The Timberwolves upgraded at small forward by acquiring Houston’s Budinger who is currently better than both Derrick Williams and Martell Webster. Despite the upgrade, it was seen as a consolation prize to Batum.

The difference in the skill levels between Batum and Budinger does not cancel that of Aldridge and Love.

Advantage: Minnesota

Kevin Love gives the Timberwolves a pretty big advantage.

Center: Meyers Leonard v. Andrei Kirilenko

While second-year center Nikola Pekovic is pegged as the starter at the Target Center, do not be surprised if Minnesota coach Rick Adelman puts former Utah Jazz star Andrei Kirilenko at center.

Although he is a bit undersized at 6’9,” a rejuvenated Kirilenko will play bigger than his height and will provide Minnesota a scoring option at the position that they did not have last year.

Even though scouts are high on his defensive presence, Meyers Leonard will have his hands full with trying to stop the former all-star.

Advantage: Minnesota

Bench: J.J. Hickson, Luke Babbitt, Ronnie Price, and Jared Jeffries v. Brandon Roy, J.J. Barea, Derrick Williams, Greg Stiemsma

One could make the argument that if Hickson plays the way that he did after Portland acquired him off waivers from Sacramento, he is the best bench option of the eight options listed. Other than that, Portland is hipster-thin at this spot if one of two new acquisitions Jeffries and Price succumbs to injury.  

This is a stark contrast to Minnesota as they possess the deepest bench of all NBA teams not to make the playoffs. Roy and Barea are fantastic options late in basketball games if Adelman is searching for baskets.

Meanwhile, 2011 lottery pick Derrick Williams and former Boston Celtics forward Stiemsma bring raw energy and a willingness to play defense.

Advantage: Minnesota

Coach and General Manager: Terry Stotts and Neil Olshey v. Rick Adelman and David Kahn

Given the four names in this list, Adelman has the most accomplished resume and is one of the best coaches in the NBA.

In just one season, the former Portland coach has infused confidence in a franchise that has not been this high since the days of Kevin Garnett.

Neil Olshey defended his roster like Davy Crockett and the Alamo, as Kahn tried to pluck Batum by signing him to an offer sheet that surprised viewed as too expensive given Batum’s production.

These two cancel each other out.

Advantage: Minnesota

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After months of waiting to hear who will finally replace ousted head coach Nate McMillan, Blazers fans are waking up Wednesday morning to hear that Kaleb Canales is not the official head coach of Rip City, but rather Dallas Mavericks’ assistant Terry Stotts.

Here are some thoughts on the Portland Trail Blazers new hire:

1). A Trade Proposal

McMillan for Stotts.

That’s what this coaching change appears to be at the chagrin of many. For all of the Blazers fans that were calling for McMillan’s job title to be stripped last season, very few, if any, ever thought that Blazers would go in this direction.

Initially, this move looks like a step down in the big picture. McMillan is part of the U.S. Olympic coaching staff and has held head coaching gigs with two franchises for at least five seasons.

Should these accomplishments have kept McMillan employed with the Blazers?

Not necessarily. That said, I do not think that was the move that anyone had envisioned in March, and McMillan’s most significant detractors in Portland could soon find themselves pining for the days of Sarge.

2). Terry…Who?

In a city such as Los Angeles or New York, this hiring would get blasted based on the fact that nobody could pick him or his name out of a line-up.

That said, Blazers fans had their expectations tempered when The Oregonian reported that  general manager Neil Olshey had all but essentially narrowed his coaching search list down to interim coach to Stotts and Kaleb Canales.

With potential candidates such as Brian Shaw, Mike D’Antoni, and the Van Gundys off the table,  Blazers fans were going to get this result one way or the other and therefore lowered expectations as a result.

3). Don’t Look for 45 Wins

Rebuilding is the word that franchise refuse to use when selling season tickets, because of the negative connotation that it carries. Stotts’ name thus far in his career screams rebuilding because of what he hasn’t accomplished.

Terry…Who?

Stotts record is 115-168  in his prior two stints as head coach with the Milwaukee Bucks (2005-07) and Atlanta Hawks (2002-04). His teams recorded only one playoff appearance, in 2006 with Milwaukee when he went 40-42, during his tenures.

While Stotts was the “offensive coordinator” for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2011 NBA Championship run, I question how much better he will progress as a head coach.

The best hope is that he will be like Alvin Gentry.

4). You Say Stotts, I Say Alvin Gentry

What Blazers fans can optimistically expect for Stotts is for his trajectory to resemble the Phoenix Suns head coach. In Gentry’s first stop as coach of Detroit (1997-2000), he went 73-72.

His stock rose and then the Clippers snatched him up. In Clipperland, he then went on to a post a record of 89-133 through 2003 before getting canned.

Gentry languished as an assistant before getting another chance with the Suns in 2008, where he has gone 145-116 without threatening for a championship.

5). LaMarcus Aldridge and Dirk Nowitzki

The two players are more similar than Blazers might like to believe. Both men are near seven-footers that are the faces of their franchises, relied upon for the offensive talents, and do not have a high propensity to rebound for a full 48-minute game.

That said, Nowitzki and Aldridge are gifted with their ability to score from 18-feet on the offensive end and I believe that Stotts can make Aldridge a better player as a result of his time spent with the Mavericks’ star.

What Nowitzki has that Aldridge lacks is the willingness to take shots in the fourth quarter. Hopefully Stotts can change the mindset of the Blazers star in this regard.

If the new coach has the ability to communicate with his new star, then Rip City could find itself at the beginning of a revival.

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Portland has had a long-standing reputation of having some of the loudest fans in the NBA. For almost 35 years, the Portland Trail Blazers were the only professional sports franchise in town, and the Memorial Coliseum and the Rose Garden Arena were and still are perfect outlets to release the passion of local sports fans.

Even though the team has not witnessed prominent success since 2000, the Rose Garden Arena still remains one of the best places to watch an NBA game, even before the game starts.

Mark Mason

“And you’re the 6th man, and the Rose Garden is OUR HOUSE! So everybody onnnnn your feet, and lets make it loud, ‘Cause here comes YOUR HOME TEAM!!!!”  [Scoreboard graphics light up] “Fans…Are you reaaady….For your Portlaaaaaaaannd Traiiiiil Blazers!” – Mark Mason

Starting in the 1996-97 season, Mason is one of the bedrocks of the Rose Garden experience. In arenas throughout professional sports, teams are looking for ways to enhance the “in-game” experience.

Some arenas such as the Palace at Auburn Hills feature public address announcers that sound more like MC’s than traditional announcers as they beat box their way through starting line-ups, the announcement of referee calls, and upcoming events.

The RG Deserves an A for Fan Experience An atmosphere like no other. Photo credit: Oregonlive.com

The flow feels like rock road. On the other hand, Mason’s voice is as smooth as caramel.

His uniqueness can be found in the international flavor within Portland’s line-ups as he introduces each player in their native language.

Whether it was former Lithuanian center Arvydas Sabonis or French forward Nicolas Batum, the rhythm and clarity is unmatched anywhere in the NBA.

Taco Bell Chalupas at 100 Points

Me gusta comer. Blazers fans do as well.

Getting to the century mark seemed to be a rarity at times under former coach Nate McMillan, but when his Trail Blazers did, the crowd erupted.

If the Blazers hire a run-and-gun coach, all Blazers fans will be eating well, as Taco Bell awards every fan with a coupon for a free chalupa when the Blazers score 100, regardless of the outcome of the game.

It provides incentives for fans to attend theoretical blowouts such as Golden State, Charlotte, and Toronto. The chants of ‘cha-lu-pa’ start around the 96-point mark and do not stop until the milestone is reached.

If you think starting lineups are loud at the Rose Garden, wait around for the end of the game.

Environmentally Friendly Vibe

The arena shares many of the same environmental values that its city does.

It starts with providing fans the ability to help the environment rebound from the meal madness on Blazers nights. Recycling and composting depositories that line all three concourses of the arena provide fans opportunities for fans to dispose of beer and frozen yogurt cups alike.

Whether or not the Blazers win, the environment is guaranteed one at the arena.

Passionate Fans

Another reason to love the arena is that fans pack the arena from tip-off to the very end in a Blazers victory.

Blazer fans are some of the best in the business.

While many would agree that Portland is the antithesis of the Los Angeles’ and Miamis of the world for fashion, it is also that way for being fashionably late. Fans come to game on time and are not afraid to exhibit passion through voice, face paint, and signs from the tip.

Quirky characters such as “Free-Throw Guy”, a season ticket-holder that sits roughly five rows behind a basket, try to distract shooters.

“Dancing Lady,” a long-time season ticket-holder, usually dresses in traditional African apparel and receives cheers at every game. Mascot “Blaze the Trail Cat” is the foam-faced house pet that just will not leave the venue.

All of them are family members that you rejoice in seeing at every game. They make the Rose Garden Arena a destination throughout the winter and spring, easily worth the price of admission.

The Stats

There are enough numbers in the Rose Garden Arena to make a mathmetician blow his mind.

The arena is perfect for stat geeks as almost every basic statistical category is covered on unique stat boards throughout the arena.

Whether or not you are watching the actual game, if you look all across the arena an educated guess can be made as to who is leading and for what reason. Fans are generally more educated during the game as a result, making for interesting conversations throughout the arena.

As a result, the overall experience is enhanced.

Video

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The Portland Trail Blazers are like that extended family member that is always there for you, and no matter what they do in their own lives at the end of the day, you are proud of them for the willingness to be a part of your life.

The franchise reflects the life of an average person

A life filled with moments of greatness, sorrow, broken promises, and unfulfilled potential.

The team is a reflection of many of the lives that invest so much into it. The Blazers are loved because they also exhibit the best emotions in our lives.

Triumph over despair, boldness in the face of adversity, and a place to invest passion and love.

The franchise reflects the life of an average person

The family name is Rip City and the Trail Blazers are the patriarch that all fans support.

We have seen the evolution of this man, from a young baby in 1970, to a wild child in 1977.

With love and support, the member grew into a model citizen

From 1982-2003, the team made 21 consecutive playoff appearances and the family showed support.

Some years were more beneficial than others, 1990 and 1992 provided trips to the NBA Finals, the ultimate accomplishment for a franchise.

From 1977 through 1995, the team sold out 814 consecutive home games, the longest such streak in American major professional sports.

The Blazers made the city proud and the family thanked them in return.

Similar to life, our biggest falls usually are preceded by our biggest disappoints. The Blazers inability to close out the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2000 Western Conference Finals despite holding a 15-point fourth quarter lead in game seven forever changed the franchise and shook it to its core.

LaMarcus Aldridge is the promise of a bright future

Many of us cried, and our once stable family member promised that he would bounce back.

Jail Blazers

In the darkest days, the family member found itself in jail despite appearing to be fairly stable on the exterior. Deep down we knew it was not the case, as the team succumbed to drugs during the Jail Blazers era.

Words were said out of anger (Bonzi Wells and autographs), and we drifted away. That said, the Blazers family never stopped loving the member, even as the family refused to give money to support its awful lifestyle.

The team persevered through the crisis and was rewarded with the promise of a bright future in Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Similar to of the some tribulations in our lives, the initial recovery after the fall is not always the one that sustains. Two-thirds of the promise left the family broken and in shambles, but it has not killed the family.

Similar to what we have done since the family member was born in 1970, we will always be there to pick him up.

For the family member has always given us hope, regardless of who is in his life.

Many friends have come and gone throughout the Blazers’ life

PDX was lucky to have had Clyde Drexler.

The hard working ones such as Brian Grant, Buck Williams, Jerome Kersey and Maurice Lucas have been some of the family’s favorites.

Others such as Kiki Vandeghwe, Clyde Drexler, Brandon Roy, and Bill Walton are the type of friends that we knew the team was lucky to have and treated them as such.

We loved our jokers and storytellers

Kevin Duckworth and Mike Rice fit that bill.

There were some bad apples in the mix: Bonzi Wells, Ruben Patterson, Zach Randolph, and Qyntel Woods were some of the worst influences, but yet the family member moved on.

The scars have made him what he is today.

As the family grows, we will continue to tell stories about their crazy Portland Trail Blazers family member.

Through the voice of storytellers Brian Wheeler and Bill Schonely, we will relive some of the finest days, and will continue to hope that your best ones are ahead, and will not  end with the 1977 NBA Championship.

No matter who is advising the Trail Blazers and who acts as the parent, not a single person is bigger than the family and nothing will outlast the support of its city or its family.

Call it an average life if you would like, but the Portland Trail Blazers are no average family member.

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With a fan-base that does not travel, an athletic program with limited resources, and a BCS powerhouse within the state, Mike Riley does what he has always done with the OSU Beavers:

Win with less.

Winning starts with getting players

From the snap, Corvallis is one of the toughest cities in the conference to sell an 18 year-old. Despite an overall record of 72-63, Riley doesn’t have access to the type of players that two of his regional counterparts at Washington and Oregon, because of the town itself.

Imagine trying to convince a teenager that he could have more fun than in Corvallis than in Seattle or Eugene, while also having to play at Reser Stadium. 

With a capacity of 45,674 fans, the venue is smaller than its counterparts, something that does not help with recruiting. Location and stadium size are just two of the contributing factors of Riley’s inability to land even a single player in ESPN’s 2012 Top 150 recruiting class.

Where’s the Tradition?

Riley has little tradition at Oregon State to reference to when giving his recruiting pitches. In his first season he had one historical streak of futility that had to be broken in order to gain success.

Mike Riley has found a way to win despite being confined in Corvallis.

From 1972-1996, the Beavers failed to win more than FOUR games in a season. Upon his first arrival in 1997-98, Riley went 8-14 in a pair of seasons, and went 5-6 in just his second season as head coach in 1998, before leaving to coach the San Diego Chargers in 1999.

The significance of a five-win season cannot be lost in the defense of Riley because of the inability to get one in Corvallis during a quarter-century before his arrival.

Undoubtedly, Dennis Erickson took Riley’s recruits to new heights with a Fiesta Bowl victory in 2000, but it was Riley that laid the foundation to accelerate Erickson’s ascent up the Bowl Championship Series ranks.

After Erickson’s departure, Riley has continued to transform the Beavers into a post-season threat. When it matters most, the 2008 Pac-10 Coach of the Year has proven his mettle.

Riley has a bowl record of 5-1 as a head coach and a combined record of 8-1 as an assistant or head coach.

His only blemish came in 2009 against BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.

‘What do you call Oregon without Phil Knight?’

‘Oregon State.’

A typical rivalry joke, yes. In the case of the Civil War, Beaver Nation does have a point.  (In defense of Knight, he has given numerous amounts to Oregon State, even contributing funds to help keep baseball coach Pat Casey in Corvallis.)

Riley succeeds while competing against the trendy, flashy, and undeniably action-packed Oregon Ducks. Given their recent success, Oregon coach Chip Kelly has gained the upper hand with in-state recruiting, making Riley’s job exponentially more difficult.

Riley has little tradition at Oregon State to reference

Despite all of this Riley has only had three losing seasons from 2003-11, with two of the coming recently.

Given his career, one would expect Riley to dam up the losing and continue his winning ways in 2012.

Football Future

Lastly, the purpose of college is to help prepare young adults to get better jobs. Mike Riley does this on the football field.

There are over 25 former Beavers that are playing in the NFL, with some of them at the league’s most important position. For a quarterback with his sights set on the NFL, there is no better coach to play for than Riley.

Oregon State consistently employs an offense that is NFL-friendly, evidenced by the trio of quarterbacks currently on NFL rosters:

Derek Anderson (Carolina), Matt Moore (Miami), and Sean Canfield (New Orleans). Riley simply makes the most of the players that come into the program and churns out success stories.

Riley does not need ESPN Top 150′s or five-star recruits to win ball games, he needs heart and guys with an ability to learn (i.e. Biletnikoff winner and former walk-on Mike Hass).

Imagine where the Beavers would be if the school had resources. In order to do so, all you have to do is look at Eugene.

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Age: 25
DOB: 10/14/86
POB: San Antonio, Tex.
Height: 6-5 Weight: 220 lbs
Experience: Three Years

Wesley Matthews (Jr.) (Portland Trail Blazers) has $34 million reasons to be thankful for the worst day of his professional life, though if you would have told him that three years ago, the former Marquette University standout would likely not have believed it.

Given Matthews‘ successes as a high school kid at Memorial High in Madison, Wis. and collegiate at Marquette, very few would have bet against his successes now, even fewer would have bet on momentary uncertainties of making the NBA.

Parental Units

Born October 14, 1986, Wesley Matthews Jr. was given birth to a pair of athletes in their own right.

Pam Moore was a two-sport athlete and track standout at the University of Wisconsin and in a member of the Badgers’ 2006 Hall of Fame class.

His father, Wesley Matthews, St. played basketball at Wisconsin and spent nine years playing in the NBA and was featured with six different teams.

Like countless others, Matthews played with more pressure given his lineage, but managed to carve a name for himself in high school.

Wesley Matthews and his antics are part of Trail Blazer future.

In 2004, Matthews was named second team all-state by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as a junior, averaging 15.8 points and helping Memorial reach the state championship game.

In his senior season at Memorial, the younger Matthews was named Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after averaging 22.5 points in leading his team to a 24-2 record. Memorial avenged their loss of the season before and captured the state championship.

College

Instead of following in the footsteps of his parents, Matthews ventured to Milwaukee to join the Golden Eagles.

In his freshman season, he appeared in 23 games with 13 starts, before suffering a stress fracture in his foot. With an all-around game predicated on effort on the defensive end and aggression at the offensive one, Matthews assaulted the school’s record book.

He started 117 of 127 games, and finished as Marquette’s all-time leader in free throws made (549). Furthermore, he ranked eighth all-time in scoring (1,673) and third in games played (127) when his career concluded.

He also was the 22nd player in Marquette history to combine for over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.

After a 2008-09 senior season that featured Matthews averaging 18.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game on 47.5 percent shooting from the field and second-team All-Big East honors, the Golden Eagles and Matthews were confident about his NBA prospects. League executives were not as sure.

NBA Draft

In total, 60 names were called on June 25, 2009.

Busts such as Hasheem Thabeet (2nd), DeMarre Carroll (27th), Nick Calathes (45th), and Jack McClinton (51st) were all taken in the 2009 NBA Draft, and not one of them was Wesley Matthews’. Humbled and undeterred, Matthews looked towards Plan B: Proving himself on the NBA summer circuit.

Wesley Matthews will help Portland overcome the loss of others stars – (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

In cities such as Orlando, Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City along the NBA summer circuit is where undrafted free agents along with NBDL hopefuls go to prove themselves against recently drafted rookies and younger NBA players. All four groups jockey for attention from their own team or 29 others in hopes of cracking a rotation somewhere around the league.

The Utah Jazz offered Matthews a spot on their 2009 summer league team, and he took full advantage. His defensive performances garnered the attention of longtime Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and ultimately the Jazz offered Matthews a roster spot just three months after all 30 teams passed up on him.

Within a calendar year of not getting drafted, Matthews found himself starting at shooting guard for the Jazz after a February mid-season trade sent starter Ronnie Brewer to Chicago.

The rookie ended the 2009-10 regular season with per game averages of 9.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in approximately 24 minutes during the regular season.

In the 2010 NBA Playoffs, Matthews upped the averages to 13.2 points and 4.4 rebounds in 10 games.

Interestingly enough, not getting drafted allowed Matthews to earn a significant pay raise earlier than most of his drafted counterparts.

Unlike those drafted in the first round which had contracts lasting for multiple years at the rookie-scale wage, Matthews could go out and seek his market value after one season.

Payday

Before the start of the 2010-11 season, Matthews did just that as he signed a 5-year $34 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, despite making the league minimum of just over $458,000 during his rookie year.

In his first season in Rip City, Matthews thrived, averaging 15.9 points per contest on 44.9 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from the three point line while starting 69 of 82 games.

In the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign, Matthews had 53 starts in 66 contests, but saw his shooting percentages dip (41.2/38.3) and ultimately his scoring (13.7 ppg) as a result.

For the next three seasons, Matthews is undoubtedly a part of Portland’s future. Given the uncertainty of Nicolas Batum’s contract situation in Portland, Rip City executives and fans will be looking towards Matthews to provide the same dual-threat tenacity that served him in Marquette and Utah.

There are some throughout the league who question if Matthews is good enough to start long-term in the NBA.

Given his success, Matthews will undoubtedly prove that he can.

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The apocalypse for Portland Trail Blazers Brandon Roy supporters will be happening in 2012: It appears that the most popular Trail Blazers since Clyde Drexler will be playing at the Rose Garden as a visitor next season.

Despite being waived by the franchise due to the medical conditions of his knees in December, Roy has decided to test his knees out one more time and resume his NBA career.

Due to Portland’s decision to waive Roy under the league’s amnesty clause, the guard cannot play for the Blazers until the 2014-15 season.

Portland Years

The sixth overall pick in the 2006 draft out of Washington, Roy was acquired by the TrailBlazers in a draft-day trade. He was named the 2007 NBA Rookie of the Year and earned a birth to the All-Star team from 2008-2010.

The 27-year-old averaged 19 points, 4.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 321 games with the only franchise that he has ever played for.

He announced his retirement from the Blazers due to chronic knee problems that kept him out of much of the 2010-11 season.

Brandon Roy, acquired because of a draft-day trade, proved to be one of the best Blazers in history.

Health Status

From all indications, Roy’s knees are no worse than they were before he retired as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers before the start of last season.

It has been rumored that Roy has been undergoing the platelet-rich plasma therapy procedure that has gained traction among NBA players due to the success that Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has found with its use.

The procedure, which uses the method of blood spinning, has helped provide relief to athletes in other sports, including the New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez.

There are a number of teams in the running for Roy’s services are led by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who appear to be transforming into Rip City Midwest.

Sources out of Minneapolis say that the team is prepared to offer Roy a two-year contract, six years after the team drafted him before trading him for Randy Foye. Currently, former Trail Blazers head coach Rick Adelman serves in the same capacity with the team.

Offer Sheet

Minnesota has also extended a four-year $50 million qualifying offer to Portland restricted free-agent forward Nicolas Batum.

Outside of the Northwest Division, Roy met with Golden State Warriors officials this week to discuss a comeback by the bay. With the mid-season trade of shooting guard Monta Ellis for Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut, the team is looking for ways to replace some of Ellis’ firepower on the perimeter.

Current Golden State general manager Bob Myers was Roy’s agent before taking the position in Oakland this year.

The team has been intrigued by reports of Roy’s improving health, but they are not the only team with former ties to the player that have expressed interest.

Indiana Situation

Perhaps the dark horse team looking to sign Roy is the Indiana Pacers. The franchise’s new general manger Kevin Pritchard was Portland’s general manager and the man that acquired him from Minnesota in 2006.

The Pacers sorely lacked a guard that could create a quality shot for himself in the playoffs and Roy would fulfill that need off the bench.

Interestingly enough, these developments are occurring simultaneously as Portland is chasing Indiana center Roy Hibbert.

Other teams that have expressed in Roy include the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Dallas Mavericks.

There is no timetable set for Roy’s decision.

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The Los Angeles Clippers want Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford with Mo Williams out of  the fold, and the Trail Blazers could use Chauncey Billups.

Both players will likely command about $5 million per year, and Blazers general manager Neil Olshey knows Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling and his bank account better than anyone after nine years with the organization.

A sign-and-trade seems like a perfect opportunity for both teams to acquire players to enhance the roster.

Now try convincing Chris Paul of that

The Clippers are channeling their inner Brooklyn Net, as they slave away trying to please point guard Chris Paul in hopes of resigning him the way Brooklyn did Williams late Tuesday night.

If Paul signed off on a Crawford-for-Billups move,  which the Los Angeles Times reports is unlikely, the Blazers would find little trouble in acclimating the Clippers guard to the locker room.

Billups and Olshey have a relationship fostered during Billups shortened one-year tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers and as far as anyone can tell, the relationship was a positive one for both sides.

There are few point guards in NBA that could serve as a a better mentor to recently drafted point guard Damian Lillard than Billups.

In a locker room that sorely lacks a veteran vocal presence, Billups could easily fill that void and would command the respect of Blazers veterans such as all-star forward LaMarcus Aldridge.

By all accounts, he is a hard worker who is a solid citizen in the community. He also has one thing that nobody else on the Blazers can claim to have: An NBA championship ring.

If Olshey wants to teach his young nucleus how to win, what better example to provide them than Billups?

The Blazers have two factors working against them

An expectation to win in the short-term and a question mark at head coach. What could be a struggle for Olshey is trying to convince Billups to take a secondary role for a team that failed to make the playoffs in 2012.

Billups could easily fill a void in RIP City

At 35, Mr. Big Shot will be as motivated as ever before to prove that he has some gas left in the tank after rehabilitating from an Achilles tear that he suffered in a match-up against Orlando on February 7th.

As recently as two weeks ago, Billups told the Denver Post that he plans on playing a full 82-game schedule, and I don’t see him accepting a role of 20 minutes per game during his redemption tour.

Billups, presumably like many other veterans, are likely to choose places in 2012-13 where they will simultaneously get paid and at least make the playoffs. Portland does not guarantee the latter as currently constructed.

Without a reassurance that the roster will dramatically improve by October, it is unreasonable to think that he would be willing to lose one season with a lottery team when he may have three remaining at most.

This would not be as significant of an issue if Olshey hired a coach that would find minutes for Billups.

If the Blazers were to hire someone in the mold of former New York Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, then it is feasible that Billups could be part of a three-guard offense, similar to what D’Antoni executed at stretches with Jeremy Lin, Baron Davis, and Iman Shumpert during the month of Linsanity.

Such a move could provide playing time to Billups, while allowing Damian Lillard to learn on the floor.

No matter who they hire, the Blazers brass may not have the final decision.

In order to get one point guard, they must lob a favor to another.

The fate of the Clippers present and its future rests in Paul’s hands, as it will in Los Angeles all season long.

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I sat across a Los Angeles Lakers hoodie-ladened Robert Sacre on a Southwest flight to Spokane days after the conclusion of this year’s Final Four (and his participation at the NABC’s College All-Star Basketball Game), so it seems fitting that the former Gonzaga Bulldogs center ends up as a member of the Lakers.

Sheer coincidence or not, the Lakers are getting a dose of sheer attitude in the paint, something that the franchise has needed since Karl Malone’s escapade as The Bachelor in search of a ring in his one-and-done campaign with the Lakers in 2004.

With Los Angeles’ only pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, general manager Mitch Kupchak acquired toughness at center with the 60th selection.

Can Sacre succeed in the NBA?

The 7’0″ 260 pound center out of North Vancouver BC Canada, will mesh with the Kobe Bryant led Lakers, because of his ability to find success on the court without the basketball.

From small forward Austin Daye to shooting guard Matt Bouldin and even point guard Kevin Pangos, Sacre has thrived throughout his career despite playing in a perimeter-oriented offensive system.

He finished second in Gonzaga history in blocks (186) and was named the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, an award that veterans Bryant and Metta World Peace will both appreciate.

Zags in LA have had some success

The franchise has had positive experience with recent Gonzaga frontcourt players.

Former Charlotte Bobcats’ lottery pick Adam Morrison kept a positive attitude when he warmed the bench for the likes of Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza in two seasons (2009-10).

Morrisonearned two rings, despite not making any on-court contributions of note during his tenure.

Can Robert Sacre make a name for himself in hostile Los Angeles?

The team drafted Ronny Turiaf 37th in 2005 and he was a fan favorite for his effervescent energy and his positive attitude in his 173 games.

Turiaf played for three seasons before choosing to chase a paycheck from the Golden State Warriors at the end of the 2007-08 campaign.

Sacre used the comparison to describe a future niche for himself in a conference-call with the Los Angeles Times, as he eluded to Turiaf’s willingness to accept a role that revolves around playing defense and providing energy.

Can he make a name for himself in LA?

While the center will never have fans making comparisons to Pau Gasol or even Elden Campbell for fans from the Mike Dunleavy era, it is significant to note that Sacre sells himself short if he compares his offense to Turiaf’s.

With Elias Harris in Gonzaga’s frontcourt, Sacre’s offensive ability was not relied upon for the Bulldogs.

Assuming that he makes the roster, the Lakers will be surprised by his vastly underrated  presence as he started his senior campaign with double-digit scoring outings in eight of his first nine games and ended it with an average of 11.6 points per game.

How Sacre’s game can help the Lakers

Sacre has a soft touch around the rim along with the ability to spin off both shoulders and finish with either hand. From 12 feet, Sacre must be respected as a threat at the very least.

The center did finish his career with 1,270 points in 135 games (9.4 per game) as a Bulldog and  shot 50.4 percent from the field and 73.5 from the free throw line, with the latter percentage spiking his junior (82.3 percent) and senior (76.1 percent) seasons.

With the 60th pick in the draft, Los Angeles could have done far worse than acquiring a frontcourt option off the bench.

Kupchak and coach Mike Brown will be pleased with Sacre’s defensive-mindedness and the intensity that the center brings to every contest.

Bryant has always commented that he wants to battle with warriors.

In the 2012 draft the Lakers picked one in Robert Sacre.

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The 2012 NBA Draft was a boring one for most Trail Blazers fans who expected significant splashes, as the team picked the two players that many local analysts had projected them to take assuming that they were still available.

There were no first round trades in general manager Neil Olshey’s first draft in the Rose City or any other splashes of note.

The team took away three players in the two rounds of the draft, two in the first with Damian Lillard and Meyers Leonard as well as one in the second with Will Barton.

Here are some things to love and hate about the 2012 draft night as a Blazers fan.

Love ‘Em

1). Best Big Man

At number 11, choosing Illinois center Meyers Leonard or North Carolina center Tyler Zeller was the way to go if Portland wanted to select a big man.

From reports coming out of Tualatin at the Portland practice facility, Leonard dominated Zeller in their pre-draft workouts when both men came into workout. At a tad over 7’1,” former Blazers executive Tom Penn has called him as Joel Przybilla with a better offensive game.

Choosing Illinois center Meyers Leonard or North Carolina center Tyler Zeller was the way to go

If Leonard plays as hard as Przybilla and can avoid the Blazers’ center injury curse, he will undoubtedly be a fan favorite for years to come.

2). Blazers Didn’t Get “Cute”

It was nice to see that Portland drafted players that were not viewed as unconventional in a negative way. By most projections, Leonard and Lillard were drafted at positions where many projected them to be selected.

While that does not necessarily guarantee success, the projections tend to be fairly reliable indicators of how most general manager and NBA executives view the players in the draft.

It was a positive to see Olshey pick up players that were not viewed as “high risk” such as Connecticut center Andre Drummond.

Hate ‘Em

1). Lillard was Not the Best Player Available

I am in the camp that believes that a team should take the best player available and address the needs of their team in the future.

That said, I do not think that Lillard was the best player available at number six, because Harrison Barnes (drafted number seven by Golden State) was still available.

As dreadful as incumbent point guard Raymond Felton was this season, they could have picked up a solid point guard in free agency (Kyle Lowry or Goran Dragic perhaps) or later in the draft (Kendall Marshall from North Carolina).

I am not thrilled with Lillard’s measurements (6’2 3/4″ and 189 pounds), despite his worthy accomplishments (Two-time Big Sky Conference Player of the Year, AP All-American Third Team selection, second in Division I in scoring to name three).

2). Is Lillard a Better Harold Arceneaux?

A guard / forward that is a two-time Big Sky Player of the Year from Weber State. A player that averaged 23 points per game in his senior season and 22.3 points per game in his junior year. A guy that dropped 40 in a game twice, 30-plus five times and hit 51 percent of his field goals.

You say Damian Lillard. I say Harold “The Show” Arceneaux. He is remembered for scoring 36 against North Carolina in a first round upset during the 1999 NCAA Tournament during his junior season, but was not drafted after a stellar senior season.

“The Show” never made it to the NBA and is currently playing professionally in Mexico. Given that Weber State plays about the same type of competition as they did a decade ago, I hope that Lillard will not suffer a similar fate as Arceneaux once his first NBA contract is up.

You say Damian Lillard, I say Harold “The Show” Arceneaux. (Photo AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

3). Will Barton

Second round draft picks are always crap shoots. That said, there are opportunities to pick up some players that can contribute to a quality team. San Antonio has had some recent successes with Manu Ginobili and DeJuan Blair.

In recent memory, Portland picked up Dante Cunningham, who contributed some minutes before he was shipped east for Gerald Wallace. 1990′s Franchise favorite “Uncle Cliffy” Cliff Robinson was a second rounder out of Connecticut.

Very few of the European players that the Blazers have invested in have ever paid immediate dividends.

That said, from the standpoint for an average fan, it would have been nice to a name that has some recognition for someone that may pay attention to college basketball in the states.

Tyshon Taylor out of Kansas at number 41 would have been this guy, but the Blazers sent him to Brooklyn immediately after drafting him for cash considerations.

Guard Will Barton, who the team picked at number 40 out of Memphis, did not do anything for me as a college basketball fan or as an observer of the Blazers. The reason for this is that Elliot Williams, a former Memphis Tiger guard, is expected to return at full strength for the 2012-13 campaign.

NBA Drafts are always left for hindsight when it comes to judging results. 

A general manager will rarely claim that he had a disappointing draft even if he believes that the team could have done better.

For Blazers fans there are reasons for optimism that Portland has some pieces to work with heading into the free agency period in July and training camp in September.

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