[外電]Blazers enter free agency without general manager
Blazers enter free agency without general manager
07/01/03
JIM BESEDA
The Trail Blazers had hoped to name a new general manager by
today -- the first day NBA teams can begin negotiating with
free agents -- but team president Steve Patterson said
Monday a decision won't be made for at least a few days.
The Blazers plan to contact free agents, including their own
Scottie Pippen and Antonio Daniels. Coach Maurice Cheeks and
Patterson are expected to call players while also
participating in the general manager search.
"We're just continuing to have conversations," Patterson
said. "We're still going through the process and maybe we'll
be able to get there this week, but we've got to see how it
goes. I'm not trying to dodge questions. I sincerely don't
know."
John Hammond, Detroit's vice president of basketball
operations, interviewed Saturday in Seattle for the general
manager's job, but Monday withdrew his name from
consideration.
"We're trying to make the best possible choice, and it just
hasn't come about yet," Cheeks said. "I'd think we'd have to
have somebody soon. The free agent negotiating period is
here, and we've got to be on top of that."
The Blazers probably won't be a major player in the free
agent market, but they aren't expected to stand on the
sideline, either.
Portland is committed to an estimated $86.7 million in
salaries for next season, which affects how the Blazers
approach free agents. Though the Blazers aren't in a
position to get into a bidding war for any of this year's
marquee free agents, they have enough flexibility with the
existing roster to at least consider some sign-and-trade
possibilities.
"We're going to explore a few things," Cheeks said. "We've
got to search the free agent market to see if there is
something there we need, we want, we like, and if it's
available.
"Ideally, you'd like to have your GM and everybody in place
to deal with free agents, but I think between Steve and me
we can manage to contact whoever we think is the right fit
for our team."
Patterson, a former general manager with the Houston
Rockets, downplayed the notion that the Blazers are somehow
disadvantaged heading into the free agent negotiating period
without a general manager.
"You can't sign somebody until July 16," Patterson said.
"You look at the guys that traditionally have signed right
off the hop, it's usually the bigger free agents with the
teams with a whole lot of cap room, and that's not a
position we're going to be in.
"I think the key really is doing what's right for the
franchise in the long run, and not be hamstrung by a
particular date."
Cheeks said Pippen and Daniels are among the first players
he hopes to talk to.
"We've got to see where their minds are," Cheeks said.
"They're free agents, so they're free to go where they want
to go. We'll talk to them and see if their interest is in
coming back here. That's the first thing, and then we'll go
from there."
Getting Pippen to return for his 17th NBA season and fifth
with the Blazers could boil down to persuading Pippen not
only to take a significant pay cut from the $19.7 million he
earned last season, but also to accept a role coming off the
bench.
Said Cheeks: "I've heard of a lot of interest in Scottie
from different teams, so we'll have to see what his likes
are."
Notes:
Rookie forward Travis Outlaw, the 23rd player selected in
last week's NBA draft, is scheduled to be in Portland for a
three-day mini-camp July 16-18, and then play on the
Blazers' team competing in the Rocky Mountain Revue summer
league July 18-26 in Salt Lake City. Other players off last
year's team expected to participate are Ruben Boumtje
Boumtje, Zach Randolph, Charles Smith and Qyntel Woods.
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