PorterIn2004

Why do you specifically want him to make the team? Is there some family connection? Have you been able to watch him play extended minutes in anything beyond last year's summer league games? I'm honestly asking -- no sarcasm here. I ask because I've yet to see enough of him to really have much of an opinion. Pritchard's track record with these things is generally pretty good, so I've felt I've had no reason to question it. But if you've got a reason....

84BlazerRC

Wasn't bad during summer league last year. Showed he can both make shots and be a distributor. Not sure it's fair to compare him to an NBA players yet,

http://blazersclips.blogspot.com/search/label/Petteri%20Koponen

PorterIn2004

Thanks for sharing the link. I watched most of those games but that's the first time I've seen those highlights. And yeah, that gives a better sense of his potential.

That said, overall he struggled during that summer league. Much of that was because the team didn't really have SGs and he was asked to play that position the lion's share of his time, with Rodriguez and Green getting the PG minutes ahead of him, iirc. And while that might've been "unfair," were he to get any kind of serious minutes with the Blazers, he'll have to be able to work well without the ball. That's likely to be true for a decade or more, presuming both Roy and Fernandez live up to expectations, as both should have the ball in their hands a lot of the time.

Likewise, I expect Pritchard will be looking for a defensive specialist for opposing PGs, regardless of that player's most natural position on offense. Koponen doesn't seem to have that going for him yet, so it seems like yet one more potential reason to bring him over has to be removed.

And all that said, it may well be that he'll be a good enough PG overall and yet a poor enough fit for what this team needs that he'll be more valuable in trade than he would be on the court. I'd love to see him succeed as a Blazer, but I'm thinking the odds are stacked against him.

STOMP

Dude just turned 20. Outside of clapping, only a few 20 year olds at any position crack rosters in the league let alone shine superior to a decent starters. But as KP himself says during the relayed clips, "He knows how to play... he knows how to win"

Here's to looking forward to how the summer roster moves shake out.

STOMP

__________________
"Don't watch the Blazers and think about this season. Instead watch them and think 2 or 3 years down the road, because they are going to be insanely good. I can't remember a time when a single team owned the rights to this many quality players under the age of 25... if the Blazers aren't crushing people three years from now I'll be stunned. "
-John Hollinger

Hector

Which Pritchard do we believe? The Pritchard who got 1st round pick #30 Koponen for our #42 Derrick Byars and cash? Or the Pritchard who is now uninterested? Which is wrong and which is right? Did he waste Paul Allen's $3M?

The reason I hope Koponen makes the team is because I hope we didn't waste a 1st round pick signing, which was a great opportunity afforded us by Paul's generosity. Pritchard orchestrated a nice fancy play, now be a finisher and put the ball in the hole. Look at all the trouble Pritchard went to to get him.

http://www.n-c-systems.com/hoops/Sea...&submit=Search

If we don't sign Koponen this summer, he'll sign a multi-year contract in Europe and that's the last we see of him. Then the next time Pritchard asks Paul for $3M on draft day to take advantage of an opportunity that comes up, Paul should say, remember what happened last time? Where is your credibility? You gonna throw away my $3M again?

Jayps15

Pritchard also included $3M with the trade exception from the Zach trade to get James Jones and the rights to Rudy Fernandez, I think he's got all the credibility he could need in Paul Allen's eyes.

BlazerFan22

John Nash also had all the credibility in Paul Allens eyes we he sign DMiles to that 6 year contract untill it back fired.

STOMP

I'm not buying your Pritchard is uninterested in PK logic. He knows the Blazers own his rights. He knows Petteri wants to be on the team and will be reporting to summer camp in hopes of making it. Petteri enjoyed his best season after obviously drawing KP's interest last offseason and it's not like the team's future back court rotation is set.

Jack is essentially at the contractual crossroads this offseason, Blake & Sergio arrive there in a year. If KP wants to clear cap space to position the club for a run at the 2009 Free Agent class, all three of those guys could be gone. Being drafted at #30 slates Koponen as the cheapest of those 4 players by far counting less then 1M against the cap. The club not only needs stud starters but quality backups. That PK is supposed to be a gym rat may bode well for him being a good guy to have on the bench going forward.

What would convince me of a lack of interest/belief in Koponen by KP would be if the club traded for a vet guard or went with another PG in this draft... especially if they moved up to do so. My reading of the tea leaves has them looking to solidify their other roster weak spot (the 3) this offseason first, especially as they're trying to entice Rudy to commit. I'm sure that Pritchard will be weighing all of the options and contingencies though.

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how this plays out

STOMP

__________________
"Don't watch the Blazers and think about this season. Instead watch them and think 2 or 3 years down the road, because they are going to be insanely good. I can't remember a time when a single team owned the rights to this many quality players under the age of 25... if the Blazers aren't crushing people three years from now I'll be stunned. "
-John Hollinger

Hector

I was agreeing with that. Pritchard talks a lot about Fernandez, but never Koponen. He may be a little interested, but not enough to ever talk about it. So I said Pritchard is uninterested.

PorterIn2004

I can't believe Pritchard is "uninterested" in Koponen. I suspect he talks about him less for two reasons:

1. he's not asked about Koponen nearly as much as he is Fernandez, and rightfully so -- Fernandez is being talked about as the best player not currently in the NBA and certainly the best prospect in Europe; and

2. dove-tailing with the first point, Koponen is (presumably) not nearly as ready to step in and contribute as Fernandez is. My guess is that if Koponen's going to make a big splash in the NBA, it's still a few years away.

All that said, Fernandez is a potential starter as soon as he arrives while Koponen, if he's able to make the roster at all this next season, is likely to be behind at least Blake and Roy, maybe Rodriguez, and hopefully someone like an Andre Miller -- insert the NBA veteran PG of your choice.

So no, KP is unlikely to be "uninterested" but I don't think the Koponen basket has as many eggs in it as either the Fernandez basket or, certainly, the Oden basket.

Scipio

Finnish teams would kill Division II or high school teams. The level is not that bad.

I don't see enough NBA games to make comparison but here's a little take of his status. Petteri broke his thumb before finals but should be ready for summer league after the team won the championship. His goal is to make the team and Portland is the first option. He's been working for that all year and is stronger and faster than a year ago. Weather it's enough tp help him on D we'll see. He's not a stopper in finnish league so that is a weakness although it has improved a bit with experience and better conditioning. I'm intrested to see how he'll do over there during the summer and that'll propably set his future for few years either in Europe or with Portland.

Draco

Anyone else thinking maybe they'd rather see Koponen at the 15th spot over Sergio? Sergio is such a poor jumpshooter I don't see him ever succeeding in the NBA, I don't know about Peter but a maybe is better than a no.

BuckW4GM

i'm leaning that way.

PorterIn2004