You can forget about acquiring Mcginnis

[Blunt91]

Jeff Mcginnis reportedly signed a 3year deal with the Portland Trialblazers today.

[BlackHawkDown]

I wouldn't sign him here he is more $$$ than DD. But he would have definetly been a qaulity backup. ?? Question . How the Hell do the Blazer with something like a 80 mil payroll sign anybody??

[Guest]

I really think they did this signing with another trade in mind. Damon Stoudamire's got too much talent and too large a paycheck to have two quality backups and considering his disfavor with coaches and mgt., I think they have another trade in mind...I'm thinking they'll figure something out with Minnesota, but of course that's speculation. If Wally's involved in that trade, it'd be absolutely hilarious...can you see pretty-boy hanging out with that gang? Worse than Kukoc with the Clippers...

maybe a three way trade?

[Guest]

Stoudamire/Anderson go to NY for Houston/S.Anderson.That

is my prediction......

[cyman3]

has no MLB team or NFL team... therefore, they can save all ur $$$ into NBA. Thats my guess

[Guest]

And the owner started Starbucks. Hell, even Magic Johnson has jumped on that corporate bandwagon.

[BlackHawkDown]

Paul Allen, Bill Gates less famous, less flamboyant partner owns the Blazers, the owners of Starbucks own the Sonics. Magic's company is a lot more than a corporation, he has made a lot of key investments to benefit the black community. Because of him many companies that would even come to black neighborhoods are now investing in droves, including Starbucks. He just last week entered with Janet Jackson to form the largest Black owned bank in the country, specifically to ecourage economic development and access to capital. He is as mch philantropist as he is businessman. I will put up a post for about his career after basketball.

PS Allen is a lifelong Blazer fan and has $40 billion in Microsoft stock so I am sure he could care less if the team loses a few million he can use it as a tax write-off

[Guest]

BHD, my mistake on the ownership. But Johnson does own several Starbucks franchises.

[BlackHawkDown]

Yeah he built one in South Central, it is booming, and He is suppose to be building one by Morehouse/Spelman/Clark Atlanta/Morris Brown, that is going to be a hot spot.

[beav]

they used their exception....

[beav]

It looks like they are denying it here, but there have been rumors of stoudamire going to minnesota all summer... please God let it be true!

I'm so much happier with Mcinnis and Daniels it isn't even funny...

It's a crowd: Blazers add McInnis

08/13/02

JASON QUICK

The Trail Blazers signed free agent Jeff McInnis on Monday, setting the stage for a three-player competition at point guard between incumbent Damon Stoudamire, McInnis and newly acquired Antonio Daniels.

Blazers coach Maurice Cheeks said Stoudamire remains his starter, as of now. And Blazers president Bob Whitsitt said the signing of McInnis does not mean Stoudamire is on the trading block.

"It doesn't say anything," Whitsitt said. "All it says is that Erick Barkley and Ricky Brunson are gone, and Jeff McInnis and Antonio Daniels are in. We have increased our depth, created competition and we've increased our size back there, which is something we wanted. In terms of our depth, point guard was one of our weakest areas last season. Now we think it is one of our stronger areas."

McInnis, who averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 assists last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, signed a three-year deal. Whitsitt said he used part of the team's $4.53 million mid-level exception on McInnis, meaning he can use the remaining portion on another free agent.

McInnis, who is 6-foot-4, played the past three seasons with the Clippers, starting 80 games last season when he was among the league leaders in minutes played and seventh in the league in assists-to-turnover ratio (3.4). The previous season, he led the NBA in assists-to-turnover ratio.

"He's a big guard who can run a basketball team," coach Maurice Cheeks said. "He's just an asset because of his ability and the fact that he is a big guard, which we can always use."

The Blazers have been in the running all summer for McInnis, 27, apparently beating out the Minnesota Timberwolves for his services. Whitsitt said he was close to signing him last week, but he wanted to wait until he executed the trade for Daniels, which happened last Monday.

"I wanted Jeff to know what our roster looked like before we brought something together," Whitsitt said.

Now, that roster appears clogged at point guard. Stoudamire started 71 games at point guard last season, averaging 37.3 minutes. Daniels was a part-time starter for the San Antonio Spurs last season. McInnis, a friend of Blazers forward Rasheed Wallace from the University of North Carolina, has been the Clippers' starter for the past two seasons. McInnis also played for three years at Quad City of the Continental Basketball Association with coach Dan Panaggio, now one of Cheeks' assistants.

"Obviously, these three guys can play," Cheeks said. "But you just let the best man win. Basketball is about competition, you see who is best. Obviously, someone is not going to start, but you work it out. We are here to try and win games, and it is my job to figure out who plays and who is best for the team and who is best on the bench."

Still, Cheeks on Monday endorsed Stoudamire as his man.

"Damon is our starter," Cheeks said. "He's been here, he started last year, and we have a nice nucleus. But you have to give Damon and the other guys a chance to start right off the bat, and you want them all coming to camp saying 'I'm going to be ready.' "

Stoudamire did not return phone messages Monday, but his father, Willie, said Damon expected the Blazers to sign McInnis. He said he sensed Damon would take the signing as a challenge.

"I don't see anything changing from the standpoint of his productivity," Willie Stoudamire said. "But as a parent, I've always said that he should have never come to Portland. I didn't think he would get a fair shake, and he hasn't. But he's a ballplayer, and his posture will be to just come in and play and do what he is supposed to do. And if he is traded, he's traded."

It is uncertain whether Stoudamire will be traded. He will make $37.25 million over the next three seasons, a figure that could deter teams. But the Timberwolves, who pursued Daniels and McInnis, are in desperate need of a point guard and are known to like Stoudamire's skills. However, Whitsitt said he hasn't heard from Minnesota this summer.

"I can't assure that anybody will be here next season," Whitsitt said. "But right now, Damon is the incumbent and there is going to be some competition there.