--With Hedo Turkoglu in the rear mirror, the Blazers turned their sights to a short list of perhaps a half-dozen players, starting with Utah forward Paul Millsap, a restricted free agent whom Pritchard has coveted for some time. The Blazers gave Millsap an offer sheet they hope is steep enough that the Jazz -- already above the luxury-tax level -- can't afford to match.
"We are talking (with Millsap)," general manager Kevin Pritchard confirmed, "but he's not the only person we're talking with. We're selective. It's just not a fit here anymore; it's a special fit. A lot of free agents have signed with other teams, and that's OK with us. We feel there are certain guys who are right for us, and others who don't fit." It won't be for Kirk Hinrich, who will likely stay in Chicago. Nor for Steve Nash, with whom Phoenix is likely to extend. Nor for Dallas forward Brandon Bass, who went to Orlando.
Pritchard was asked how he'd feel if the Blazers don't add any players through free agency or a trade going into next season.
"I would have no problem with it; none at all," he said.
Still, the Blazers must use their $7.7 million in cap room by next season's trade deadline or lose it, since they'll be over the cap for the foreseeable future after extending contracts of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge.
--The Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge deals haven't gotten done yet. Almost always, those things take a little time. The Blazers weren't going to start with their best offer. If the sticking point with Roy is a fifth year of guaranteed maximum money, the sides aren't that far apart.
As for Aldridge, the five-year, $50-million extension those rascal Raptors bestowed on Andrea Bargnani ups the ante for the Blazers, for sure. But Portland won't have to give a max deal to Aldridge, who fully understands that.
"Brandon and LaMarcus are absolutely critical to what we're doing (going) forward, and they're going to be here a long time," Pritchard said. "We're having amicable talks with their agents. We all value Brandon and LaMarcus so much, we'll do everything we can to come to a solution. Whether it's this week or next week, I don't know, but it's so important to us and to them.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're getting after it hard. We're looking at all our options. We're excited about the possibilities. Maybe they happen tomorrow, maybe they happen in two months, maybe they happen at the trade deadline. ... We're not afraid to pull the trigger. We're going to be active in trying to create some of those things. When the right deal comes, we'll know." -- GM Kevin Pritchard, on the Blazers making a move either through free agency or via a trade.
