Portland's awesome off-season continues. They get one of the most sought-after guards on the market. http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/2007/07/report_steve_blake_signs_with.html According to the Rocky Mountain News, Steve Blake is coming back to the Blazers: The free-agent point guard said today he has agreed to a three-year deal with the Trail Blazers. Though a Florida native, Blake and his family make their offseason home in Portland. Blake averaged 8.3 points and 6.6 assists in 49 games with the Nuggets last season. He was willing to return to Denver but opted for Portland as the Nuggets were on the verge of finalizing a contract with guard Chucky Atkins. "That's OK, if that's the direction they want to go," Blake said in a brief phone interview. "I just decided to go back to Portland." According to that article, Blake was seeking something near the mid-level, but the terms have not been disclosed.
Last year when someone brought his name up as a potential Rocket he was drubbed as one of the worst players in the league. Funny.
Blake isn't very good, he is just better than most the available PGs. If he gets near 5 mil a year that means Alston and James (both solidly better players) have good value contracts.
Just want to say your signature anagrams are great! About Blake... he's like Rafer Alston and Charlie Ward with less talent--less physically gifted many players who NEVER made it past 1 year in the NBA, but in the league and making several times the vetran minimum solely because he knows how to take care of the ball and and run the PG position.
Umm i dont understand the love on this board for blake and the hatred for alston, they are essentially the same player. Percentages wise, they shoot around the same percent in field goals blake more on 2's alston more on 3's and they assist the same amount but alston gets way more steals. Blake is more flashy but essentially at best he's a rafer alston. Seriously if rafer was on that nuggets team, ya'll would be coveting him too by the amount of exposure that guy gets on national tv. And another thing, why the hell did they show more nuggets games last year on national tv than rockets games?
You bring up a good point. I think Blake is a poor man's Alston. Fairly comparbly limited scoring/shooting (but not quite hapless/atrocious) and good PG values/ethic lets calll it, but Alston is better defensively.
but he's white! Thus he is a "pure" point guard in the mold of John Stockton! Speaking of which, is anybody else out there surprised that Utah didn't go after him as a replacement for Fisher?
I consider Blake to be a better shooter than Alston. If Blake had Yao and McGrady opening up the arc things would be different % wise...
Blake got close to $6 mil a year. Too rich for our blood. I prefer Blake over Chucky Atkins, but I'll happily pay Atkins $3 mil a year instead of Blake for $6 mil.
