It’s done. The 15th spot debate is over and the winner is… Shavlik Randolph
TRAIL BLAZERS WAIVE LUKE JACKSON, STEVEN HILL
Portland Sets Roster for Opening Night
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Trail Blazers waived forward Luke Jackson and rookie center Steven Hill, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today. Portland’s roster stands at 15 players entering Opening Night at the L.A. Lakers on Tuesday.
“We want to thank Luke and Steven for their contributions during training camp and preseason and wish them all the best for the future,” said Pritchard. “They’ve conducted themselves as real pros on and off the court and we believe both of them have a bright future in basketball.”
A former All-American at the University of Oregon, Jackson (6-7, 215) played in three preseason games, averaging 5.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 19.3 minutes. The four-year NBA veteran was 5-for-15 (33.3%) from the field and 1-for-4 (25.0%) from 3-point range.
Hill (7-0, 245) saw action in three preseason games, recording averages of 1.0 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.67 blocks and 9.0 minutes. The rookie from Arkansas was a member of the team’s 2008 NBA Summer League squad and signed on August 27, along with Jackson and Jamaal Tatum.
I’m happy that Steven Hill and Luke Jackson were both given their chance. In all honesty, neither showed themselves in the pre-season and they both at least got their chance. Steven Hill was a notable around the practice facility, and that is where his value was in battling Oden down low. Randolph is really the only in this 15th spot debate who had a breakout game, and I am thinking that was one breakout game enough. He has NBA experience (so does Jackson) but at the end of the day, this doesn’t really matter. None of these players will hit the floor. I think Steven Hill will be able to land in the NBA, if not right away, he can get on a D-League roster and prove himself. As for Jackson, he might be looking for another run in the D-League or overseas.
The Blazers have filled 14 of the 15 roster spots, that means players will be invited to compete for the 15th spot on the team. Word is that the Blazers are inviting just three players: Steven Hill, Luke Jackson and Jammal Tatum. In this three part series, we will examine these three players and what they would bring to the team.
Part Three: Luke Jackson
Jackson, is 6′7″ and can play as a SG or SF. He played college ball for the University of Oregon, so he’s got the local hero thing in his favor. He was drafted 10th in the 2004 NBA draft but has never come close to living up to the potential he showed in college. He has been plagued by a myriad of injuries through his short career and has already bounced around the NBA and NBA-DL. He has played for the Cavaliers, Celtics, Clippers, Raptors, Heat and the Idaho Stampede.
The advantage that Luke Jackson has over both Jammal Tatum and Steven Hill is that Jackson has proved that he can be an NBA player. He put up 30 points in a game while playing for the Toronto Raptors. He averaged just under 9 points a game while playing in Miami.
Unlike the other two players in the running for the 15th, Jackson could make an impact to the team. He would definitely be a fan favorite in the respect that most fans would like to see him at least get a chance to play. He can shoot and he can drive to the basket. He could help fill that James Jones void better then Tatum, but like I said earlier, that void is probably filled by Bayless and Fernandez.
Will Portland give him the 15th? Maybe.
Reports have said the spot is Jackson’s to lose. I certainly don’t see Tatum or Hill getting the 15th spot, but the other option could be that the 15th stays open. The team does not have to carry a full roster, they can enter the season with just 14 players on the roster. Why would they do this? Trades. LaFrentz’s contract is huge trade bait. Many teams will be giving KP offers and that open roster spot gives us the option to pick up an extra player via trade. I don’t see us trading the contract, but as things shake up with Darius Miles, things could change with the LaFrentz contract. I give Luke Jackson an 80% chance of making the team, with the remaining 20% being that the 15th spot is left open.
The Blazers have filled 14 of the 15 roster spots, that means players will be invited to compete for the 15th spot on the team. Word is that the Blazers are inviting just three players: Steven Hill, Luke Jackson and Jammal Tatum. In this three part series, we will examine these three players and what they would bring to the team.
Part Two: Steven Hill
Hill, a 7′0″ center, played college ball for Arkansas. He played three lackluster years, putting up a career average of just over 6 points and 4 rebounds. He is tall, at 7′0″ but also lanky, only at 250lbs. The biggest potential for Hill is the fact that the Blazers seem to like him. He has been in the practice facility banging with Oden during his rehab and is said to have excellent work ethic. If the team picks up Hill, he would never play a meaningful minute unless both Oden and Pryzbilla got injured. Instead, what Hill brings to the Blazers is a body to throw around in practice.
The practice crash test dummy could be beneficial to the team. Rather than throwing Frye and Pryzbilla to Oden all day long, throwing Hill into the shark’s tank could be good. But then remember that we do have Raef LaFrentz and Ike Diogu. I know LaFrentz does nothing then sit around and eat $500 cheeseburgers during practice, but Diogu is big enough, and good enough, to provide a challenge for Oden during practice.
Will Portland give him the 15th? No.
The Blazers don’t need him. He would never see time on the floor and he isn’t even needed on the practice floor. He has no offensive production, and that is what the Blazers should be looking for with the 15th spot. Pryzbilla and Oden are already defensive monsters, there is just no need for Hill.
The Blazers have filled 14 of the 15 roster spots, that means players will be invited to compete for the 15th spot on the team. Word is that the Blazers are inviting just three players: Steven Hill, Luke Jackson and Jammal Tatum. In this three part series, we will examine these three players and what they would bring to the team.
Part One: Jammal Tatum
Tatum, a 6′2″ guard, played college ball for the Southern Illinois Salukis. He played through his senior year, which in my mind is a plus. In his first semester at Southern Illinois Tatum had a 4.0 GPA, which means he is a smart, non-JailBlazer type player, that’s another plus. He shot over 45% from 3-point range in his freshman year at Southern Illinois. His shooting is probably the main reason the Blazers would want to sign him to the final spot on the bench He put up big numbers in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, leading Southern Illinois to two surprising victories.
He was given a contract (unguaranteed) by the Atlanta Hawks in 2007, but did not make the roster after training camp. He was then drafted into the D-League by Idaho, but never played a game due to injury.
Will Portland give him the 15th? No.
There are too many unkowns about Tatum. He hasn’t been able to play competitive basketball since the 2007 NCAA Tournament. He will likley end up in the D-League or overseas. He has no NBA experience and doesn’t really fill a need for the Blazers. He is a shooter, which is the only reason he is in the conversation, but Rudy and Bayless will be filling the James Jones void, not Tatum.
