FanHouse Brandon Roy

Talks have ended and no contract extension is expected on Utah guard Ronnie Brewer by Monday's deadline, his agent told FanHouse on Friday.

"Kevin (O'Connor, Utah's general manager) and I have talked, but we have a different point of view (on contract figures),'' said agent Henry Thomas.

Barring the unexpected, Thomas said no more talks are expected to take place by Monday's deadline of players from the 2006 first round able to sign extensions that will kick in for the 2010-11 season. Thomas said the final talks with O'Connor were Friday.

Saturday is Halloween, but don't expect many NBA owners and general managers in this shaky economy to dress up as Bill Gates and throw money around.

Oct. 31 is the annual deadline for one-time first-round picks entering their fourth seasons to be eligible to sign extensions that would kick in for their fifth seasons. For stars, it's a chance to land their first really big contract.

But much is silent as the deadline approaches, meaning the overwhelming number of eligible players from the 2006 first round will become restricted free agents next summer. Three players from that draft -- Andrea Bargnani of Toronto and LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy of Portland -- have inked extensions, but not a lot more activity is expected.

The operative phrase here is "with plenty of time to spare."

The Blazers and LaMarcus Aldridge had been working on an extension, the second of the big two the Blazers needed to lock up to ensure stability in their young, contending core (the other being Brandon Roy). The two had until October 31st to get a deal done in order to avoid Aldridge becoming a restricted agent next summer.

There had been rumors that Aldridge was unhappy about how long it was taking, given the Blazers' hyper-eager approach to Roy's five-year, $80 million deal. With Oct. 31 just 10 days away, the clock was ticking. Both sides were confident a deal would get done, but you couldn't blame Blazers fans for getting nervous.

FanHouse previews a player to watch from each NBA team in advance of the 2009-10 season.

More than seven feet tall. A mountain of a man. A true big man for the modern age. Able to score, rebound, and defend in the post. Loved by teammates. Feared by opponents. The crucial down-low component that could help the Blazers contend for a championship.

I'm talking, of course, about Joel Przybilla.

Why, who were you thinking of?

Przybilla is the polar opposite of his younger replacement (as in, the guy he's being replaced by). No hype. Not flashy. Not heralded or swooned over. But when we start throwing out the phrases "effective" and "workman," Przybilla is as prime a candidate as any. The Vanilla Gorilla has not only done the work, put in the time, and become a very solid NBA center, but he's got the numbers to back it up.

Kevin Durant is not playing around anymore. Last season he joined the ranks of the elite fantasy ballers. Now he's hoping to make that final leap toward the top tier, which is the resting place of LeBron James and Chris Paul.

---

---

There has been some trepidation this summer as Portland media -- namely Jason Quick of The Oregonian -- has reported trouble between the Blazers and star Brandon Roy with regards to his contract extension. Roy, as a three-year veteran, is eligible to have his rookie contract extended for up to five years, taking effect next July. He is expected to be the only maximum salary player from the draft class of 2006, but the issue with Portland has been contract length: Roy wanted a player option for the fifth season of the deal, and the Blazers weren't with it.

Well, that's all over. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports tweets that the team has reached an agreement with Roy for a five-year extension worth about $80 million, following on Quick's Tuesday report the sides were close to an agreement.

The Tim Thomas signing in Dallas makes it official: Free agency is winding down. Yeah, Lamar Odom is still out there and so are David Lee and a few others. But once you get to Tim Thomas, it means that Free Agency 2009 is poised to jump the shark.

Whatever the opposite of a difference-maker is, that's Thomas. Dallas will be the seventh NBA stop for Thomas, who was selected with the No. 7 pick in the 1997 draft. Yes, Thomas is talented, and, yes, he can stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting.

But we've heard those things for 12 years now. The reality of the situation is that Thomas will either be unhappy with limited minutes in Dallas or he'll get plenty of playing time there, meaning the Mavs aren't going to be going anywhere.

This week, as the (tongue-in-cheek) "golden aura" around Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard continues to dissipate, Jason Quick of The Oregonian reportS that contract negotiations with early extension candidates Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge have stalled.

With Aldridge, it's understandable. Quick reports the team wanted to give LMA a $10 million annual salary. Toronto extending Andrea Bargnani at that rate fudged those plans. But Roy ... what on Earth does Portland need to negotiate with Roy about? He's a maximum salary player, no doubt, and Pritchard should sign up for whatever contract length Roy requests -- three years a la LeBron, or the full five. There should be nothing to stall things because Pritchard should be nodding his head during the entire negotiation period.

Update: Hedo may not be headed to Portland after all -- reports now suggest he ended negotiations abruptly and will sign with the Raptors.

Henry Abbott of TrueHoop is reporting that the Blazers have landed top free agent Hedo Turkoglu for the princely sum of $50 million (or more) over five years. Hedo had been the expected target of Portland's largess before the Magic acquired Vince Carter. That move made this move rather logical from every perspective.

... well, except the perspective that it's unclear exactly why Portland needs a ball-dominant small forward. After all, the Blazers do have one Brandon Roy, eternal All-Star, under contract. And with Roy dominating the ball this season, the Blazers finished with the league's finest offense. In terms of offense, this is a bit like the Lakers adding Ron Artest: sounds good on the surface, but when you look at the details, you get a bit worried.

Rumors have run wild that Orlando Magic free agent Hedo Turkoglu is the main target of the Portland Trail Blazers this free-agent season. The Blazers are in need of veteran leadership and help at the small forward position, but I'm not sure that Turkoglu is the answer.

Turkoglu was extremely effective with the Magic this postseason, but that doesn't mean he's the right piece for the Blazers. If I were the Blazers, I would target Lakers free-agent small forward Trevor Ariza.