FanHouse SergioRodriguez

A lot of Kings fans, myself included, spent the 2008-09 season bemoaning the inability of Sacramento starting point guard Beno Udrih to cleanly pass the ball. But let me assure you: Beno has no problem passing the blame.

A candid, borderline cheerful Beno discussed the abominable 17-win season with Sacramento media Monday. And his opinion on what went wrong was impossible to misinterpret: blame coaches Reggie Theus and Kenny Natt.

"Sometimes last season, I didn't know if I was a small forward or a point guard," the 6'3 Udrih said. "We were definitely confused. We didn't have roles."

Just before the draft begins, DraftExpress has reported (with Sacramento Bee confirmation) Portland will send disappointing back-up point guard Sergio Rodriguez to Sacramento. In return, the teams will swap second round picks: Portland gets No. 31, Sacramento will pick No. 38.

If nothing else, the Kings come away with a Spanish point guard! (Right? Hello?) Portland adds about $1.6 million to its summer stockpile, in which the team is expected to chase a top flight point guard or small forward. The Kings desperately need depth at the point, even with three picks in tonight's draft. Sergio doesn't fit Nate McMillan's ball-control offense, but might (might!) soar under Paul Westphal.

Via P&T, reputable Tommy Dee of The Knicks Blog cites sources reporting that Portland is after New York forward David Lee. This isn't a particular surprise as every team in the league (including the Knicks) loves Lee. The last rumor had New York refusing Denver's offer of Chucky Atkins (expiring contract, decent back-up PG on a trigger-happy team) and two first-round picks for Lee. Two picks, even in the 20s ... that's a big of a haul, no? Given that reported rejection, actual players would need to be involved from Portland's side.

Dee mentions Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez, either of which could fit in to New York's program. Better, the trade of either secures the back-up point guard position for the other, and that can't hurt in terms of confidence. (It's like Harry Potter's prophecy, or something.)

The concern with Lee for Portland would be this: isn't he superfluous? The Blazers have little trouble on the glass and have a surprisingly efficient offense. Lee's strengths are ... rebounding and efficient scoring. Portland needs help on swing defense and bench shot creation. That's not Lee. At all.

Further, doesn't Portland have enough offseason salary issues piling up without the quixotic restricted free agency of Lee mucking things up? Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge are eligible for extensions; Ike Diogu and Channing Frye will be restricted free agents and the Blazers could have some cap space available, depending on the Darius Miles situation. Since the Blazers must give up something to get Lee, the team won't want to let him slip for nothing. I don't mean to question Kevin Pritchard's ability to get things done, but it seems like an added trouble with little real benefit for this particular team.

Mr. Edwards noted a reported trade request from Portland back-up Sergio Rodriguez in the Essentials, but there's been a bit of movement since then. The Portland media crew caught up with Rodriguez at practice; Ben Golliver from Blazer's Edge offers a thorough account. On the basic locus of consternation, though:

How do you see your future playing out?

I don't know. I'll continue being professional. I told everybody here I love here and I keep working and I think I improve in the two years I've been here. I continue with the team and hoping the team and wishing the team win every game. And help the team. [...]

Would you ask for a trade?

I mean, I am frustrated because I don't feel I can figure out the rotation on the team.

Sergio stops short of asking to be freed according to Golliver, but it's clear Rodriguez is confused and thinks he deserves consistent play. Honestly, I'm not clear as to why Portland has kept Rodriguez to this point; is his spotty play helping his trade value? Is the team looking to unload Steve Blake soon? I mean, in addition to Rodriguez, Blake and Jerryd Bayless, the team has Petteri Koponen simmering in Europe. The Blazers are also always stuck in rumors about acquiring a top-line PG.

Kevin Pritchard hasn't been one to resign himself to making a move -- he's the most proactive exec in the game. Golliver notes that Pritchard and Rodriguez spoke before Sergio explained his mood to the media. If Sergio said the same things to K.P., we might see a trade sooner than later. Or ... we might not. Who knows?

NBA Essentials ranks our six favorite stories of the day.

1. NY Post: Alas, Stephon Marbury will not be allowed by the Knicks to practice with kids from his old High School. The NBA: Where inactive means inactive.

2. The Detroit News: Joe Dumars consoles Rip Hamilton after dealing Chauncey Billups out of town.

3. Marca.com: If you can read Spanish, then you can read about Sergio Rodriguez's agent requesting a trade for him. (via HoopsHype)

4. SLAM: Bulls' new coach Vinnie Del Negro, already clashing with a couple of his players.

5. OrlandoSentinel.com: Brian Cook: bad basketball player, worse teammate.

6. Daily News: Baron Davis, following in Damon Jones' footsteps.

Note: Update at the bottom.

HOOPSWORLD reports the Blazers will announce the addition of Shaun Livingston to the roster later this evening (4PM EST). To be honest, Carl Landry's Charlotte offer sheet is the bigger news in real basketball terms (as in, Houston would lose a lot by shrugging Landry off), but Livingston's a big name 'til he retires, so a lot of ink will spill on this move.

Portland's point guard set fascinates me. Steve Blake is the incumbent, a crafty but restricted shooter who defends better than the others. Clearly, the Blazers aren't satisfied starting him. Sergio Rodriguez had planned to be the flower of the Northwest, but he and Nate McMillan have some sort of disconnect (likely to be defense-related). In successive years, the Blazers have drafted 19-year-old PG prospects: Finland's Petteri Koponen -- a kid the franchise almost brought over the sea for this coming season, someone both McMillan and Kevin Pritchard appear to be very high on -- and Jerryd Bayless out of Arizona. Pritchard moved up in the lottery to get Bayless at #11.

Blake's got to be trade bait if Bayless develops or McMillan gets Livingston minutes at the point. There is, of course, the possibililty Livingston has been acquired to add depth at the swing positions. As Livingston has made his recovery, murmurs that a loss in quickness from his gruesome injury would force Shaun to small forward or two-guard made the rounds. Without Koponen and with Rodriguez in flux, the Blazers would surely like an able point guard should Blake be jettisoned -- Bayless has a learning curve ahead of him. But this could also be a move for the next couple years, where -- should Portland move Travis Outlaw -- depth behind Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez and Martell Webster becomes a concern. Roy, Fernandez and Livingston, in particular, are flexible players who can run the offense or play off the ball. There's a lot McMillan can do here, and it'll be interesting to see how it shakes out (assuming HOOPSWORLD's report is accurate).

UPDATE: The Oregonian disagrees with HOOPSWORLD's report, and says Pritchard has told the media Livingston won't be signed. Timberwolves, Heat: you're back on the clock.

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

Brandon Roy and his All Star self really transformed this team fast didn't he? Portland was the NBA's biggest surprise early, and despite slowing down, you best believe that everyone is going to be picking them as the "breakout" for 2008-09. So let's get it out of the way -- they're going to be good. No using them to breakout. It's cheating. Especially if Kevin Pritchard does what he normally does and dominates this draft.

Picks: #13, #33, #36, #55

Needs: Point guard. I know they have Roy and Jarrett Jack and Sergio Rodriguez and Steve Blake ... and there's a reason they have so many point guards on the roster. They need a legit true bal to put them over the top.

Best case scenario: D.J. Augustin drops past the point guard needy Pacers, Kings and Clippers. Not likely to happen.

The Blazers' future just got a little brighter today following the news that Rudy Fernandez, a first-round pick last summer, has decided to leave Europe to play in the NBA:

"They have pushed hard for me to join them and have assured me I will be an important figure for them," Fernandez said at the news conference. "It wasn't an easy decision to take but it is the time for a new challenge after a fantastic year with Joventut."

Fernandez will make about $900,000 as a rookie next year, or about half of what he could have made were he stay in Europe. As mentioned yesterday, the NBA rookie pay scale is an awfully big stumbling block for a lot of teams trying to convince their foreign draft picks to come over, but Fernandez is apparently willing to make the financial sacrifice to take on the challenge.

I'm sure the fact that Sergio Rodriguez is already on Portland's roster makes the decision even easier -- the two are teammates for Spain's national team, and even a quick search on YouTube reveals no shortage of Sergio-to-Rudy alley-oop highlights. That kind of chemistry can't be created overnight, and it won't be a surprise at all if Nate McMillan pairs those two up as much as possible.

The citizens of the greater Portland area are naturally enthused at the prospect that Rudy Fernandez, Spanish star point guard, et al, is going to join the team next year, making the Trailblazers, assuming the return of Greg Oden, one of the most dangerous young nuclei we have seen in a while. However, things may not be as stone cold-locked as they've seen, based partially on the way Nate McMillan has handled the playing time of Sergio Rodriguez, according to Rudy himself. (Note that this is from a translated interview.)

Have you spoken with Sergio Rodriguez lately?

No, I've tried calling several times but haven't been able to get in contact with him. To me, Sergio is a good player and it's very weird to me that the coach isn't showing much confidence in him. Honestly, it really scares me to think that McMillian could do the same with me.

Will you go to Portland next year?

I haven't decided yet, that's the truth. I don't know if I'll make the jump now. When the season is over we'll see what's best.

Rudy also said if Portland GM Kevin Pritchard came to visit him in Spain, he would be "very nice to him" but probably wouldn't be able to provide him an answer. I don't for any stretch of the imagination think that McMillan's job is on the line here -- Portland was the first half shocker in terms of overachieving teams. But at the same time, this is the team that Pritchard hand crafted. And they're a legitimate point guard (Brandon Roy at two, and all apologies to Jarrett Jack) and the health of their octogeneric big man away from contending, so I gotta think either McMillan plays ball with their foreign investment. Either way, something will have to give, and one would think Pritchard is tired of coming up on the short end of the stick with relation to these point guard transactions.

You might be surprised to hear this, but the decision-makers in Portland are not thrilled with their current crop of point guards. Shocking, yes?

Jason Quick of The Oregonian reveals Portland made a big deadline push for Jose Calderon (a player Toronto would not consider giving up at this juncture), and is considering shifting two-guard Brandon Roy to the point permanently when Rudy Fernandez arrives from Spain. Whatever the case, the triptych of Jarrett Jack, Steve Blake and Sergio Rodriguez are not considered solutions.

Some good point guards should be on the board when Portland's pick comes up this June -- perhaps D.J. Augustin, Ty Lawson. No guarantees you'll grab a PG of the future at #13, but it isn't out of the question. And, allow me this response to every past and future instance when a beat writer mentions when Chris Paul and Deron Williams will be free agents: Chris Paul and Deron Williams will not make it to free agency. Their teams will offer the max without question or hesitation this summer. You will not get Chris Paul or Deron Williams this decade. Accept that. Thank you.