Giving your best player the ball in an iso with the game on the line is a bad idea

Chad FordofESPN.com linkedthe Indiana Pacers to interest in Portland Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford on Wednesday.Ken BergerofCBSSports.comreportedearlier Thursdaythat the Blazers were seeking a first round pick in Crawford deals. A league source confirmed those reports on Wednesday,providing some additional detailsof talks between the teams. ---------------------- A league source with knowledge of the situation told CBSSports.com later Thursday that reported talks between the Blazers and Pacers are "legitimate" and have included a scenario that would send Crawford to Indiana for guard A.J. Price and a 2012 first round pick. Indiana has sufficient salary cap space to absorb Crawford's contract without matching salaries. Indiana, the source said, is hesitant to part with a first round pick, given the quality and depth of this year's draft pool as well as Crawford's contract situation. ... Crawford's player option for 2012-2013 -- and the uncertainty that goes with it -- could be hurting his value during early trade talks. "The first team to give Portland a first round pick for Crawford will have him," the source predicted. ---------------------- Crawford haspreviously been linkedto the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers in rumors. Regular updates posting on Twitter as well. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter

Stephen LitelofHoopsWorld.com with some trade-related quotesfrom Portland Trail Blazers guard Raymond Felton. -------------------------- "It’s one of those things where I didn’t really come in the way that I normally would shape-wise because you have them telling you, ‘We might start in January. Nope, we’ll start in February.’ All of a sudden, they tell you that you have to report to your team within a week and it’s one of those seasons where you can’t control it, you can’t do anything about it." ... "I’ve told the guys, ‘When your name is in trade rumors, it means teams like you.’ Teams know your potential and know your game, so it’s not necessarily a bad thing all the time. It’s good to know there are teams out there that know your game and are willing to take you on their team, but on the flipside of it, you can’t really get into all of it because it can mess with your head. I’ve seen it happen with a lot of guys." ... "I definitely don’t read that stuff," said Felton. "You’d be amazed at all the stuff that gets written, so I don’t really get into all that." -------------------------- Blazers president Larry Miller provided a similar explanation for Felton's slow startin an interview last week. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter

John HollingerofESPN.com writes in a chat的开拓者shopping just about the entire roster... ------------------- The Blazers will move pretty much anybody except Aldridge and Batum, and they might even move Batum if the right Canadian point guard came along. So yes, expect conversations involving Wallace, Felton, Crawford, Camby and Matthews. ------------------- -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter

Here'saudio of a radio interviewwithChad Doingof750 AM The Gamefrom Thursday morning. What can I say? A little fired up. Spot starts a few minutes in. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter

Ken BergerofCBSSports.com reports的开拓者in the trade deadline phone call mix. --------------------------------- The Trail Blazers have been among the most active teams, seeking to move Jamal Crawford and acquire a big man -- either in the same or separate deals. The asking price for Crawford, however, includes a first-round pick in addition to Luke Ridnour (Timberwolves) or Eric Bledsoe (Clippers). Depending on what point guard the Blazers can bring back in a deal, they'd also be in a position to put Raymond Felton out of his misery. Felton's up-tempo style and Nate McMillan's deliberate offense clearly are not fitting together. "They've got to make major changes," one executive said. --------------------------------- -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter

Chad FordofESPN.com writesthat Portland Trail Blazers forward Gerald Wallace is the No. 6 impact player likely to be moved in advance of next week's trade deadline. ------------------------------ The Blazers balked a bit at moving Wallace at the start of the season, but they seem more open to it now. Nicolas Batum is their long-term answer at the small forward position, and they aren't really competing for a title. A few long-term assets might be all that's required to pry Wallace from Portland. I could see the Magic making a big push in this direction. ------------------------------ He also writes the following regarding Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo. ------------------------------ If [Celtics president Danny] Ainge waits and does nothing, the Celtics will be a middling lottery team without much hope next season -- in the same spot where Ainge inherited them a few years ago. He doesn't want to go back there. If he can get two pieces back for Rondo, I think he'll do it. Atlanta, Portland and Indiana are interesting destinations if they are willing to pay. ------------------------------ -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter

Joe FreemanofThe Oregonian reportsan interesting scene involving Portland Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford at the end of Wednesday night's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Dave's recap here.) --------------------------- As Crawford headed to the bench late in the fourth quarter, with a Blazers loss in sight, a fan from the front row shouted, "It’s OK, Jamal. You’re going to be a Timberwolf soon." ... "I think at the end of the day, we’re only human," said Crawford, who made 3 of 13 shots and scored six points. "So no matter what somebody says, I’m sure it’s in the back of their heads. They hear about the rumors and stuff. But we have to be professional and go out and do the best job we can." --------------------------- -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter

Sam SmithofBulls.com writesthat Portland Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford could be one player the Chicago Bulls consider making a run at prior to the deadline. ----------------------------- Still another former Bull whom the Bulls did look at as well before he signed with Portland. But things have not gone well there and he likely can be had now. Although he’s having a poor season shooting 40 percent overall, he is a big shot maker and can handle the ball and make plays. I don’t see what the Bulls have the Trailblazers would want. After all, they’re not a team that rebuilds with draft picks. Could you talk them into Watson, Jimmy Butler and a No. 1? Perhaps, assuming you’d give that much up for a short rental. I think Portland ends up doing better if they trade Crawford. ----------------------------- -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter

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