Turkoglu not a one-team show

While Hedo Turkoglu is being wined and dined in two time zones by the Portland Trail Blazers, his other potential suitors aren't sitting around waiting for them to kiss each other good night.

The Toronto Raptors, for one, are deliberating what it would take to make Turkoglu an offer that would top the the five-year, $50 million proposal that Portland can offer, as reported early Wednesday by CBSSports.com. According to a person familiar with the situation, the Raptors are mulling whether they would be better off making a pre-emptive strike for Turkoglu -- which would entail renouncing the rights to Shawn Marion, Carlos Delfino, and Anthony Parker -- or trying to keep those players and sign a mid-level free agent. Toronto has yet to offer an extension to 2010 free agent Chris Bosh; that decision is tied to the others. And Turkoglu isn't the only free agent Toronto is considering. League sources indicated early Thursday that the Raptors also were contemplating an offer to restricted free agent David Lee. Any offer to Lee, by definition, would be in the $8-$10 million range so it would test the Knicks' threshold for matching. And Lee's list of potential suitors shrank by one Wednesday when Memphis traded Quentin Richardson to the Clippers for power forward Zach Randolph.

With so many moving parts -- and with Turkoglu having entertained Blazers coach Nate McMillan in Orlando Wednesday night with plans to visit Portland on Thursday -- it is clear that the recruitment of Turkoglu isn't a one-team show. Turkoglu's camp expected Portland to extend its formal offer during the course of Turkoglu's recruiting trip to the Pacific Northwest on Thursday.

If Portland landed Turkoglu, it would be the first big-ticket free-agent signing of GM Kevin Pritchard's reign. While some involved might view Toronto's preparation of a pre-emptive offer as brash or shameless, this is why the negotiating period was created. Free agents may negotiate and consider offers from July 1-7, but can't sign on the dotted line until the league and players association set the salary cap and luxury tax on July 8.

That's a sick starting 5.Do kids still say sick?? Wow, I must be getting old.

Anyways, yeah it's a nice looking lineup other than Jameer Nelson. I'm not sure why Magic fans seem to overvalue him so much. I'd rather have Rafer Alston than Nelson. And I'd also rather have Hedo Turoglu than Vince Carter or Shawn Marion. Carter's and Marion's best basketball is behind them.

Turkoglu not a one-team show

Jameer Nelson is a perfect compliment to all of these players. Good thing you aren't a GM because the first thing the Magic needed and wanted to do was to get rid of Alston. It was always the plan to pick up a decent point guard when Nelson went out with his shoulder injury and make a run in the playoffs.

But make no mistake, Nelson is a much better player than Alston. He may not necessarly be a better scorer, but there is no question he is the overall best point guard out of the two. Nelson has continued to improve at every category especially in 3pointers, assists and less turnovers. Alston is a turnover machine who's field goal percentage gets wors and worse.

Turkoglu not a one-team show

If the Blazers sign Turkoglu for 5 years, and Oden pans out, they will have a big 4...and that will be very scary if they can all play together well.

PG-Blake
SG-Roy
SF-Turkoglu
PF-Aldridge
C-Oden

Even more scary is if they were able to bring Andre Miller over also...or draw CP3 next year by diving deep into Allens pockets. He's not afraid of the luxury cap especially since he feels this team can win multiple championships over the next 5-10 years.

unforgiven Reputation: 86 Level: All-Star Since: Dec 29, 2006	Posted on: July 2, 2009 2:10 am Score: 53 Turkoglu not a one-team show turkoglu is a nice player and he seems to like playing in pressure games but is he really a max money guy?..that amazes me who gets top dollars now [ Reply to Comment ]
BucFan34 Reputation: 94 Level: All-Star Since: Jun 4, 2008	Posted on: July 2, 2009 9:45 am Score: 74 Turkoglu not a one-team show Sign and trade for Bosh or Marion? Bosh would be crazy but if Orlando managed to do a sign and trade and get Marion here, they'd be golden. PG: Jameer Nelson SG: Vince Carter SF: Shawn Marion PF: Rashard Lewis C: Dwight Howard That's a sick starting 5. [ Reply to Comment ]
blackngold66 Reputation: 98 Level: Superstar Since: Aug 17, 2006	Posted on: July 2, 2009 10:30 am Score: 102 Turkoglu not a one-team show That's a sick starting 5.Do kids still say sick?? Wow, I must be getting old. Anyways, yeah it's a nice looking lineup other than Jameer Nelson. I'm not sure why Magic fans seem to overvalue him so much. I'd rather have Rafer Alston than Nelson. And I'd also rather have Hedo Turoglu than Vince Carter or Shawn Marion. Carter's and Marion's best basketball is behind them. [ Reply to Comment ]
vjk44 Reputation: 0 Level: Amateur Since: Jul 2, 2009	Posted on: July 2, 2009 10:58 am Score: 168 Turkoglu not a one-team show Jameer Nelson is a perfect compliment to all of these players. Good thing you aren't a GM because the first thing the Magic needed and wanted to do was to get rid of Alston. It was always the plan to pick up a decent point guard when Nelson went out with his shoulder injury and make a run in the playoffs. But make no mistake, Nelson is a much better player than Alston. He may not necessarly be a better scorer, but there is no question he is the overall best point guard out of the two. Nelson has continued to improve at every category especially in 3pointers, assists and less turnovers. Alston is a turnover machine who's field goal percentage gets wors and worse. [ Reply to Comment ]
Porvalsh Reputation: 91 Level: All-Star Since: Sep 4, 2007	Posted on: July 2, 2009 12:04 pm Score: 82 Turkoglu not a one-team show If the Blazers sign Turkoglu for 5 years, and Oden pans out, they will have a big 4...and that will be very scary if they can all play together well. PG-Blake SG-Roy SF-Turkoglu PF-Aldridge C-Oden Even more scary is if they were able to bring Andre Miller over also...or draw CP3 next year by diving deep into Allens pockets. He's not afraid of the luxury cap especially since he feels this team can win multiple championships over the next 5-10 years. [ Reply to Comment ]

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