Gary Payton says Damian Lillard must get better on defense

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has become one of the fastest rising stars in the NBA. Lillard along with LaMarcus Aldridge have transformed the Blazers into a threat in the Western Conference.

Even though Lillard has shown that he is one of the better players in the league, former NBA All-Star, Hall of Famer and fellow Oakland native Gary Payton says that Lillard must become a better defender to make his team better and become an elite player.

“He can be like Patrick Beverley [of the Houston Rockets] if he wants to, but that’s a mindset,” Payton told Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com Thursday night at American AirlinesArena. “I think Damian has to be willing and ready to play that type of way. Right now, he’s scoring so easily and he’s so good at the offensive end, he doesn’t have to think about defense. He doesn’t have to think about it because he knows he can outscore somebody.

“He can have 35 [points] when he wants to and that’s where the game is going right now. But we have to get that out his mindset. If he wants to be a two-way guard and have his name in a legacy for being that way, he has to step it up on the defensive end.”

Payton and Lillard were supposed to workout together last summer but their scheduled didn't vibe. Payton in dogging Lillard, he just wants to see him be one of the best and perhaps get his team to a championship level. Payton feels that being an elite level defender is a state of mind more than scheduling workouts.

“It’s all about your mentality. You can’t teach nobody nothing about good defense,” Payton says. “All you can do is if you have good hands, good feet and you get the mindset that you’re going to sit down and lock somebody up. You have to want to learn how to do it and watch yourself do it. That’s when you become good. I can’t go out there and say, ‘Okay, move your feet, do this, move this, move your hands right there.’ No, you have to have instincts with the game. It’s a mentality. Defense just isn’t a part of our game nowadays.”

“Just like John Stockton, he was a two-way guard. He played defense and he played offense and he went into the Hall of Fame averaging 12 points and 12 assists. So that’s just the way people have to do it in my opinion. That’s the way I came up playing against basketball players like that."

If Lillard is going to get tips from anyone defensively why not from one of the better defenders that played the game. Payton has thrown down a challenge to Lillard but not in a negative way. Payton knows there are more ways to impact a game.

“I think Damian has the potential to be a dominant defender and I think he wants that because he’s a smart basketball player and he wants to get better every year,” he said. “I think he’s going to go in and see the way he’s not stopping guards that he should be stopping. There’s no way that you can stop guards in the NBA right now anyways with the rules. All you can do is contain them and if you can contain them, you’ll disrupt their rhythm. I’m hopeful he’ll get it.” 

Lillard isn't terrible but the series against the San Antonio Spurs showed that he needs to be able to contain players like Tony Parker in order to become a championship team instead of facing first or second round playoff exits.

    

Jared Jeffries will have his own fishing show on the Outdoor Network

Former NBA player Jared Jeffries carved out an 11 year career as a contributor on four different NBA teams. The veteran played for the Washington Wizards, had two stints with the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and Portland Trail Blazers. The Knicks reportedly wanted Jeffries back for a third time before Jeffries decided to retire and become a scout with the Denver Nuggets.

Jeffries also has a love of fishing and he's going to get to show it on the Outdoor Network. Jeffries will have his own fishing show on the Outdoor Network.

Jeffries wasn't much of a star in the NBA, but stayed around long enough to make a living at it. Noe he gets a chance to be the star of his own show.

Former NBA star, Clifford Robinson, to appear on 'Survivor'

Former NBA forward Cliff Robinson will be on the upcoming season of reality series Survivor.
On Wednesday, CBS announced Robinson would be a cast member of Survivor: Cagayan, which premieres Feb. 26.

“It’s a challenge to come out here and see if I can one, play the game, and maneuver through the game at 6-10,” Robinson said in a bio video for the show.

The 46-year-old Robinson, who played 18 seasons in the NBA and was named an All-Star in 1994, cited his reason for being on “Survivor” on his bio: “The challenge of the show being so tough, and the million dollars.” And why does he think he’ll win? “I think I would do well in challenges. I also have a good ability to make people feel comfortable with me.”

Robinson played 1,380 games in the NBA with the Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, and Golden State Warriors, averaging 14.2 points and 4.6 rebounds.

Rasheed Wallace fails to pay unpaid taxes

Rasheed Wallace owes an Oregon county more than $150,000 in unpaid property taxes. Multnomah County is still trying to collect money on a house Wallace owns in the Portland area.

Wallace's wife tried to make a $35,000 payment online but when the county tried to collect the money it was told the account is not valid.

That means Wallace is still on the hook for the roughly $150,000 property tax bill, plus a 16 percent penalty for not paying on time.

Dave Austin with Multnomah County told KGW as a result, a $25 returned check fee will be added to the $150,000 bill.

Wallace is a former Portland Trail Blazer who is now an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons.

Blazers rookie C.J. McCollum out six weeks with a broken foot

The Trail Blazers announced Wednesday rookie guard C.J. McCollum will miss at least six weeks after undergoing a non-operative ultrasound procedure to repair a fractured bone in his foot done by the same physician that treated Stephen Curry’s ankles prior to the 2012-2013 season, Dr. Robert Anderson.

McCollum will miss six weeks and will then be reevaluated.

McCollum, a 6-4 guard from Lehigh, was drafted 10th by the Blazers in this year's draft and leading into the draft there were questions about a fractured bone in his foot he suffered in January.

More than likely he'll still travel with the team.

Can C.J. McCollum be another Damian Lillard?

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard had a fantastic rookie season. The 6-3 Weber State product had questions about whether he could play against elite level competition, but he put those to rest by having the best season of the 2012 draftees and more than likely winning the NBA rookie of the year.

Another small school guard, Lehigh's C.J. McCollum will face some of the same questions as he gets ready for the 2013 NBA Draft. Can he play point guard after being a dynamic scorer in college. Can he produce consistently against players on a higher level. More importantly, will he be fully recovered from a broken foot that sidelined him for most of his senior season. McCollum says he's ready to go and that he's 100 percent.

In my opinion he can play against elite level competition. Look what he did to Duke in the 2012 NCAA tournament. My question is, can he become another Damian Lillard?

Many thought that Lillard wouldn't be able to make the transition to the NBA game. He seemingly looked for his shot first and couldn't make his teammates better. Furthermore he played in the Big Sky conference. Not a conference known for churning out first round NBA draft picks. He wasn't a true point abut he didn't have the size for a shooting guard.

When you look at McCollum's size he almost mirrors Lillard. Lillard is listed at 6-3, 190 pounds. McCollum is listed at 6-3 and 200 pounds. He isn't known to be a "facilitator"  and scouts say he has work to do to become a true point guard. He played in the Patriot League and he was also hurt for most of his senior year.

I don't think you try to remake his game. You look at what Lillard has done as a pro and ask yourself can McCollum become the same type of player. I do think McCollum can be a solid pro if put in the right situation. Lillard came into Portland not to be a savior, but as a functional part of a team. The Blazers already had LaMarcus Aldridge so they had someone to build around.

For a team looking for a guard to plug and play right away, McCollum could be your man. Especially if that team isn't a perennial cellar dweller. He could fit in best with a team like Dallas, Chicago or the Los Angeles Clippers. But if a team wants him to be the man and not a contributor it might not work out too well.

Olshey shuns Clippers, takes Blazers GM job

After working without a contract this season and being left to twist in the wind by Donald Sterling, Los Angeles Clippers general manager Neil Olshey pulled a swerve on the Clippers and took the Portland Trail Blazers job.

Olshey wasn't guaranteed a contract by the Clippers and had an agreement in principle with the team until the Blazers came calling. Olshey built the team that went to the second round of the playoffs and had the best winning percentage (.606) in franchise history.

Olshey also interviewed for the Blazers job last year. To be honest I really can't blame him for leaving. I won't get into an anti-Sterling tirade but can you really trust him. I could see Sterling pulling the rug from under Olshey and instructing him to blow up the current edition of the team in a few years.

The Clippers have started a search for a general manager before the offseason kicks into full gear. As of now Coach Vinny Del Negro, director of player personnel Gary Sacks and team president Andy Roeser will handle all of team’s responsibilities in regard to basketball operations.

Camby says Blazers players believe in a curse

The Portland Trail Blazers have historically been ravaged by injury. Going back to Bill Walton up to LaMarcus Aldridge and his bad hip this season. If it's not an injury it's been bad people on the team (Jail Blazers) or talented teams that choked (the Clyde Drexler Blazers).

Big man Marcus Camby was traded to the Houston Rockets and it probably extended his career a few more years. In an interview with ESPN's Marc Stein Camby touched upon the Blazers injuries and said that the players in Portland do believe there is a curse.


Q: You know those of us in the media throw around words like "curse." But what about the players on that team? In the Blazers' locker room, are guys asking: What next?


A: They might not want to admit it, but when I was there, my goodness, people were saying, "Are we really snake-bit? Are we really cursed?" Doubts and talks like that came about. Everybody just tried to brush it to one side and remain positive, but it was hard to escape because everybody was talking about it. It's hard to argue when it keeps happening year after year after year.


Maybe the team needs some kind of good luck charm or something. Maybe having a group prayer around the arena might work. I've seen to many Blazers seasons and players go down in flames because of some debilitating injury.

Roy entertaining thoughts of a comeback

There was a point when Brandon Roy was one of the top young players in the game. Roy garnered Rookie of the Year honors and was a three time All-Star. Then his knees betrayed him and he wasn't the same player. There were flashes, like the playoff comeback against Dallas last year, but due to no cartilage in his knees, Roy was robbed of his explosiveness which led him to retire at the young age of 27.

After some time away from the game and working out behind the scenes, Roy is entertaining the thought of making a comeback. Roy told Eurobasket, 'It's hard being away from the game. Don't be surprised if you see Brandon Roy make his way back to the court.' 


 'It burns being away from the game and watching the entire season from the outside.'


   I'm sure Roy will have his detractors, but he believes that he can make it happen. Throw in the fact that sources say that despite his knee problems, his retirement wasn't "all health related". That's something he won't talk about.

'There's something to it, but it's not the right time for me to get into it right now,' Roy said. 'I've been doing some treatment and I'm trying to leave the window open to returning to basketball.'   


I think there was some team turmoil behind the scenes and Roy decided it was best for the team if he left town. Just my personal opinion. I also think he still sees himself as the All-Star level player he was before his knees robbed him of his skills. If there is some way to make it back Roy is determined to find it.

“It’s the truth. It’s really hard being so far away from the game. I spend time watching Jamal (Crawford) and following all of his games; Will (Conroy) and Tre (Simmons) are both doing their thing, so it’s driving me to wanna come back out there. If the treatment I’ve been looking into can work, I believe there’s a good chance you will see Brandon Roy back hoopin’."


I would love to see this happen, but I just don't see how. Roy's knees were bone on bone and at points he reminded me of Horace Pinker from the movie "Shocker". Unless there is some procedure that can get some cartilage in his knees, Roy will stay on the sidelines. I would hate to see him struggle trying to make a comeback.

Aldridge had thoughts of leaving Portland

Since the days of Bill Walton it seems like the Portland Trail Blazers have been cursed by injuries to their stars. Either injuries or bad apples in the locker room. The latest blow to the Blazers has been Greg Oden's latest setback trying to recover from knee surgery, which will probably end his Blazers career and put his NBA career in serious jeopardy.

There was once a time when the Blazers were thought to be an up and coming force in the NBA. I was one of those believers. They had Brandon Roy, the team leader and All-Star. LaMarcus Aldridge, a big man with tons of potential. Then there was Greg Oden, who was thought to be the next dominant big man in the NBA. With the three young guns on board. Aldridge felt out of place and low in the pecking order behind Roy, Oden, and Andre Miller. So Aldridge was at a point where he thought leaving Portland would be better for his career.

"I was the last of the Big Three," Aldridge said, referring to his importance. "I even remember Coach telling me that the team is really good, but you are the glue," referring to a term for a role player who does the little things to keep the team together. "And I was like, 'Aw man, I'm the glue?' I mean, that's not a bad role, but I saw myself being so much more." 


Aldridge is now the cornerstone of the franchise since the Blazers lost Roy to retirement (bad knees) and Oden to chronic knee problems. But Aldridge had doubts about being in Portland and him being an All-Star if Roy and Oden remained healthy.


"No. No. No. I wouldn't," Aldridge said. "I mean, I would go as far to ask would I even still be here?"

"I probably would have ended up signing somewhere else," Aldridge said. "Think about it. I was the last option out of those guys, so they both would have gotten max deals, and they wouldn't have given me my deal (five years, $62.5 million). They only signed me because I was the only low post threat left on the team. If they had Greg, they don't give me the number I wanted, and I'm somewhere else. I think about it all the time. I wouldn't even be here had Greg not gotten hurt." 


Now Aldridge holds no grudges and wished the two had stayed healthy to see how things would've turned out. But there is no doubt that he might've been forced to leave to advance his career to the level it is now. Aldridge is happy in Portland and not because he's option number one. He just wanted a bigger role on the team, but he happened to get it because the other two stars were felled by injury. I'm sure Aldridge would like to rewrite the script but if the Blazers could get a few pieces to surround Aldridge they could be thought of as a contender once again.