A sneak peak of Hedo Turkoglu in a Blazer uniform.

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According to Bowerz, ESPN is reporting that the Blazers have reached a deal in principle with Hedo Turkoglu. None of the financial information has been divulged yet and a deal can't get official until July 8th. So the free agent signing we all were wondering about appears to be done. Hedo Turkoglu is going to be a Blazer. I am excited to see what happens. This means we are definitely going to shake up our line-up a bit and we now have a clutch player who can compliment BRoy. Awesome.

For a little more on this, and some info from Henry Abbott who broke the story, check out Ben's post at Blazer's Edge. Also, I will be out of town and away from the internet for the weekend, so look for Bowerz to give you more information on the deal. I guess it's time to really step away from the ledge, Hedo is coming to Portland!

Photo courtesy of Oregon Live.

Greg Oden is in Ohio as many of you know. But we hadn't heard anything about his progress for awhile. Thanks to SM at Oregon Live I was able to read a nice Kerry Eggers article on Oden's progress. Bobby Medina, Bill Bayno, Larry Greer and even Briant Grant have taken opportunities to train Greg. Apparently Greg is in great shape, working very hard and is primed to make his presence felt next year. This last line from Bayno brings a smile to my face:

"I think I'm pretty much going to be with him the whole summer," he says. "This will a big year for Greg. It's going to be the year he steps out of his shadow and really produces for us."

I think Greg is going to be our most surprising and impressive player next year. The excitement of the draft and free agency is camoflauging the fact that Oden is getting himself completely prepared for next season. Bring on the Lakers and Spurs.

I wanted to jump. I could NOT believe the reports I was hearing! I crept closer to the edge, then I had an epiphany.

Much like most Blazer fans, when I first heard rumors of potentially signing Hedo Turkoglu I just didn't get it. WHY?? First thing that came to mind was that the Blazers finished the regular season 1st in the league in offensive efficiency and 13th in defensive efficiency. Then why are we trying to sign a guy that can't guard his shadow?

Or so I thought.

The last bit of news following a chaotic day yesterdayis the summer league roster for the Blazers. It was sent out yesterday and features Jerryd Bayless, Patty Mills, Jeff Pendergraph and Dante Cunningham. Theoretically Bayless will be given every opportunity to show he can run point, while Pendergraph and Cunningham will try to earn the back-up power forward position for Portland.

I'm not sure where Patty Mills will fit in on the team next year but he has a chance to show off in just less than two weeks.

The team will be coached by Joe Prunty and I've already got my ticket to Vegas for the last weekend. It should be a good time, hopefully I make it to the games.

The final rehearsal video of Michael Jackson, 2 days before his death, has hit the web. MJ was putting the final touches on his big farewell tour at this rehearsal in Los Angeles at the Staples Center on June 23rd. It's worth a look....

Whatever your thoughts are on Michael Jackson as a person, you have to admit he was a musical genius. Too bad he was a freak in the other areas of his life.

For the third time in three years, Zach Randolph has been traded. two out of those three times the team got next to nothing in return. But that didn't matter because every time the team losing him was better off.Obviously it was a move that opens a spot for Blake Griffin, but getting rid of Z-Bo is just icing on the cake.

It is really amazing to me that a guy can put up 20 and 10 and still be traded to the Grizzlies for a no production clown like Quentin Richardson. The bottom line is that teams are realizing(not the Grizzlies) that Z-Bo is a blackhole and a cancer. Since the day the Blazers got rid of him I was very in favor of his departure. You must drop dead weight. Period.

This has gotten swept under the rug to a certain extent but still important Blazer news. Adrian Wojnarowski hinted in his free agent buzz article that Williams may be interviewing for the Timberwolves head coaching job. Here's the blurb:

According to Chris Sheridan of ESPN (via Blazers Edge) Rudy is mad as hell about the Blazers potential signing of Hedo Turkoglu. Apparently Rudy is getting multiple offers from European teams and might consider taking his game back overseas.