| 25 July 2009
I’m not sure if Jerryd Bayless has Jermaine O’Neal’s phone number in Miami, but if not someone might want to hook Bayless up with those digits.
O'Neal can sympathize from his days in Rip City; there are similarities in their situations.
Word is Portland has been shopping Bayless for over the past week, and according to league and team sources and those in the know, the Blazers had him on the trade table for one and all to feast on.
Maybe that is not the case now. But with Portland signing Andre Miller to a free agent contract on Friday, you have to think the Blazers will at least entertain offers for Bayless (and Travis Outlaw for that matter. Combined, the two are set to make $6 million next season) if not make a call or two themselves.
Besides, Miller - and Steve Blake as well - are going to make it real tough for Bayless to see the floor. After arriving in Philadelphia during the 2006 season, Miller never missed a game for the Sixers (has only missed three games his entire NBA career of 10 seasons) and is currently running a tally of 530-straight games played. Ironman indeed.
That brings me to Jermaine O’Neal – because even if Portland moves Bayless they run the risk of turning Jerryd into Jermaine all over again. Such is the case when you trade a kid before he can show what he can really do. But where does he fit?
Back after the 2000 season, one of Portland’s previous administrations led by general manager Bob Whitsitt traded a then young spry O’Neal to the Indiana Pacers after the Blazers struggled to find a role for him among the likes of veterans Brian Grant, Rasheed Wallace, Gary Trent and Arvydas Sabonis.
After four seasons in Portland, all Jermaine had to show for his time was a maximum of 13.5 minutes per game. That came in 1997-8, O’Neal’s sophomore season when he appeared in 60 games. By the end though, he was playing a couple minutes here and a few minutes there before being traded.
The trade to Indiana proved a blessing for O’Neal. He bulked up. He was a beast.
He averaged 12.9 points starting 81 games for the Pacers in 2000-01. The following season he earned Most Improved Player honors. In 11 seasons, he averaged double-digits in scoring. His best season came in 2004-05 when he averaged 24.3 points per game, and in three of those seasons he averaged a double-double per game.
Did I mention he’s been a six-time all-star?
Now what are the chances Bayless gets traded and writes that kind of resume for himself? Surely the Blazers don’t want to find out. It all depends if they move him or not.
Instead, Bayless should just call Jermaine to figure out to deal with four seasons of playing the understudy in Portland.
pic via: assets espn
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