The Trailblazers have sent 21-year old rookie forward Luke Babbitt to the D-League. Babbitt has played in 21 games (0 starts) for the Trailblazers so far this year and he is averaging 4.8 minutes, 1.1 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game. He had the reputation coming out of college of being a good shooter but he hasn’t shown that so far this year in Portland. Babbitt is shooting 28.6% from the floor, 9.1% from three point range and 28.6% from the free throw line so far this year. Hopefully by getting minutes in the D-League he will be able to sharpen up his game a bit before he returns to Portland.

The Trailblazers have signed 32-year old center Jarron Collins to a 10-day contract. Collins played in 23 games (0 starts) earlier this year for the Clippers and he averaged 6.8 minutes, 0.7 points and 0.7 rebounds per game. He has now played in 537 games (216 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 22.8 minutes, 5.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. The Blazers needed another big body and that’s exactly what Collins is….he’s just not a very talented one.

The Portland Trailblazers have acquired 27-year old small forward Gerald Wallace from the Trailblazers for 31-year old center Joel Przybilla, 23-year old power forward Dante Cunningham, 35-year old PF/C Sean Marks and 2 1st round picks. Gerald Wallace played in 48 games (all starts) for the Bobcats this season and he averaged 39.0 minutes, 15.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 592 games (454 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 30.5 minutes, 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocked shot per game. Wallace will bump Nicolas Batum to the bench, and he will pair with LaMarcus Aldridge to give the Blazers one of the best forward tandems in the NBA. He brings energy to both ends of the court and he is a outstanding rebounder.

Joel Przybilla played in 31 games (9 starts) for the Blazers this season and he averaged 14.4 minutes, 1.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. In 7 years with the Blazers, Przybilla played in 395 games (273 starts) in which he averaged 22.4 minutes, 4.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.9 blocked shots per game. The Blazers shouldn’t miss Przybilla too much. Dante Cunningham played in 56 games (9 starts) for the Trailblazers this season and he averaged 19.8 minutes, 5.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. He played in 119 games (11 starts) in his two seasons with the Blazers and he averaged 15.3 minutes, 4.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. The Blazers will miss Cunningham a little bit as he really improved in his second year for them. Sean Marks played in 29 games (0 starts) for the Blazers this season and he was averaging 7.2 minutes, 1.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game.

Gerald Wallace didn’t come cheap, but the Trailblazers are a much better team now than they were yesterday. I really like this deal for them.

The Trailblazers have sent 21-year old rookie point guard Armon Johnson to the Idaho Stampede of the D-League. Johnson has played in 28 games (0 starts) for the Blazers so far this year and he is averaging 8.1 minutes, 3.1 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. But, in January, Johnson has only played in 1 game in which he played five minutes and grabbed two rebounds without scoring any points. It was smart of the Blazers to send Johnson to the D-League so that he can get P.T. I think they will call him back up if he gets off to a good start in the D-League.

The Trailblazers will be without starting center Marcus Camby indefinitely as he will have surgery to repair a partial tear of the meniscus in his left knee. Camby has played in 39 games (all starts) for the Trailblazers so far this year and he is averaging 28.7 minutes, 5.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.9 blocked shots per game. The Blazers are really going to miss Camby because of his defense and hustle. Veteran Joel Przybilla and 2nd year man Dante Cunningham will have to pick up the slack until Camby is ready to return to action. Przybilla started late this season as he was rehabbing from surgery so the Blazers will likely be watching his minutes. Przybilla has played in 16 games (0 starts) for the Blazers so far this year and he is averaging 9.4 minutes, 1.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Dante Cunningham will likely see the biggest bump in P.T. while Camby is out of action. Cunningham has played in 42 games (3 starts) for the Blazers so far this year and he is averaging 18.6 minutes, 4.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.