The Trailblazers have re-signed 23-year old center Greg Oden to a 1-year deal. Oden missed all of last season due to knee surgery. He last played back in 2009-2010 for the Blazers and he averaged 23.9 minutes, 11.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 2.3 blocked shots per game. Oden has now played in 82 games (60 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 22.1 minutes, 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game. The Blazers really hope that Oden can get healthy and stay that way in 2011-12. They have to be having nightmares of taking Oden in the NBA Draft over Kevin Durant.

I don’t think the Trailblazers have to do much at all when the lockout is lifted. Maybe they will want to bring in a veteran big man to back up Marcus Camby at center, but that’s about all they need. They can pick that guy up in free agency to keep the current roster in tact. The Trailblazers are a team on the rise in the Western Conference.

The Trailblazers picked 23-year old, 6′6″, 205 pound shooting guard Jon Diebler with the 51st overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. Diebler played in 37 games for Ohio State last year and he averaged 35.7 minutes, 12.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steal per game. He also shot 50.2% from three-point range last year as he hit 114 of 227 shots behind the arc. Diebler played in 144 games in his four years in college and he averaged 32.5 minutes, 10.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Diebler might be able to get on the floor for the Blazers in 2011-12 as a long range assassin.

The Trailblazers picked 22-year old SG/PG Nolan Smith out of Duke with the 21st overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft last night. Smith can handle either guard slot as he is 6′2″, 185 pounds. Smith played in 37 games for Duke last year and he averaged 34.0 minutes, 20.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He played in 143 games in four years in college and he averaged 26.9 minutes, 13.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Smith can handle either guard slot, so he will likely get minutes behind Raymond Felton at the point and Wes Matthews at shooting guard in 2011-12.

The Portland Trailblazers acquired 26-year old point guard Raymond Felton (from the Mavericks) and the #57 overall pick (F Tanguy Ngombo - who was sold to the Timberwolves) for 35-year old point guard Andre Miller and a future second round pick in 2013-14. The Blazers also dealt 26-year old shooting guard Rudy Fernandez and PG/SG Petteri Koponen to the Mavericks with SF Jordan Hamilton (#26 overall) going from the Mavericks to the Nuggets. The Blazers wanted to get younger and to play at a faster pace which was the reason for this deal. Raymond Felton played in 75 games (54 starts) overall for the Knicks & Nuggets last year and he averaged 36.5 minutes, 15.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Felton has now played in 474 games (423 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 35.2 minutes, 13.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Andre Miller played in 81 games (all starts) last year and he averaged 32.7 minutes, 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Miller played in 163 games (147 starts) in his two years with the Blazers and he averaged 31.6 minutes, 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Rudy Fernandez played in 78 games (3 starts) for the Blazers and he averaged 23.3 minutes, 8.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He played in 218 games (9 starts) in his three years in Portland and he averaged 24.1 minutes, 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steal per game.

I really like this deal for the Blazers as Felton will jumpstart the offense. The Blazers also got rid of Rudy Fernandez who never seemed happy with his role in Portland.