Report: Turkoglu agrees to terms with Blazers
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)â€â€ÂÂHedo Turkoglu reportedly agreed to join the Portland Trail Blazers after helping Orlando reach the NBA finals this season.
ESPN.com on Friday cited unidentified sources and did not disclose terms. Turkoglu’s agent, Lon Babby, did not immediately return calls or e-mails. Portland cannot comment on the agreement until Wednesday, when teams may sign free agents.
The 6-foot-10 forward arrived in Portland on Thursday to meet Blazer executives and tour the city.
He opted out of his Orlando contract last week when the team acquired Vince Carter from New Jersey. Turkoglu was due $7.3 million next season in the final year of his $36 million, six-year deal with Orlando. He averaged 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season.
Turkoglu, from Turkey, is a nine-year NBA veteran. He played for Sacramento and San Antonio before signing with Orlando as a free agent in 2004.
This season he often ran Orlando’s offense and created matchup problems for the Celtics and Cavaliers in the playoffs. Against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the finals, Turkoglu averaged 18 points.
He was said to be seeking a long-term deal worth at least $10 million annually. Toronto had also expressed interest in him.
The Blazers are looking to bolster a team that won 54 games last season and advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.
Anchored by All-Star guard Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge, the Blazers were the second-youngest team in the NBA.
yup! turkoglu to raptors....
Sources: Turkoglu changes mind on BlazersFree agent Hedo Turkoglubhas backed out of his commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers and plans to sign with the Toronto Raptors, multiple league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Friday night.
Turkoglu had agreed on a five-year, $50 million deal with the Blazers, but changed his mind and is headed for a five-year, $56 million deal with the Raptors. Toronto would have to renounce three free agents – Shawn Marion, Carlos Delfino and Anthony Parker – to create the cap space for Turkoglu.
Apparently, the Blazers are already busy exploring other free-agent options for the $9 million in salary-cap space.
A source says Turkoglu’s wife wanted badly to live in Toronto, a far more European-style city, and that’s where it appears the Turkish native is headed. The Raptors have embraced the Euro game under GM Bryan Colangelo, building a roster that includes Euro talents Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani.
Five years ago, Turkoglu was close to signing with the Phoenix Suns that Colangelo was running, but changed his mind and went to the Orlando Magic.
After opting out of his contract last week in Orlando, he became one of the hottest free agents on the market. Turkoglu, 30, averaged 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season for the Magic.
