Livingston deciding between POR, MIN, MiA?

Post #1 » by **dockingsched** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:55 pm

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... &type=lgns

Free-agent guard Shaun Livingston, fighting back from a devastating knee injury, had private workouts with the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves in the past 48 hours and league sources expect him to sign with one of three teams next week.

Livingston worked out in Portland on Friday, and two league sources believed the Blazers are the favorites to sign the ex-Los Angeles Clippers guard. Still, it is unclear whether Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard has been convinced enough to add yet another guaranteed contract to his roster.

Minnesota executives Jim Stack, Fred Hoiberg and coach Randy Wittman traveled to Chicago on Thursday to watch Livingston at Tim Grover’s Attack Athletics facility. The Wolves, sources said, were sold on the workout and want to sign him.

The Miami Heat are still in strong contention for Livingston, a 6-foot-7 point guard.

PlinkingPanda · Post #2 » by **PlinkingPanda** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 4:45 pm

Well if he chooses Portland we know it's not about playing time cause at this stage he'll be limited on minutes, and don't they have Blake and Roy who handle PG duties?

Post #3 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:07 pm

We all know he just doesn't want to be with us anymore. I never thought that he'd consider Portland.

cinnamon · Post #4 » by **cinnamon** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:34 pm

I can't imagine that Shaun will have built up the stamina yet that would mean he could expect any significant minutes anywhere. Whoever signs him will be looking to the future, not the present.
I'm sorry he chose not to stay here. I always liked Shaun a lot --- he was why I came here in the first place.
But I do believe that whatever team signs him now is taking a bit of a flyer. I never felt that Shaun had lived up to his potential right up to the time he was injured --- I always hoped to see him develop more assertiveness and confidence on the floor. I can't imagine that issue has gone away in the meantime. And no one can say whether he will ever get back to the level of play he achieved before, physically or emotionally.
I genuinely wish him all the best wherever he ends up.
Portland can afford to take a flyer. That might be a soft landing for him.

Post #5 » by **mkwest** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:46 pm

I could be totally wrong, but it would seem that cold or rainy climates wouldn't be ideal for his knee.

JJ LoDuca · Post #6 » by **JJ LoDuca** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:32 pm

^ I tore my ACL playing ball in high school, and to this day, when its cold or rainy, my knee is killin. So you're probably right about all that, MK. Shaun's wallet might wanna sign elsewhere, but his knee definitely belongs in South Beach.

Post #7 » by **dockingsched** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:47 pm

lol, same for me. torn acl in high school, cold weather is awful.

GuyverX · Post #8 » by **GuyverX** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:46 am

Add me to the torn ACL list. I actually tore it in December '06 but it feels pretty much back to normal now without surgery. I haven't noticed any difference with weather either. I guess I'm lucky.

JJ LoDuca · Post #9 » by **JJ LoDuca** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:02 am

Yeah, lucky-- or a machine...I opted not to have surgery as well, but I think that was my mistake. As for Livingston, he better hope he has your luck, Guyv.

Post #10 » by **mkwest** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:12 am

Y'all are cool and all, but I'm glad to not be a part of the Torn ACL club. :wink:

Guyver that's great you don't suffer in bad weather. I've been blessed to not have had any severe sprains or breaks.

ClipperDomination · Post #11 » by **ClipperDomination** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:40 pm

That's really interesting with Torn ACL's and cold climates. Luckily, I haven't torn anything, yet, but I'm still playing (knock on wood).

Miami seems like the team that would make the most sense. I'm sure he could even battle for the starting spot there, if he can prove that his knee is healthy.

jgustav1 · Post #12 » by **jgustav1** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:14 pm

I don't see why Portland would be interested in him, they have Blake, Bayless and Rodriguez already on the roster who should all play PG as their primary position. Rudy Fernandez is coming from Europe this year, he and Brandon Roy can also play some point. The Finnish 1st rounder in 2007 Koponen looked good in summer league and will play again in Europe this year. They probably have more depth at PG than any NBA team.

Post #13 » by **loflin3hree5ive** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:55 pm

Blazers love to just stack up assets. I'm not surprised they would be interested in him. Unless Portland is willing to pay more than any other team, then I don't see why Shaun would want to play there with so many guys ahead of him. Miami seems like the logical choice for both parties.

Tiggo Bitties · Post #14 » by **Tiggo Bitties** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:45 pm

So players with knee injuries should only play in LA, Phoenix, Houston, NO, Orlando and Miami? :lol:

Post #15 » by **mkwest** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:31 am

The next-generation Timberwolves gathered together for the first time today at their Target Center facility to meet the media before they all hopped a Mankato-bound bus.

Shaun Livingston isn’t coming along for the ride. According to Kevin McHale and Jim Stack, their efforts to sign the former Los Angeles Clippers guard are over and they said he instead has chosen Miami, a signing that has been neither confirmed nor announced.

StarTribune

CLiPPzWeRD42 · Post #16 » by **CLiPPzWeRD42** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:36 am

Hopefully he does go to Miami.. Get him outta the West!

JJ LoDuca · Post #17 » by **JJ LoDuca** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:19 am

He was a fool to turn down the Clips 2-yr guaranteed in the first place. He'll be lucky to get a deal anywhere. Most likely he'll have to get an invite to camp and earn a roster spot from there.

Joseph17 · Post #18 » by **Joseph17** » Wed Oct 1, 2008 12:34 am

^I'm sure he'd rather spend a year in Europe than spend a year on the bench. I don't think he would have gotten a lot of playing time playing behind Baron.

GuyverX · Post #19 » by **GuyverX** » Wed Oct 1, 2008 3:36 am

joeyyowee wrote:^I'm sure he'd rather spend a year in Europe than spend a year on the bench. I don't think he would have gotten a lot of playing time playing behind Baron.

Then he must be delusional if he thinks he can just walk onto an NBA team right now and start. He sure as hell wouldn't ever have started in Portland. Teams are passing on him left and right.

Livingston is a bench player now and always. He'll be lucky and his rehab would be considered a resounding success if he gets a spot as the #1 backup PG.

Post #20 » by **mkwest** » Wed Oct 1, 2008 4:38 am

Right now, if he wants to play then he has to take what he can get. Miami was his best bet from the teams that were interested, but they don't want to pay $2M or whatever double the minimum would be. He couldn't really ask for a better deal than what we offered him. He was going to get the minimum regardless of where he went, but we'd retain his bird rights for next off-season if he proved himself worthy of a bigger deal. It is what it is though.