Friday News Roundup

I’m very happy with the way my first week with RCP has gone, and want to thank all of you for bearing with me and Mike as we make the transition. These kinds of things are never easy, but so far the feedback we’ve received has been overhwelmingly positive, so thanks to everyone who has read our posts, commented on them, and talked to us on Twitter.

Every Friday, I’m going to use this post as a way to collect loose ends from around the Blazers and NBA universes. These will mostly be things that aren’t significant enough to warrant a full post but that shouldn’t go completely unreported. I’ll also use this space to pass along links to Blazers- and NBA-related articles and features on other sites that I think are worth reading. If there’s anything big I missed, let me know in the comments.

• The Blazers announced their official roster for next week’s training camp. In addition to all 15 players the team currently has under contract, the list also includes guard Dwight Lewis, forward Raymond Sykes, center Eric Williams, former Jesuit High School and Oregon State standout Seth Tarver, and Patty Mills, whose current situation with the team I discussed at length yesterday.
• Yesterday I reported that Marcus Camby became the latest Blazer to join Twitter. Although his account has yet to be verified, the team confirmed today via their official Twitter account it really is Marcus. Additionally, as hinted at by his Twitter handle, the training camp roster indicates that Camby will, in fact, switch his jersey number from 21 to 23 for the upcoming season. This is the number he has worn for most of his career, but it was unavailable last year when he was traded to the Blazers because it was bring worn by Martell Webster.
• Shortly after confirming the legitimacy of Marcus Camby’s Twitter account, the team posted a list of players with an official Facebook or Twitter account.
• Over on the team’s official shop, a pair of stunning black Hardwood Classics jerseys have been introduced for Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. The jerseys are available in adult sizes only and cost $85. They’re really, really cool, and hopefully we’ll see them on the court at some point in the season. In fact, on that note, if on the off chance someone in the Blazers organization who makes these kind of decisions is reading this, please consider switching to the HWC jerseys full-time next year.
• In honor of the start of training camp and the upcoming release of David Fincher’s highly anticipated Mark Zuckerberg biopic The Social Network, Blazersedge poster broyposse posted a recap of the Blazers’ offseason in the form of a series of Facebook posts. You will not read a funnier, more accurate summary of this summer’s events anywhere.
• The big NBA news of the day, as first reported by ESPN’s Marc Stein, is the accelerated trade talks between the Nuggets, Jazz, Bobcats, and Nets on a four-team deal that would send Carmelo Anthony to New Jersey, Devin Harris to Charlotte, Boris Diaw to Utah, 2010 No. 3 overall pick Derrick Favors and Andrei Kirilenko’s $17.8 million expiring contract to Denver. Obviously the implications would be huge for the Blazers, as it would complete the shift of focus in the Northwest Division race away from Denver and towards Portland and Oklahoma City. More on this story as it develops.

Thanks again for your support and encouragement for me and Mike during our first week on the job. As always, feel free to email us and follow us on Twitter with any questions or feedback you may have. Enjoy the weekend, next week will be a busy one.

Email me | Twitter: @ripcityproject | @shighkin