Now would be the time to get your limited edition Jon Diebler jersey. Photo courtesy of Blazersedge.

According to reports from credible sources, Blazer rookie Jon Diebler is the latest to head overseas, signing a one-year deal with Panionios of A1 Greek Basketball League. This is Greece’s top league, and of all the abroad moves so far, this is the one we all saw coming.

Diebler was picked 51st, and although he is something of a dead-eye shooter, as a second-rounder his spot on the roster is in question. Diebler will have to earn his place on the team, and without a Summer League or Pre-Season, should the lockout extend that far, in his first time out as a pro he might not get that many chances to show what he can do. Add to that the fact that there is already one stand-up three-point shooter on the Blazer roster that might to better in some other type of professional league, Luke Babbitt, and it’s very clear that Diebler has his work cut out for him if he wants to stay a Blazer.

An overseas bounce will do him good. He’ll get the chance to play professional ball, and understand what that’s all about. And if he shows that he’s ready, there’s no doubt that Portland will be falling over themselves to get him in a Blazer jersey. That being said, Blazer management has a less than stellar history of bringing guys over from Europe. Rudy and Sergio flamed out as Blazers, and they’re the ones that actually made it over. Joel Freeland, Petteri Koponen, and Victor Claver are all guys that have been stashed in Europe and there they stay.

Diebler has the advantage of being from the States, meaning that he’s motivated by the idea of coming home to play, but until Portland proves they can have a rookie overseas then bring them back to the NBA and make it stick, there’s a chance that he becomes just another name on the list of Portland draft picks to never throw on the Black and Red.

Keep an eye on this, because there’s a chance it will be awhile before we see Jon Diebler.

Twitter: @mikeacker | @ripcityproject

Nolan Smith is the newest Blazer point guard of the future. Will he be the difference maker? Photo courtesy of the Gustavian Weekly.

We’ve finally made it. The very last sanctioned activity of the NBA as we know it has been completed, and now we are left with many things to ponder as the offseason creep begins and the protracted labor negotiations inch toward a positive conclusion and barrel headlong towards a work stoppage.

Leading up to draft day, there was a definite sense that change was in the air when it came to Portland’s roster. 2010-11 left the Blazers shy of some of their unstated pre-season goals, the conference finals, and saw the gradual demise of a once great player, the continued struggle of a player with an indefinite amount of greatness, and the exposure of an offense with more than just a few glaring deficiencies.

In the NBA, there are two times when big moves can be made. In-season, this time is the trade deadline. Out of season, it’s the draft. Just like the lead-up to the trade deadline, the days before the draft are chalk-a-block with rumor and conjecture. When the dust of the 2011 NBA Draft settled, the Blazers had made some changes, bringing in some new faces both young and not so young.

When professional basketball resumes in the Rose City, the home team won’t quite be the “new look” Blazers, but they will have something of a different look. Let’s break it down a little shall we?

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