February 12, 1977 - Clyde Mayes waived as Neal comes on Injured List
Clyde Mayes, signed to a 10-day contract on Feb 12, was waived prior to Blazers game vs the Celtics. He appeared in five games with the Blazers totaling 4 points and 6 rebounds in 24 total minutes Lloyd Neal was removed from the Injured List and is expected to be ready to play soon. Neal had surgery on his knee in October but has experienced swelling on the knee. |
February 12, 1977 - Blazers Sign Clyde Mayes to 10-Day Contract: Neal to Injured List
The Blazers have signed forward Clyde Mayes to a 10-day contract. Mayes, the 22nd pick in the 1975 Draft from Furman University, played 65 games for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1975/76 season. He averaged 4.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14 minutes of play. The Bucks waived Mayes October 20, 1976, prior to the opening of the season but was signed by the Indiana Pacers to a 10-day contract before being waived November 3rd, 1976. The Buffalo Braves signed Mayes to two consecutive 10-day contacts before being waived November 29th. With Indiana and Buffalo, Mayes has played a total of eight games and scored nine points in 28 minutes. To sign Mayes, Lloyd Neal, the 6th-year power forward who had knee surgery in October, will be put on the Injured List and will have to miss at least five-games. |
October 22, 1976 - Blazers Sign Calhoun; Open Season Tomorrow
The Blazers signed Corky Calhoun today. He is expected to be ready to play in the season opener tomorrow against the New York Nets. “I would anticipate he would play” said Jack Ramsay. “It will depend on how the game develops. Wally Walker will go in as the first backup at strong forward and then we would use Corky.” The 6-7 forward, released by the Los Angeles Lakers three days ago, was initially drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the 1972 draft. He has played 305 games in his four seasons with the Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers and has averaged 6.1 points and 4.4 rebounds. The Blazers enter the season with a roster a complete roster of 12 players, with only Lloyd Neal not available for action. |
October 19, 1976 - Malone Traded to Buffalo
The Blazers announced today that Moses Malone, acquired in the August 5 ABA dispersal draft, has been traded to the Buffalo Braves. Malone left Portland earlier today and was expected to arrive in time for the Braves home opener tomorrow evening. When informed of the trade, Malone said, “I understand. Whatever the owner decides, that’s the way it has to be.” The Blazers will receive from the Braves a first round pick in the 1978 college draft and $232,000, the amount of the original $350,000 the team still owes.
“Except for the economical aspect, we would have kept him” said coach Jack Ramsay. “He worked hard, he would have helped us, especially in the time Lloyd Neal recovers from knee surgery.” When informed of the trade, and the draft pick being sent to the Blazers, Bill Walton is reported to have said to Ramsay, “You didn’t trade him away, you gave him away.” Maurice Lucas added “I don’t think he had a chance here. He can play the game. I know that because I played against him in the ABA”
“Except for the economical aspect, we would have kept him” said coach Jack Ramsay. “He worked hard, he would have helped us, especially in the time Lloyd Neal recovers from knee surgery.” When informed of the trade, and the draft pick being sent to the Blazers, Bill Walton is reported to have said to Ramsay, “You didn’t trade him away, you gave him away.” Maurice Lucas added “I don’t think he had a chance here. He can play the game. I know that because I played against him in the ABA”
October 12, 1976 - Wicks Traded Unconditionally to Celtics; Martin Returned
Sidney Wicks tenure with the Blazers is over. Again that is and this time with no strings attached. Wicks contract was sold to the Boston Celtics today and unlike the sale last month to the New Orleans Jazz, there are no conditions attached. The sale price was not announced but Harry Glickman said it was “close to the price that New Orleans was to pay us” Rumors are that the Jazz offer was reportedly $500,00 to 700,000. Some AP sources are reporting the price to be closer to the lower amount.
Red Aurebach, the Celtics General Manager, expressed excitement at the acquisition. “I place Sidney Wicks in the same company with Elgin Baylor, Tommy Heinsohn, Paul Silas and Bob Pettit among the great forwards of the game. We saw a golden opportunity to get a super player and we grabbed it.” Harry Glickman, in contrast, was planning to celebrate with a drink at lunch and “I never do that” Glickman added. An other conditional trade last month was LaRue Martin going to the Seattle Super Sonics. When Martin was waived by the Sonics, his contract was sent back to the Blazers. Glickman was clear though that Martin would not be on the roster despite one more year to go on his initial contract. Glickman said that the club has “some financial obligations” but that Martin “will be put on waivers and if no one picks him up, he will be waived out of the league” |
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September 30, 1976 - Blazers Make Final Roster Cuts; Play Exhibition Tonight
As it happens every year in every sport, the final day of all Training Camps ends with cuts to make the roster complete. Today was no different as coach Jack Ramsay and asst. coach Jack McKinney walked over to rookie Jeff Tyson. Everyone knew what was happening but most were happy it wasn’t them.
A few minutes after Tyson left the court, Ramsay and McKinney walked over to the nine-year veteran Steve Jones. Jones knew what was happening and tried to hide his disappointment. Danny Anderson started to smile as Tyson and Jones were guards but soon that smile went away.
“This is one of the toughest things a coach has to do” said Ramsay. These three gave 100 per cent effort all the way. They are gentlemen and they are not without skills. It is just a case of us having 12 others who we feel will make us a better team.” Anderson had hoped the Blazers would keep five guards as he feels the Blazers are going to “be a great team this season. I just wanted to be a part of it”
Just like that Tyson, Jones and Anderson were no longer Blazers
A few minutes after Tyson left the court, Ramsay and McKinney walked over to the nine-year veteran Steve Jones. Jones knew what was happening and tried to hide his disappointment. Danny Anderson started to smile as Tyson and Jones were guards but soon that smile went away.
“This is one of the toughest things a coach has to do” said Ramsay. These three gave 100 per cent effort all the way. They are gentlemen and they are not without skills. It is just a case of us having 12 others who we feel will make us a better team.” Anderson had hoped the Blazers would keep five guards as he feels the Blazers are going to “be a great team this season. I just wanted to be a part of it”
Just like that Tyson, Jones and Anderson were no longer Blazers
Tyson played at Western Michigan and was drafted by the Blazer this past June.
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Jones attended Franklin HS in Portland, Univ. of Oregon before playing 8 seasons in ABA and last season with the Blazers
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Danny Anderson played last two seasons with the Blazers after being drafted out of USC in 1974 draft
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September 21, 1976 - Blazers Sign Walker, Invite Patterson and Tyson to Camp
Blazers first round pick Wally Walker and the team have come to an agreement. The Blazers will not discuss details of the contract but reports are the two sides agreed to a contract for $1.2 million over
7 years. Walker is due in Portland to sign the contract on Friday, two days hence, then head to Salem to join training camp, scheduled to open Sept. 24 |
Blazers have invited Steve Paterson and Jeff Tyson to attend the training camp. Tyson was drafted by the Blazers in the recent college draft out of Western Michigan Univ. and played well during the Los Angeles Summer League. Tyson has been working out with some Blazer players during informal workouts and has been impressive enough to warrant another look.
Patterson is a five-year NBA veteran and was recently waived by the Chicago Bulls. He has a career average of 4.4 points and 4.7 rebounds. Patterson played at UCLA and was the starting center for the Bruins between Kareem Abdul-Jabber and Bill Walton. |
September 2, 1976
Sidney Wicks, the 1971/72 Rookie Of The Year, had his contract sold to the New Orleans Jazz for reportedly between $500,000 to $750,000. The Blazers also traded the 1972 # 1 pick LaRue Martin to the Seattle Super Sonics while in another deal with Seattle, the Blazers acquired the contract Herm Gilliam. The Blazers also signed rookies Johnny Davis and Robin Jones and released veteran Barry Clemens.
Sidney Wicks Contract Sold to New Orleans Jazz
Sidney Wicks, the 1972 Rookie-of-the-Year who has averaged 22 points per game in his five year career, who played in four All-Star games, is no longer a Blazer. His contract has been sold to the New Orleans Jazz for, according to reports, between $500,000 to $750,000. Wicks became expendable when the Blazers drafted Maurice Lucas and Moses Malone in the ABA dispersal draft last month, and if the reports are accurate, the Blazers nearly recouped the $650,000 that was spent to acquire the two former ABA players.
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Rookies Sidney Wicks and Charlie Yelverton get their Blazer uniforms from Trainer Leo Marty
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While the departure of Wicks has been expected for some time, going to New Orleans was a surprise. Wicks had expressed an interest in being dealt to Los Angeles Lakers but had said a month ago that he would “play for whoever pays the most money.” The Blazers and Wicks had been in contract talks since the end of the 1975/76 season but talks have stalled since August 1. Wicks attended UCLA and could sign with the Lakers but would first need to play out his current contract with the Jazz. It is reported that Wicks will earn over $200,000 in this, his final year. With this acquisition some around the league are wondering if the Jazz may agree to a contract and then offer Wicks to the Lakers as compensation for signing former Laker Gail Goodrich. Presently though, Wicks joins a Jazz club that currently has a high scoring backcourt of the newly signed Goodrich and Pete Maravich, causing Jazz coach Butch Van Breda Kolff to say, “We’ll have to find a superball and divide into three pieces.” The addition of Wicks would strengthen the Jazz front court as he has better rebounding averages when compared to Otto Moore, E.C. Coleman and Ron Behagen, last seasons Jazz front court starters. |
Harry Glickman admitted that while the Blazers had talked with several teams about trading Wicks, there “was no overwhelming offer” that met the Blazers demand. When asked if Wicks would have been traded or sold if there had not been contract issues, he replied “That’s a good question but probably so.” The Blazers feel that Maurice Lucas has more potential to fit into future plans and Glickman added “We have to consider a year from now that he (Wicks) may not be here” Wicks leaves the Blazers with 8,882 points ranking him as the second leading scorer in franchise history behind Geoff Petrie. He is the all-time leader in free throws made (1,878) attempts (2,634) as well as the team rebound leader with 4,086 total rebounds and a 10.3 average. |
LaRue Martin Traded to Seattle |
Blazers Sign Johnny Davis |
LaRue Martin, the first choice of the Blazers in the 1972 draft has been dealt to the Seattle SuperSonics for “future considerations”. The considerations will not take effect unless Martin makes the Sonics roster on opening day. Martin had not lived up to expectations for a number one pick, averaging just 5.3 points and less than 5 rebounds per game in his 4-year career with the Blazers. Bill Russell, the Sonics coach and general manager had said earlier in the week that he wanted to acquire a “good, solid backup” for starter Tom Burleson, but Martin’s name was not one that surfaced in the Seattle newspapers. In the last month the Blazers have traded away the first pick of their first three seasons, Geoff Petrie, Sidney Wicks and now LaRue Martin. Until the current first round pick Wally Walker is signed, Bill Walton is the only first round draft choice still with the team. |
Blazers signed Johnny Davis, a lightning quick 6-1 guard from Dayton University, who the Blazers drafted as the 22nd pick in this summers College Draft. Davis scored 1562 points in his three seasons with the Flyers.
Davis was a member the Pan-American team which won the gold-medal in the 1975 competition in Mexico City
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Herm Gilliam Acquired From Seattle
The Blazers announced that they have purchased the contract of guard Herm Gilliam from the Seattle SuperSonics. Gilliam, a seven-year veteran, has averaged over 11 points and four assists per game over his career. Harry Glickman said that Gilliam was one of several players that Blazers had been looking to acquire. The purchase price of Gilliam is reported to be between $100,000 to $200,000.
Gilliam had heard rumors of the Blazers interest in him over the past month but he also had heard that last season as well. “I thought I was going to be traded for JJ (former Blazer John Johnson) during last season so the news really wasn’t a big deal this time,” said Gilliam. Johnson was traded to Houston on November 13,1975 for Steve Hawes, who was traded last month with Geoff Petrie for the right to pick Maurice Lucas |
The Blazers will be the fifth team for Gilliam, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals in 1969 out of Purdue. After he rookie season, he was selected by the Buffalo Braves in the 1970 expansion draft but was traded after just one season to Atlanta Hawks where he had his greatest success to date, playing four seasons there, averaging 12.5 points as the backcourt mate to Pete Maravich for the first two seasons and then Lou Hudson for the final two years. It was as a Hawk that Gilliam scored his career high 35 points versus the Trail Blazers on October 26, 1973. He was acquired by the Sonics prior to the start of last season and backed up Slick Watts and Fred Brown. Gilliam said he would like to play at least 2 more seasons before he spends more time with his family and concentrate on his transportation company that he owns in Atlanta, but in the meantime he is looking forward to coming to Portland. “I hope I can stay there a couple of years, at least long enough to unpack my bags.” |
Barry Clemens Waived |
Robin Jones Signed |
Barry Clemens, an 11-year veteran, averaged 3.5 points in 49 games for Blazers last season after undergoing surgery for cancer prior to season. He averaged 4.4 points overall in two seasons for the Blazers and 6.7 points in his 11 seasons.
Clemens was originally drafted by the New York Knicks in the 1965 draft after playing for Ohio Wesleyan University. The 32-year old Clemens was unavailable for comment |
Blazers signed the 6-9 free-agent center from St. Louis University after his impressive Rookie Camp and Summer League play. Jones had played last year in Europe where he averaged 19.1 points and 12.3 rebounds, after graduating in 1975 and was expected to play there again before impressing the Blazer coaches enough to sign him for the coming season. Jones will compete for the back up center position with Moses Malone and Lloyd Neal
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August 5, 1976
Blazers Trade Petrie; acquire 2 ABA Big Men
Portland traded Guard Geoff Petrie and reserve Center Steve Hawes to Atlanta for the second choice in the draft, then used it to select 6'9" Maurice Lucas. The Trail Blazers also had the fifth pick and snapped up 6'10" Moses Malone..
Maurice Lucas was the 2nd pick in the Dispersal Draft
Moses Malone was the 5th pick
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Steve Hawes was traded to Hawks along with Petrie
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McKinney Named Asst. CoachJune 10, 1976Jack McKinney was named the Blazers Asst.Coach. McKinney was recently the Asst. Coach with the Milwaukee Bucks after coaching for 8 seasons at his Alma Mater St. Joseph's Univ. in Philadelphia
from 1966 to 1974, where he amassed a 142-77 record. McKinney played for Coach Ramsay at St. Joseph's Univ. and graduated in 1957 |
June 8, 1976
Blazers draft Wally Walker with 5th pick: Jones and Davis in 2nd round
1976 Draft
June 3, 1976The Blazers signed Dave Twardzik, formally of the Virginia Squires. Twardzik was originally a 2nd rd. pick by the Blazers in the 1972 NBA draft from Old Dominion Univ. but decided to stay close to home and play for the Squires. Twardzik played for 4 seasons and was an All-Star during the 1974/75 season. The Squires folded last month allowing Twardzik to sign with any team he wanted to.
Stu Inman, the Blazers Player Personal Director, called Twardzik "a poised tough player" and would be welcomed for his hustle at both ends of the floor Blazers trade picks with New OrleansThe Blazers announced that they have traded one of the three 2nd round picks the team had in the coming draft. The Blazers gave up the 26th over-all pick to New Orleans for the Jazz 2nd round pick in the 1977 draft. The two remaining picks in the 2nd round for the Blazers are picks number 20 and 22. The Blazers first pick is the 5th pick
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June 1, 1976 - Blazers Hire Jack Ramsay
Jack Ramsay, dismissed as the Buffalo Braves coach a month ago, was announced as the 5th coach of the Blazers. Ramsay said he considers the Blazers to be the best coaching opportunity available. "This team is like an iceberg," he said, "What you see only a portion of the mass. I think there is great potential"
Ramsay spoke of the players saying "Bill Walton is a premier big man. The team is solid up front." He named off the players such as "Lloyd Neal, Sidney Wicks, Bob Gross and Larry Steele. Steve Hawes appears to me to be a quality backup center." Referring to the backcourt he said "Geoff Petrie is a premier guard and Lionel Hollins has proved he belongs in the league." Ramsay intends to run even more than last season under Wilkens when the Blazers scored 104.1 points per game. |