tlongII
08-07-2009, 04:09 PM
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/08/blazers_brandon_roy_talks_exte.html
The Trail Blazers on Friday morning held a news conference to officially announce the five-year contract extension signed by All-Star guard Brandon Roy.
Here's a transcript of Roy's Q&A session with reporters, in which he discussed the negotiation process, winning a championship, his playing weight, the signing of Andre Miller and the importance of signing LaMarcus Aldridge to a contract extension, among other things:
Opening remarks:
"I'd like to first start by thanking my family. My fiance' Tiana Bardwell, Brandon Jr., Mariah, and my parents, who aren't here. They've played a big part in, not only these negotiations, but just my entire basketball career. They've been there to support me through some really hard times. I would first like to start with thanking them. Then to go to Mr. Allen, KP, Larry Miller, Tom Penn, Coach Nate, all the coaches, just for making my first three years in the NBA and incredible experience.
"And of course my agent, Bob Myers. He did an unbelievable job I think with making this process as smooth as possible. Here I am, a 24 year-old kid, and I've never been through this before. And there were times when I was a little frustrated. But he just kept reminding me that, hey, this is a business and things are going to work out. So I'd like to give him a lot of credit. And the organization for making this smooth for me and allowing me to get this done, and be extremely happy with what we accomplished.
Give some perspective about what this means to you?
"It's something that's hard to really put into words. I go to sleep every night and I look at my kids and I just had this big smile on my face because it is a lot of money. (chuckles) You can't hide that fact. I just think about all the hard work that I've put into this dream. A lot of people think it just happened last season. But this has been a lifelong journey for me. And for me to continue to try and improve each day and each game and (that) it leads to this is great. But again, I always go back to, man, there's still something missing. And it's that championship. It's holding that trophy at the end of the season, knowing that we were the best team. Again this contract is great. I'm happy for my family and it's going to make things a lot easier. But at the same time, my goal when I came to this organization was to help win a championship. And not just one. But we have to start with one. So I'm excited."
Did you ever worry about committing to five years in case the franchise takes a turn for the worse? Did five years ever concern you?
"No it never did. Honestly from my first year being a part of this organization, I knew this is where I wanted to be for a long time. When I was going through the negotiation process, I lot of people thought, 'Are you sure you want to be locked in that long.' And I said, 'Yeah. Portland is where I want to be.' I don't know about some of the other superstars; they have ideas about other places. But I couldn't imagine being anywhere but here in Portland. Our fans are unbelievable. The people who are part of the organization are great. We have a great owner who cares a lot about his team, so it was never a question that I wanted to be anywhere else. So five years was perfect. If I could have done 10, I would have done that."
What was the holdup with the negotiations and what was your attitude throughout the process?
Well, early throughout the process, I was a little frustrated. But I got a couple calls from some gentlemen I respect very highly. And one of them was (University of Washington) coach (Lorenzo) Romar. He called and he said, 'How are you doing?' And I said, 'I'm doing good Coach. I wish these negotiations were over with.' And he said, 'Hey, this is something that's part of the business and this is your first time going through it and of course you want it to happen now, now, now. But it doesn't always work out that way.' He reassured me that it was going to happen and he said, 'Hey look, I've been through a number of these, don't get upset about it. Just handle it the best way you can and continue to enjoy your summer. Things will happen and things will work out for the best.' Having that conversation with him really helped relax me a whole lot. And I started to believe that this is going to get done and I just have to relax and be a little more patient."
Describe the relief in signing. Was it a big lift off your shoulders allowing you to start thinking more about basketball?
"Yeah. It's a big load off my shoulders. I was talking to my agent and he (called) late one of these nights, I can't remember which one it was, and he said, 'Hey man, it's done.' I just had this big smile on my face of just relief because I always pride myself on I don't like to do negotiations and business things like that. I just like to play basketball. I like to have great relationships with my friends and my teammates. So going through this process was a little hard on me because, again, this is a business and I have to focus on that side of it. But when it was over with, I was like, 'Yes.' Now I can be back to getting everybody back in the gym, talking to my teammates -- even they were a little concerned about the whole process. So when it did end, I was excited. I'm looking forward to getting guys in early again and getting back to work and trying to build to a championship."
You admitted you were frustrated that this took so long. Why?
"Just because once the season ended, everybody was telling me your contract is going to be done in July and I think I even got my hopes up a little bit. But when early July came and negotiations began, I think I let my pride get in the way of just letting the process take its course. Both sides have to feel comfortable about the deal and I think we eventually got to that point. It's hard to go back and say what exactly happened. I'm just happy the end result is I'm a Trail Blazer for a long time and I'm happy with it and I think the organization is."
Now that you're signed, how important do you think it is for the franchise to lock up LaMarcus Aldridge and keep the core together?
"I think it's extremely important. Me and LaMarcus came into this league together. It's funny, we have the same agent, so we started workout out (together) right after college. So we've really built a relationship on and off the court that I think has been really important to our early success. I'm excited that I'm finally done, but now it's time to get LaMarcus signed because I think he's a huge part of what we're trying to do. I think he's a future All-Star for years to come. I think LaMarcus is a big part of my success. On the court because there are a lot of things he does to free my game. He gets me a lot of assists with that jump shot he has. I'm excited about getting LaMarcus done and getting him happy and that way we can continue to move forward with all the guys we have."
When is the last time you talked to Aldridge and how is his mind-set?
"I talked to LaMarcus a couple days ago. He called and said, 'Congratulations.' We talked for a few. He was busy but he just wanted to call and say congratulations. I asked him how he was doing and it sounded like he was in really good spirits. He knows the organization is going to do their best to get him done. He's, again, a big part of our team. He's doing really good right now."
What are your thought about the Blazers' offseason and the signing of Andre Miller?
"I'm excited about it. It's like KP said, I read a lot of different things -- the organization failed here, or failed here. But I look at how we finished, which is great. I think Andre Miller was a great pickup because I've had a chance to play against him and I'm a big fan of the game so I've watched teams when I'm not playing. And I just love his leadership capabilities and I think when you add a guy of his age and his number of years in the league, that's what we were missing on this team. There's been a lot of times I've had conversations with Coach Nate (McMillan) and it's like, 'Man, I just wish we had an older veteran on this team that maybe could even help me out.' I thought that was answered. I think Andre is going to be able to help Greg (Oden), I think he is going to get LaMarcus a lot more easier shots. He pushes the ball. But more than anything, I think he's also going to help Steve Blake. They're going to push each other every day in practice and now we have Steve or Andre always on the floor. I think this is going to make us a much better team. I'm excited about this season. I thought we did a great job in the offseason. Things don't always happen as fast as people would like. But you look at things now, I think they are coming around and everyone is excited about this season."
Talk about your offseason. What have you been doing? Are you about ready to get back to basketball now?
"Yeah, I'm chomping at the bit, man. I've been spending a lot of time this offseason trying to relax, trying to rest my body as much as possible. But it's hard for me to rest. I always tell people, they say, 'It's only August.' But my comeback is, 'Well we didn't play to June. So we have to get after it.' And for me it's just getting better, it's challenging my teammates to get better. I felt like guys had enough time to relax and now it's time to start thinking about how we can improve. Because if you look at these top teams, like the Lakers and Spurs and Boston, they don't relax. Every season, they are trying to get better. And if we want to be considered in that category, that has to be our approach. We've had a number of months to relax and now it's time to start gearing back up and getting ready for our push."
Why did you decide not to take part in Team USA workouts?
"The biggest reason was talking with my agent was I wanted to rest my body for Portland. I felt like last season I went straight into training camp off of meniscus surgery and I didn't want to risk anything coming into this year. This is a big year for me and my team. My agent and I, we talked to USA Basketball and they completely understood and there will be an opportunity for me to play in the future. But this summer, my body needed (the rest), and I wanted to try to get as close to 100 percent as possible. We had a number of conversations with them and they understood. So I definitely look forward to maybe looking at that next summer."
So have you started offseason workouts or are you about to start?
"I started about two weeks ago. I slowly started to progress into things. I've tried to get my body weight down. Last summer, I think I was a little heavy when I started playing. So this year I tried to ride the bike, did a lot of swimming and actually have my weight under 210 (pounds). So I feel good. I feel light. So I feel like I'm ready to start playing basketball again."
What did you weight last year at this time?
"About 217. I told Nate I was going to try to get into camp between 205 and 210. I think that's a good weight going in. I think lighter's better for me."
How important is it to you to win it all?
"Extremely important. That's what I've prided myself on my entire life; winning. And now I'm at the point where I've won a lot but I still haven't won that ultimate crown. Even in college, we made some Sweet 16 runs and things like that, but just being the best team at the end of the year is my ultimate goal. And just as I've gone through my career, it's driving me to this point where I want it, I want it bad. I watch the best players. I've watched a lot of old films over this last summer. They've won it. From (Michael) Jordan to (Hakeem) Olajuwon to Tim Duncan. Nobody has given it to those guys. They're taking it. So that's my new mind-set: chasing a championship. And I want one extremely bad and I'm sure Kevin does and Mr. Allen does, so that's our goal."
Who have you talked to from the team lately?
"Martell (Webster). See him around the locker room a few times. Talked to Travis Outlaw a couple times. LaMarcus the other day. Me and Greg text every once in a while. I've talked to Jerryd Bayless, Steve Blake ... I talked to just about everybody. I keep in touch with just about all the guys. We know Joel is back home relaxing, he's gearing up for another big season. He's probably the guy that comes around last, but we know what he's going to bring. But just about everyone else, I've talked to them and we laugh and we joke around. We're all good friends off the court. And I think that's what makes our team so special. We're all such a close team. And even with this offseason and watching how the Blazers were going after players, my biggest thing was get guys who want to be here, who want to be a part of this team. And when Andre signed and hearing him talk, this was a guy who wants to be here. So that made it even more special because he's going to fit in just fine."
You haven't talked to Miller though?
"No. I haven't had a conversation with him."
The Trail Blazers on Friday morning held a news conference to officially announce the five-year contract extension signed by All-Star guard Brandon Roy.
Here's a transcript of Roy's Q&A session with reporters, in which he discussed the negotiation process, winning a championship, his playing weight, the signing of Andre Miller and the importance of signing LaMarcus Aldridge to a contract extension, among other things:
Opening remarks:
"I'd like to first start by thanking my family. My fiance' Tiana Bardwell, Brandon Jr., Mariah, and my parents, who aren't here. They've played a big part in, not only these negotiations, but just my entire basketball career. They've been there to support me through some really hard times. I would first like to start with thanking them. Then to go to Mr. Allen, KP, Larry Miller, Tom Penn, Coach Nate, all the coaches, just for making my first three years in the NBA and incredible experience.
"And of course my agent, Bob Myers. He did an unbelievable job I think with making this process as smooth as possible. Here I am, a 24 year-old kid, and I've never been through this before. And there were times when I was a little frustrated. But he just kept reminding me that, hey, this is a business and things are going to work out. So I'd like to give him a lot of credit. And the organization for making this smooth for me and allowing me to get this done, and be extremely happy with what we accomplished.
Give some perspective about what this means to you?
"It's something that's hard to really put into words. I go to sleep every night and I look at my kids and I just had this big smile on my face because it is a lot of money. (chuckles) You can't hide that fact. I just think about all the hard work that I've put into this dream. A lot of people think it just happened last season. But this has been a lifelong journey for me. And for me to continue to try and improve each day and each game and (that) it leads to this is great. But again, I always go back to, man, there's still something missing. And it's that championship. It's holding that trophy at the end of the season, knowing that we were the best team. Again this contract is great. I'm happy for my family and it's going to make things a lot easier. But at the same time, my goal when I came to this organization was to help win a championship. And not just one. But we have to start with one. So I'm excited."
Did you ever worry about committing to five years in case the franchise takes a turn for the worse? Did five years ever concern you?
"No it never did. Honestly from my first year being a part of this organization, I knew this is where I wanted to be for a long time. When I was going through the negotiation process, I lot of people thought, 'Are you sure you want to be locked in that long.' And I said, 'Yeah. Portland is where I want to be.' I don't know about some of the other superstars; they have ideas about other places. But I couldn't imagine being anywhere but here in Portland. Our fans are unbelievable. The people who are part of the organization are great. We have a great owner who cares a lot about his team, so it was never a question that I wanted to be anywhere else. So five years was perfect. If I could have done 10, I would have done that."
What was the holdup with the negotiations and what was your attitude throughout the process?
Well, early throughout the process, I was a little frustrated. But I got a couple calls from some gentlemen I respect very highly. And one of them was (University of Washington) coach (Lorenzo) Romar. He called and he said, 'How are you doing?' And I said, 'I'm doing good Coach. I wish these negotiations were over with.' And he said, 'Hey, this is something that's part of the business and this is your first time going through it and of course you want it to happen now, now, now. But it doesn't always work out that way.' He reassured me that it was going to happen and he said, 'Hey look, I've been through a number of these, don't get upset about it. Just handle it the best way you can and continue to enjoy your summer. Things will happen and things will work out for the best.' Having that conversation with him really helped relax me a whole lot. And I started to believe that this is going to get done and I just have to relax and be a little more patient."
Describe the relief in signing. Was it a big lift off your shoulders allowing you to start thinking more about basketball?
"Yeah. It's a big load off my shoulders. I was talking to my agent and he (called) late one of these nights, I can't remember which one it was, and he said, 'Hey man, it's done.' I just had this big smile on my face of just relief because I always pride myself on I don't like to do negotiations and business things like that. I just like to play basketball. I like to have great relationships with my friends and my teammates. So going through this process was a little hard on me because, again, this is a business and I have to focus on that side of it. But when it was over with, I was like, 'Yes.' Now I can be back to getting everybody back in the gym, talking to my teammates -- even they were a little concerned about the whole process. So when it did end, I was excited. I'm looking forward to getting guys in early again and getting back to work and trying to build to a championship."
You admitted you were frustrated that this took so long. Why?
"Just because once the season ended, everybody was telling me your contract is going to be done in July and I think I even got my hopes up a little bit. But when early July came and negotiations began, I think I let my pride get in the way of just letting the process take its course. Both sides have to feel comfortable about the deal and I think we eventually got to that point. It's hard to go back and say what exactly happened. I'm just happy the end result is I'm a Trail Blazer for a long time and I'm happy with it and I think the organization is."
Now that you're signed, how important do you think it is for the franchise to lock up LaMarcus Aldridge and keep the core together?
"I think it's extremely important. Me and LaMarcus came into this league together. It's funny, we have the same agent, so we started workout out (together) right after college. So we've really built a relationship on and off the court that I think has been really important to our early success. I'm excited that I'm finally done, but now it's time to get LaMarcus signed because I think he's a huge part of what we're trying to do. I think he's a future All-Star for years to come. I think LaMarcus is a big part of my success. On the court because there are a lot of things he does to free my game. He gets me a lot of assists with that jump shot he has. I'm excited about getting LaMarcus done and getting him happy and that way we can continue to move forward with all the guys we have."
When is the last time you talked to Aldridge and how is his mind-set?
"I talked to LaMarcus a couple days ago. He called and said, 'Congratulations.' We talked for a few. He was busy but he just wanted to call and say congratulations. I asked him how he was doing and it sounded like he was in really good spirits. He knows the organization is going to do their best to get him done. He's, again, a big part of our team. He's doing really good right now."
What are your thought about the Blazers' offseason and the signing of Andre Miller?
"I'm excited about it. It's like KP said, I read a lot of different things -- the organization failed here, or failed here. But I look at how we finished, which is great. I think Andre Miller was a great pickup because I've had a chance to play against him and I'm a big fan of the game so I've watched teams when I'm not playing. And I just love his leadership capabilities and I think when you add a guy of his age and his number of years in the league, that's what we were missing on this team. There's been a lot of times I've had conversations with Coach Nate (McMillan) and it's like, 'Man, I just wish we had an older veteran on this team that maybe could even help me out.' I thought that was answered. I think Andre is going to be able to help Greg (Oden), I think he is going to get LaMarcus a lot more easier shots. He pushes the ball. But more than anything, I think he's also going to help Steve Blake. They're going to push each other every day in practice and now we have Steve or Andre always on the floor. I think this is going to make us a much better team. I'm excited about this season. I thought we did a great job in the offseason. Things don't always happen as fast as people would like. But you look at things now, I think they are coming around and everyone is excited about this season."
Talk about your offseason. What have you been doing? Are you about ready to get back to basketball now?
"Yeah, I'm chomping at the bit, man. I've been spending a lot of time this offseason trying to relax, trying to rest my body as much as possible. But it's hard for me to rest. I always tell people, they say, 'It's only August.' But my comeback is, 'Well we didn't play to June. So we have to get after it.' And for me it's just getting better, it's challenging my teammates to get better. I felt like guys had enough time to relax and now it's time to start thinking about how we can improve. Because if you look at these top teams, like the Lakers and Spurs and Boston, they don't relax. Every season, they are trying to get better. And if we want to be considered in that category, that has to be our approach. We've had a number of months to relax and now it's time to start gearing back up and getting ready for our push."
Why did you decide not to take part in Team USA workouts?
"The biggest reason was talking with my agent was I wanted to rest my body for Portland. I felt like last season I went straight into training camp off of meniscus surgery and I didn't want to risk anything coming into this year. This is a big year for me and my team. My agent and I, we talked to USA Basketball and they completely understood and there will be an opportunity for me to play in the future. But this summer, my body needed (the rest), and I wanted to try to get as close to 100 percent as possible. We had a number of conversations with them and they understood. So I definitely look forward to maybe looking at that next summer."
So have you started offseason workouts or are you about to start?
"I started about two weeks ago. I slowly started to progress into things. I've tried to get my body weight down. Last summer, I think I was a little heavy when I started playing. So this year I tried to ride the bike, did a lot of swimming and actually have my weight under 210 (pounds). So I feel good. I feel light. So I feel like I'm ready to start playing basketball again."
What did you weight last year at this time?
"About 217. I told Nate I was going to try to get into camp between 205 and 210. I think that's a good weight going in. I think lighter's better for me."
How important is it to you to win it all?
"Extremely important. That's what I've prided myself on my entire life; winning. And now I'm at the point where I've won a lot but I still haven't won that ultimate crown. Even in college, we made some Sweet 16 runs and things like that, but just being the best team at the end of the year is my ultimate goal. And just as I've gone through my career, it's driving me to this point where I want it, I want it bad. I watch the best players. I've watched a lot of old films over this last summer. They've won it. From (Michael) Jordan to (Hakeem) Olajuwon to Tim Duncan. Nobody has given it to those guys. They're taking it. So that's my new mind-set: chasing a championship. And I want one extremely bad and I'm sure Kevin does and Mr. Allen does, so that's our goal."
Who have you talked to from the team lately?
"Martell (Webster). See him around the locker room a few times. Talked to Travis Outlaw a couple times. LaMarcus the other day. Me and Greg text every once in a while. I've talked to Jerryd Bayless, Steve Blake ... I talked to just about everybody. I keep in touch with just about all the guys. We know Joel is back home relaxing, he's gearing up for another big season. He's probably the guy that comes around last, but we know what he's going to bring. But just about everyone else, I've talked to them and we laugh and we joke around. We're all good friends off the court. And I think that's what makes our team so special. We're all such a close team. And even with this offseason and watching how the Blazers were going after players, my biggest thing was get guys who want to be here, who want to be a part of this team. And when Andre signed and hearing him talk, this was a guy who wants to be here. So that made it even more special because he's going to fit in just fine."
You haven't talked to Miller though?
"No. I haven't had a conversation with him."