HoopsHype.com Rumors

Luke Babbitt on whether Kaleb Canales is more player-friendly than Nate McMillan: "I want to be careful with how I say that but they definitely have different styles. I'll just say that everyone likes Kaleb. He's a guy that has everyone's respect. We're trying to play hard for him. That's about it." Sulia

Portland Trail Blazers, Coaching, Luke Babbitt, Nate McMillan, Kaleb Canales 

Jason Quick: Blazers acting GM Chad Buchanan today says team "anticipates" picking up the 3rd year option on Luke Babbitt this summer. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt 

The Portland Trail Blazers have recalled forward Luke Babbitt from the NBA Development League’s Idaho Stampede. In three games (all starts) with the Stampede, Babbitt averaged 21.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He notched his season-high of 35 points, to go with 11 rebounds and six assists, in a 114-104 victory against the Bakersfield Jam on Jan. 7. Salem Statesman Journal

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, D-League 

The Portland Trail Blazers, with little practice times in a cramped season, have sent second-year players Luke Babbitt and Armon Johnson to the Idaho Stampede, the team's affiliate in the NBA Development League. Although the team did not specify how long the assignment would last, the move brings the Blazers down to 12 players available for Thursday's game against the Lakers. NBA teams are allowed to activate 13 players per game until Feb. 6, a temporary measure the league instituted to help teams deal with the shortened, compacted season. Sending Babbitt and Johnson to Idaho leaves them with 12 healthy players and Greg Oden. Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, D-League, Armon Johnson 

Wait ... No. 11? Doesn’t Luke Babbitt wear No. 11? Not anymore. Crawford bought the number from Babbitt after a series of playful back-and-forth negotiations that spanned multiple days and involved Blazers captain LaMarcus Aldridge as a mediator. No. 11 cost Crawford $12,000. “That was a hard bargain, a tough bargain to get it,” Crawford said, laughing, after the Blazers’ practice on Saturday. “Luke could have been a lawyer ... he got me.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, Jamal Crawford 

Aldridge planted the seed for the transaction on Wednesday night, when he called Babbitt to lobby on Crawford’s behalf. “He called me and said Jamal was looking at signing with us and that he’s worn 11 almost his whole career,” Babbitt said. “He was wondering what it would take to get it and said (Crawford) was willing to offer some money.” Babbitt told Aldridge he was open to a change and would think it over. The next morning, Crawford reached out to Babbitt in a text message and the two exchanged figures in a series of back-and-forth bargaining sessions. “He low-balled me,” Babbitt said, laughing. “So I came back with something and we met in the middle.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, Jamal Crawford 

When Babbitt needed basketball, he fled to China and it helped him survive the darkest moments of the NBA lockout. But for all the trip provided, he couldn’t be happier to have the NBA back. Turns out Chinese food didn’t suit him so much. “That’s why I came back after three weeks,” Babbitt said, laughing. “I drink a lot of milk. They don’t do dairy over there. I don’t know what it is. They have milk, but it’s a different kind of milk. And it’s just nasty. So I had to get out of there.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, China 

Jason Quick: Blazers next week expected to pick up the 3rd-year options on rookie contracts of L. Babbitt, E. Williams and A. Johnson. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Elliot Williams, Luke Babbitt, Armon Johnson 

Last year’s signing of Matthews was an unqualified success. The draft results are another matter. The Blazers’ three selections – first-rounders Luke Babbitt (16) and Elliot Williams (22) and second-rounder Armon Johnson (34) – didn’t get a lot done on the court this season. Williams missed the entire season after surgery on both knees. Babbitt – acquired from Minnesota in the trade that sent Martell Webster to the Timberwolves – drew little playing time. Johnson got a shot early, then was beaten out by Patty Mills for the backup point-guard spot. “It’s hard to judge a rookie after one year, especially a rookie who comes to a playoff team,” Buchanan says. “All three of those guys are developing players who are learning their position, our league, our system and their teammates. “We believe in them long-term. I’m expecting all three to come back hungry to contribute. It’s still way too early to make a determination on whether those guys are successes or failures.” Portland Tribune

Portland Trail Blazers, Elliot Williams, Luke Babbitt, Wesley Matthews, Armon Johnson 

Wendell Maxey: teams can send down a player(s) to the d-league for three stints, and blazers have already discussed babbitt getting some more run in boise. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt 

The Trail Blazers are in a long stretch in which they have no more than one day between games, making it a tough time for their young players to get enough court time to develop. That’s the main reason the team sent rookie forward Luke Babbitt to the Idaho Stampede, Portland’s NBA Development League affiliate, on Wednesday. “He was on the inactive list, and he’s working hard in practice,” Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. “But with our schedule and really not practicing a lot, we felt like he needed to play. We’re in December and he hasn’t gotten a lot of time on the floor.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, D-League, Nate McMillan 

Jason Quick: Blazers GM Rich Cho says Luke Babbitt will play in six games with Idaho Stampede, starting tonight. Should return to the Blazers on Dec. 20 Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, D-League, Rich Cho 

The Idaho Stampede are quickly becoming the Miami Heat of the NBA D-League. And according to two league sources, the 0-7 team's recent stockpiling of well-known talent is about to continue with the addition of small forward Luke Babbitt. The Portland Trail Blazers rookie taken 16th overall by Minnesota out of the University of Nevada-Reno in June is, according to the sources, expected to be in uniform when the Stampede host Dakota on Wednesday night. He will join three-time All-Star Antoine Walker in his debut, as the 34-year-old who last played in the NBA in the 2007-08 season with Minnesota signed with the club on Friday and is looking to take the long road back to the NBA. Former NBA draft picks Luke Jackson (10th overall in 2004) and Salim Stoudamire (31st overall in 2005) already play for the Stampede. FanHouse.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, Antoine Walker, D-League 

Wendell Maxey: luke babbitt making his idaho stampede debut on wednesday night along with antoine walker....this can't be life. Twitter

Portland Trail Blazers, Luke Babbitt, Antoine Walker, D-League 

The Blazers signed rookie forward Luke Babbitt on Tuesday. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. “We are extremely excited to officially call Luke a Trail Blazer, and feel like he will be a valuable member of our team and the Portland community,” said Chad Buchanan, Blazers director of college scouting. “He personifies what we value most in our players: hard work, unselfishness and character.” Columbian

Portland Trail Blazers, Draft, Luke Babbitt 

With predraft rumors swirling that the Blazers were poised to trade Rudy Fernandez, Pritchard instead dealt the Blazers’ second-longest tenured player, Martell Webster, in a move with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In exchange for Webster, the Blazers received veteran forward Ryan Gomes and the draft rights to Nevada small forward Luke Babbitt, who was selected No. 16 overall. Oregonian

Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Draft, Trade, Luke Babbitt, Martell Webster 

The Trail Blazers have traded Martell Webster to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ryan Gomes and the draft rights to Luke Babbitt, a source told the The Oregonian. In Babbitt, a sophomore from Nevada, the Blazers will fulfill their stated desire to add perimeter shooting. Babbitt averaged 21.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season and shot 50 percent from the field — including 41.6 percent from three-point range. Oregonian

Minnesota Timberwolves, Draft, Trade, Luke Babbitt, Martell Webster 

Of the players who figure to be available for the 13th pick, the Toronto Raptors appear to like Kentucky forward Patrick Patterson the best, league sources said. Nevada forward Luke Babbitt, Kansas guard Xavier Henry and Fresno State guard Paul George are also on the Raptors’ short list. Yahoo! Sports

Toronto Raptors, Draft, Paul George, Luke Babbitt, Patrick Patterson 

An executive with a team that's targeting Nevada's Luke Babbitt fears Utah will take him with the ninth pick. Twitter

Utah Jazz, Draft, Luke Babbitt