PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -Former Trail Blazer Steve Blake is coming back to Portland, even though in one sense he never left.
The free agent point guard who played for the Denver Nuggets last season signed a reported two-year deal with an option. The Blazers, who confirmed his return, did not disclose terms.
Blake, a three-year veteran, averaged 8.3 points and 6.6 assists in 49 games with Denver last season.
It is Blake’s second stint with the Blazers. He played for the team in 2005-06, averaging 8.2 points and 4.5 assists. He still has an offseason home in the area.
Blake told the Rocky Mountain News that he decided to return to Portland because the Nuggets appeared on the verge of finalizing a contract with guard Chucky Atkins.
“That’s OK, if that’s the direction they want to go,” Blake told the newspaper. “I just decided to go back to Portland.”
Blake made $1.33 million last season and was seeking a starting salary close to the NBA’s $5.35 million midlevel exception.
Blake lives with his family in West Linn, Ore., near Portland, during the offseason, and just bought a new home.
Other teams reportedly interested in Blake included the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.
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