Taurean Green has already been there and Josh McRoberts will soon get a glimpse of life in the D-League, likely in the coming weeks.

Green returned to Portland after a stint with the Idaho Stampede two days before Christmas and word is he and fellow Blazers rookie Josh McRoberts could be heading to Boise sometime in mid-January.

"We're looking at sending both he and Josh down there sometime," head coach Nate McMillan said. "We've got some practice time coming up and we'll see how healthy we are. But they need to get time and play. And that is an opportunity for them."

Green seized his chance down in the minors. He was assigned to the Stampede back on December 10th and started all four games he appeared in for the Blazers' D-League affiliate. He averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 37.8 minutes in those four games, but has yet to see time in Portland since his return.

"He (Green) came back and he's still the 13th man. He shot the ball well in practice the other day. He was working on some things and I think his team won a couple of games. He was doing that before he left.

It's not like when Martell (Webster) went down (last year) and came back and he was in the rotation," McMillan admitted.

Last year, Webster was sent down to the Fort Worth Flyers in January and when he returned in February, he scored 24 points against Boston Celtics later that month.

For Green and McRoberts the situation is completely different. Webster had a chance to play in Portland, both then and now. These two rookies (Green has played a total of 24 minutes this season, McRoberts 5 minutes.) are having to wait their turn behind the impressive outings of two Blazers units who have helped Portland win 12 games in a row and are looking for 13 against Philadelphia on Sunday at the Rose Garden.

But just as McMillan and GM Kevin Pritchard have indicated at various points this season, experience and playing time waits in the D-League for both Green and McRoberts, and based on Green's experience for the Stampede a trip down to Boise isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

"For him (Green), he was just happy to get some minutes on the court and play," McMillan said.

Soon enough Green will have a familiar face in McRoberts to share the court with when they travel  Idaho.