Portland did a smart thing and didnt give him an extension in the offseason. THey want him to earn it and it looks lke he wont be. So it will be interesting to see what happens when he is a free agent and how much he commands. I dont see him being effective because of the lack of an offensive game but i could still see a coach like Mcmillan getting value from him if they kept him around. The thing that bothers me the most about him is that it SEEMS like he doesnt even care and that he is content to sit on the bench. THat is just the feeling i get. I dont have much to base it on. I could be totally wrong. But to me he doesnt seem like a competitor.
When Portland drafted Oden, they already knew he was injured as he played his season at Ohio State shooting free throws left handed. How good was he really? Kevin Durant was the real deal at Texas and has carried it straight into the NBA. Poor management by Portland in choosing Oden #1. He was a project to begin with while Durant was a top notch college player. JMO.
http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mavs/2010/12/blazers-dont-want-to-play-the-what-if-game.html
December 15, 2010
Blazers don't want to play the 'what-if' game
DALLAS _ The 2007 NBA Draft is shaping up to be a long-time sore spot for the Portland Trail Blazers.
That's the draft where the Blazers used the No. 1 overall pick to select Ohio State center Greg Oden. That's the same draft where the Blazers bypassed Texas forward Kevin Durant -- he went No. 2 to Seattle/Oklahoma City -- in order to get their paws on Oden.
And what have the Blazers gotten for Oden?
The 7-footer missed his entire rookie season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee, and played only 61 games in 2008-'09 because of foot and knee injuries. Last year Oden was limited to 21 games after having surgery to repair a fractured left patella.
And now the often-injured center will miss the entire year this season after having another microfracture surgery, this time on his left knee. In other words, by the time this season is over, the Blazers will have paid Oden $19.3 million for roughly an 82-game season.
After Wednesday's shootaround in preparation for tonight's game against the Dallas Mavericks, Blazers coach Nate McMillan said he doesn't spent any time wondering what if Portland would have drafted Durant instead of Oden. McMillan knows injuries are sad and dark part of the game, no matter how difficult they are to swallow.
"We have Greg,'' McMillan said. "That decision (to draft Oden over Durant) was made based on our roster at that time.
"The what-if (game) is not what if (the Blazers drafted) Durant or Greg. What if Greg was playing? So that’s the what-if that you talk about.''
While Durant has averaged 25.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 37.8 minutes during his NBA career, Oden has averaged 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in 22.1 minutes -- and shot a healthy .577 percent from the field -- in those 82 games he's played thus far for the Blazers. That's why it's highly possible Portland will award Oden that $8.8 million qualifying offer by next June 30, which is the deadline to prevent him from becoming a free agent.
But here's the rub. Oden's latest microfracture surgery has a potential 12-month recovery period. June 30 will be approximately seven months into his rehab, but the Blazers believe that's sufficient time for them to make what could be yet another franchise-altering decision involving Oden.
Then again, McMillan has his own theory. Especially about the Oden-Durant debate.
"What if we did have Greg and he was playing and he was playing up to his potential?,'' McMillan asked. "We probably wouldn’t be having this conversation.''
-- Dwain Price
December 15, 2010
Blazers don't want to play the 'what-if' game
DALLAS _ The 2007 NBA Draft is shaping up to be a long-time sore spot for the Portland Trail Blazers.
That's the draft where the Blazers used the No. 1 overall pick to select Ohio State center Greg Oden. That's the same draft where the Blazers bypassed Texas forward Kevin Durant -- he went No. 2 to Seattle/Oklahoma City -- in order to get their paws on Oden.
And what have the Blazers gotten for Oden?
The 7-footer missed his entire rookie season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee, and played only 61 games in 2008-'09 because of foot and knee injuries. Last year Oden was limited to 21 games after having surgery to repair a fractured left patella.
And now the often-injured center will miss the entire year this season after having another microfracture surgery, this time on his left knee. In other words, by the time this season is over, the Blazers will have paid Oden $19.3 million for roughly an 82-game season.
After Wednesday's shootaround in preparation for tonight's game against the Dallas Mavericks, Blazers coach Nate McMillan said he doesn't spent any time wondering what if Portland would have drafted Durant instead of Oden. McMillan knows injuries are sad and dark part of the game, no matter how difficult they are to swallow.
"We have Greg,'' McMillan said. "That decision (to draft Oden over Durant) was made based on our roster at that time.
"The what-if (game) is not what if (the Blazers drafted) Durant or Greg. What if Greg was playing? So that’s the what-if that you talk about.''
While Durant has averaged 25.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 37.8 minutes during his NBA career, Oden has averaged 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds in 22.1 minutes -- and shot a healthy .577 percent from the field -- in those 82 games he's played thus far for the Blazers. That's why it's highly possible Portland will award Oden that $8.8 million qualifying offer by next June 30, which is the deadline to prevent him from becoming a free agent.
But here's the rub. Oden's latest microfracture surgery has a potential 12-month recovery period. June 30 will be approximately seven months into his rehab, but the Blazers believe that's sufficient time for them to make what could be yet another franchise-altering decision involving Oden.
Then again, McMillan has his own theory. Especially about the Oden-Durant debate.
"What if we did have Greg and he was playing and he was playing up to his potential?,'' McMillan asked. "We probably wouldn’t be having this conversation.''
-- Dwain Price
