Oden?

[Shem]

Just so you know Oden will miss the next season as well. The soonest he'll be back assuming nothing goes wrong would the 2013-2014 season.

[Indy2thaWindy]

If he even gets back to 80% of what he was, that's incredible production off the bench.

Oden at 80% is still the 2nd best center in the league. People don't realize how great he could have been.

[Miller4ever]

True. He was a rare talent coming in, and could've been the next 20-10-2 guy who actually anchored a team. Three microfracture surgeries suggest he'll be closer to 50%, however, and that would be less than Roy.

[yitur]

Well a defensive 7 footer coming off bench wouldnt hurt at all, I mean lets say he would start to play 15-20 minutes off the bench, he has great size and is a great defender, that's what you want from your backup C. I would sign him 3 years 10M 2nd and 3rd year half guaranteed.

[Indy2thaWindy]

True. He was a rare talent coming in, and could've been the next 20-10-2 guy who actually anchored a team.

I think that is underrating him. In 09-10 he was a 16.7pts/12.8rebs/1.4assts/3.4blks PER36 as an out of shape 21 year old who was never able to develop his game because he was constantly rehabbing his body since he has been in college/NBA. If he could've been healthy he would have been better than Dwight. Because he was just as dominant defensively and much more advanced offensively. He was just never healthy or able to develop his game.

[Miller4ever]

Per 36 is a bad way to extrapolate a player's production, just because after 20 minutes, it's diminishing returns. Secondly, I wasn't talking specific stats, I was referring to the fact that there has been no Tim Duncan/Kevin Garnett-type talent in the NBA (Blake Griffin has a chance).

[Indy2thaWindy]

Per 36 is a bad way to extrapolate a player's production, just because after 20 minutes, it's diminishing returns. Secondly, I wasn't talking specific stats, I was referring to the fact that there has been no Tim Duncan/Kevin Garnett-type talent in the NBA (Blake Griffin has a chance).

Blake Griifin will never be the defenders they were, never have KG's Jumpshot, or will never have Tim's post game.

Even without the PER36 Oden's numbers were impressive for a player going through what he had been through. 11.1pts/8.5rbs/2.3blks in 23.9 minutes per game.

[Moooose]

That's only IF he becomes healthy again. But yes, not a bad investment, not making him play for 30+ minutes could benefit him. Hope he rehabs well.

[The Hypnotoad]

I read that story and just laughed to myself. Wow you guys get to have the honor of paying for Odens next knee surgery and recovery!

[basketballwacko2]

Just so you know Oden will miss the next season as well. The soonest he'll be back assuming nothing goes wrong would the 2013-2014 season.

That's what I expected to think he'd be recovered from the procedure after only 6 month is much too optomisic. I would be good PR to bring him in to camp even if he isn't ready and if nothing else he could walk thru some practices.

I hope Greg invested his money well and is set for life, I know If I had a 4 yr deal that paid me some $20 million I'd be fishing and watching the Pacer play ball every night.

[Pacersike]

I read that story and just laughed to myself. Wow you guys get to have the honor of paying for Odens next knee surgery and recovery!

If you can pay players like Dunleavy and Murphy millions of dollars to play, this seems like an easy thing to do...

The money we invested in Collison (Posey) was just a waste as well.

[Boneman2]

I'm afraid at this point it would be a waste of time.

I likened his potential to Olajuwon, so of course I thought he'd be a perennial all-star. When healthy he showed signs of greatness at an age young seven footers shouldn't, but ultimately his body paid the price.

[JKNICKS67]

Anything over 4 mil guaranteed is throwing money down the drain

[JACKBARNEY]

Anything over 4 mil guaranteed is throwing money down the drain

The blazers paid him 1.5 last year and that was after 2 micro surgeries.
He's now on his 3rd one.

I can't imagine there's going to be a bidding war over this guy.
Regardless of what he says about wanting to play I wouldn't be surprised if he calls it a career when he sees how little some team(s) will want to pay him.

[iLL GM]

The Oden situation is something to keep an eye on.

Yes, the injuries have been unfortunate, but he just turned 24 two months ago. There's no way in hell I'm giving up on a center with his upside at so young an age, injuries be damned.

If I were in his position, I'd rehab until the summer of 2013, making sure to not to get too rusty at basketball in the process. That would give him a year-and-a-half to heal from his knee surgery, and he'd still be just 25 -- plenty of years ahead of him if all goes right.