portland has had very good management lately. that price won't happen. they'll make the 1 year qualifying offer and decide weather or not to make a long term offer next summer. even if he played a full 82 games next year i wouldn't offer him a long term contract. because a perfectly healthy season doesn't guarantee that he will keep it up LONG TERM. i'd S&T him to any team willing to commit.
I found this part funny, this guy needs to take a look at the 2012 HS class. The Top Center prospect, Andre Drummond, has a freakishly scary upside.
Interesting thought, but since Oden is 23 and Yao is 30, I don't think so. Many people have doubts Yao will ever play another NBA game, Yao himself included. Oden will suit up for somebody next season, for sure.
Greg Oden has never stayed healthy in his career, at any level. He had major injuries in high school, college, and now the NBA and missed seasons (not games, seasons). What makes anyone think that this guy can somehow stay healthy? I mean, just look at him, he looked 50 already. LOL.
Fact is, Oden is a monster of productivity when he is healthy. If there is a 10% chance he comes back healthy, I think Portland makes a longterm deal with him.
Using the same rationale, we should do a deal with Yao for sure. Yao is a much better player than Oden ever was, when healthy.
Portland should look at Houston before banking on a player this injury prone, the management should not take the chance at Oden.
Oden's shown he can be an elite C when healthy. All the Blazers needed to beat the Mavs was a decent backup C. They have no depth at all in their frontcourt. With the team they've assembled, especially when they acquired Wallace's contract. They can only be in win now mode. The Blazers aren't going to have capspace for a long time. There's only one downside to this which is luxury tax but Paul Allen has always been willing to pay it.
Just remind you, Blazers haven't made "any" good decisions since May 2000, so don't expect them to make a good one now.
The "when healthy" part can ruin an entire franchise see Rockets, Tmac and Yao when healthy....blah blah blah
Offensively, Yao is a thousand times better than any center in the NBA. For Portland, you either roll the dice on Oden, or you go for a complete rebuild with the young guys. They are already strapped with Roy, might as well sign Oden and pray, imo. Unless of course they can deal for another C, which I doubt.
