Anyone know Portland's stance on Greg Oden? I know they decided not to resign him for next season. Does that mean he'll be a restricted free agent or free to sign with any team willing to give him a chance? I want some real intimidation at the rim and just don't see anyone else who could cover up the defensive mistakes Brooks/Lowry and Martin are going to make. At least he's still young (23 on January 22) and doesn't have foreign objects like pins in his body. He definitely needs to get back to around his draft weight of 250. Dude put on 35 pounds of muscle on his upper body while his first knee surgery healed. To me that shows a ton of heart and desire to prove his worthiness as the #1 pick. Anyway, I'm just curious what his status for next season will be. Any link to all players' status for '11-'12 is appreciated.
All reports say they'll give him the QO (which will be ~ $8.5 mil for one season). Unless he rejects that an Houston can top that offer, he will stay in PDX. And I think he will be somewhat loyal to the Blazers because they've given him all that he's needed, and endured his injuries for the past three years.
I've maintained all along that even despite all the injuries I would still trade for Oden. Jordan Hill + filler for Oden is a very fair starting point. Yeah, we would be quite the punchline around the league with Yao + Oden (assuming Yao doesn't retire) but these are the type of risks you have to take when you lack top five draft picks.
Oden isn't playing on a rookie scale contract anymore, according to the OP the qualifying offer is 8M. Would you be willing to commit Jordan Hill+Filler for Oden signed to 8M a year?
$8M for one year isn't enough to scare me away. And hypothetically speaking, even if he was locked in at $8M per year for, say, 3-4 years I would still trade for him. At 23-years-old I'm willing to take that risk let alone on a one-year "trial" deal.
You're a glutton for punishment. The reason we weren't champions with McGrady and Yao is poor health. We need guys who will still be on the court in the playoffs. As for Oden, I can see him choosing a multi-year guaranteed contract for less money per year over a 1-year $8m contract. At least, I would if I were him. His chances of signing any contract at all are running out with his health.
It goes without saying that we're a solid starting center away from being a playoff team, at the very least. Imagine the ceiling this Rockets team could have if/when Oden gets over the injuries and starts playing like an All-Star. Again, when you need a center as bad as we do and they're as hard to come by as they are.....you take what you can get. We lack a top five draft pick so in lieu of a better option these are the type of moves you have to consider.
How about we don't get players with injury problems(like we have for the past 10 years) and get some 82 game guys ffs...
If Yao overcomes his injuries with Oden, where would Oden play? Oden was never as good as Yao. Rockets need a creator also. Brandon Roy!
I'd rather have two centers that deserve to start on my team rather than zero. Not to mention, Oden is young and was playing like a bigger, better version of Ben Wallace before he went down last year. If Yao returns at 70-80% of the player he used to be and Oden gets lucky with the injuries, you're looking at one nasty offense/defense two-headed monster that could carry us a long way. I think RA can figure out how to manage that situation compared to what he's used to.
How would it be zero with Yao, but 2 with Yao and Oden? We also need a star g/f that can create. Battier is not a creator. Martin isn't either. We need to trade for Brandon Roy to build a contender. We would be set at C with Oden and Yao but have no other stars at the 4 other positions. Lakers, Spurs, Heat, and Celtics have shown you need a star more than 1 position.
WTF has Oden's perennially injured ass ever done to make ANYONE want him on their team??!!! This thread is r****ded, and Oden has never been productive. Next.
Zero as in right now. This team as it stands right now is one legit starting center away from being a playoff team. If we were able to get Oden for Hill + filler and he finds a way to stay on the court that makes us an instant playoff team. Even better if we're able to retain Yao on a bargain contract. At that point, we're either close to or within a manageable distance away from being a contender.
No, we ain't . We are running on fumes. Ne need to get Brandon Roy and Oden. Having Oden start is not enough. You need to address the swing position. Battier as no-stat all-star does not count. Rockets need a real star.
We have two glaring needs: 1) A true go-to-guy in the 4th quarter and 2) A legit starting center that can help restore our defensive prowess. We get those things and we're a contender. What's separating us from being a playoff team is a legit starting center. What I'm proposing is merely tackling one of those glaring needs and in the process becoming much better. At that point, you need one of those "get you over the top" moves. Given how easily Morey pulled off the Artest trade in that fashion, I would say we have a GM capable of taking us from the point my Oden trade seemingly takes us to the point where you and the rest of us would ultimately like to be. I just don't see us killing two birds with one stone like you do, though.
Actually Oden was pretty productive when he was on the floor last season. Wasn't much doubt he was starting to come into his own. That all said, I would avoid Oden because of his injury history. Playing a grand total of 82/328 career games just doesn't cut it. I think the Rockets would crazy to sign Oden after the Yao and McGrady experiences. Even last year he was still a foul machine and couldn't stay on the floor. Morey, pleeeease take a pass on this guy.
From a production standpoint, Oden can be a monster. I would like for us to take a good, long look at those knees. I would really consider taking the risk.
He had a break out season, before he got injured again. He was putting up 11.1 pts 8.5 rebs and 2.3 blocks in 24 minute. He was putting up Chris Kaman type numbers, but at least he was blocking shots. Kaman ain't a bad C, either. Morey needs to get Oden.
