Would the Blazers take Durant over Oden if they could reverse history?

Do you feel that Oden will be a leader on a playoff contender? I assume you are talking about a 'team leader' type attitude and not numbers, correct?

 

Maybe not. But I think its more important for perimeter guys to be leaders than big men.

It's like this: would rather you take Patrick Ewing or a George Gervin / Alex English if you're picking number 1? I'm going with the big guy. For the mix of players Portland has, I think that's the right choice for them.

 

It all depends on what you needed at the time. I don't think the Blazers needed much at the SF position when they drafted Oden so much as they needed a big man to clog the paint. Oden's definitely raw but he's putting up respectable numbers when he stays healthy and of course STAY being the key word.

 

DUH... I'd take Durant 15 billion times over Oden

 

Oden was the right pick back then, but I do think they would pick Durant if they had to do it over again. Oden has never had a real extended period of good health. He had the wrist injury before his only season at Ohio State which limited him. He then had the knee injury. And then the ankle, then the foot, then an ankle again, and now his knee again. It is ridiculous.

 

We had this debate before the draft too

I wonder how many people would like to change their minds now?

Me?

Nah, looks like I am still good with that.



LOL.


DD

 

That OrangeCounty,CA guy was really smart. I wonder what happened to him?

 

Durant = Ray Allen on Crack

If he has a healthy career, he will become one of the greatest shooters.

 

Agree with the overall line of thought.

But I think Durant is showing he's much more likely to become a George Gervin/Alex English than Oden is to become a Patrick Ewing over the course of their respective careers. Ewing was a 20ppg scorer from the day he stepped into the league until he was 35.

Also, don't think it's fair to pin "not winning" on Durant just yet. He stepped into a situation where his team, not very good to begin with, let 2 all-stars walk out the door (Allen and Lewis). With Wade's Heat, their leading scorer missed half the season the year before he arrived (Eddie Jones), and they added Odom at the same time as Wade (team's #2 scorer). Hell, Rafer was their #4 scorer after Wade, and he was also a new acquisition.

 

IMHO, you always take the best talent...and Oden was not it, there is still time for him to get 20-10 at some point, but to me, he just looks like a good big man, but not great.

DD

 

You sound exactly like the Blazers sounded after they passed on MJ to take Same Bowie!

 

I think at this point it is a no-brainer. Although it is difficult to find centers in the league these days, Durant has the ability to be a top 5 player in the league for years to come.

 

I think there is zero chance that Oden ever plays a full season injury-free. That will be his biggest hurdle in becoming more than a good center.

 

I guess I do. I wasn't taking into account Oden's propensity for injury with that comment. Perhaps I should have.

 

Looking back in history, it seems that taking a big man is more risky than taking a SF or guard, due to bigs more likely burning out through injury...

Still, give this one more time, as if Oden can stay healthy, he may still become a great player.

 

There's great arguments for both sides. Every NBA follower should know the value of a great big man, whatever side of the ball he plays well at.

I'm biased in two ways here. As a UT alum, I knew Durant would be a HOF pick (if he continues this course). As a Rocket fan, I know how costly injuries are for a teams development.

If you consider Portland having taken Durant then you'd see that they are short in the middle now. Since depth is not a problem for them, you just have to look at what's available in their area of need and suddenly the C position is taken care of, maybe not as well as it would have been with Oden, but now they have another go-to guy to compliment Roy.

I'd be more afraid of the Blazers with Durant, knowing what I know now, most definitely. I gave Oden credit that he'd be healthy. No one can really predict that, especially when his ceiling was so high.

 

I never liked the guy either... but Im going to give him 3 to 4 years to develop before I really make a call on him... I think he can be a good defensive Center in the league though...

with the league the way it is these days... favoring wing players...

taking a Durant over a Oden type player.... is probably the best way to go know


Durant is turning into another Kobe... just another high volume chucker, granted thats what there telling him to do at OKC.... but atleast he is shooting at a high fg% .483 this year


makes me wonder if the Rox did the same thing with Yao... his first few years... where we would be now...

Ie let your franchise player chuck up shots... but the team takes losses but at least you get nice and low draft picks...

 

It takes several years for big guys to develop, especially in recent years (late 90s and on) where the game has been slanted away from large players. I think Tim duncan's the only big player in that era to really burst out of the gates. Considering Oden is on a team with many options and Joel Przybilla who deserves a good chunk of minutes himself, it's not surprising that his numbers look pretty mediocre. All the really good big players in the league Yao, Howard, Bynum, Stoudemire etc. had mediocre first seasons but also had good minutes.

 

well Duncan had the Admiral and the team behind him wasnt to shabby...

 

Wasn't Duncan a senior when he came out. He was much older than Olden, Jefferson, or Bynum when he came out. Can you imagine Bynum or Jefferson playing their senior year in college right now. Would be any doubt that they would abuse everyone in the NCAA.