The Greg Oden Watch "OFFICIAL" Thread...
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maxiep
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maxiep
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Repped for repping PtldPlatypus!
maxiep
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I'll be the first to admit that I hope he does well wherever he goes (as long as it's not to the L*kers), but that every dominating performance will hurt.
BigGameDamian
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Just wait, You'll be changing your tone.
tlongII
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Or you will.
SheedSoNasty
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Honestly, what would be your reaction if he signed with us?
I'd be cautiously excited. He'd probably come cheap, so there's less risk of him hitting your cap for several years.
I'd be cautiously excited. He'd probably come cheap, so there's less risk of him hitting your cap for several years.
BBert
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Same here. I wish Greg wanted to be here. But he doesn't.
BigGameDamian
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http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9530611/greg-oden-plans-choose-next-team-friday-sources
Former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden plans to choose his new team Friday, according to sources close to the situation.
Sources told ESPN.com that Oden, after showing off his skills for several teams over the past few weeks, has not yet ruled out any of the six teams chasing him but is most likely to select his destination from the trio of Miami, San Antonio and Dallas.
New Orleans, Sacramento and Atlanta are the other known suitors for Oden. One source close to the process said Thursday night that the Pelicans are the only team from that group still "in the mix."
Every team from the final six but Dallas sent a representative to Indianapolis last week to watch Oden work out, with multiple witnesses telling ESPN.com later that Oden has noticeably slimmed down and is moving well more than a year removed from his last microfracture knee surgery.
Sources said all six of the teams in the Oden chase then presented offers early this week that detailed not only financial specifics but also each club's medical plans for overseeing the 25-year-old Oden's ongoing recovery from a multitude of knee problems.
Oden hasn't played in an NBA game since Dec. 5, 2009, and underwent his third career microfracture surgery as recently as February 2012. He was selected No. 1 overall by Portland in 2007 but has played in just 82 career NBA games thanks to injury woes. In 21 games in the 2009-10 season, Oden averaged 11.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game before succumbing to injury again.
Sources said Cleveland, Boston and Memphis, in addition to the six finalists, all expressed interest in Oden, but those three teams declined to make a formal offer.
Miami long has been considered the favorite to land Oden by a number of rival teams because of the championship environment it offers and the fact that Heat president Pat Riley has been personally recruiting Oden since before the end of the 2012-13 regular season. Yet it remains to be seen whether Oden will opt to join a team farther away from the spotlight to lessen the pressure as he makes his return.
Former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden plans to choose his new team Friday, according to sources close to the situation.
Sources told ESPN.com that Oden, after showing off his skills for several teams over the past few weeks, has not yet ruled out any of the six teams chasing him but is most likely to select his destination from the trio of Miami, San Antonio and Dallas.
New Orleans, Sacramento and Atlanta are the other known suitors for Oden. One source close to the process said Thursday night that the Pelicans are the only team from that group still "in the mix."
Every team from the final six but Dallas sent a representative to Indianapolis last week to watch Oden work out, with multiple witnesses telling ESPN.com later that Oden has noticeably slimmed down and is moving well more than a year removed from his last microfracture knee surgery.
Sources said all six of the teams in the Oden chase then presented offers early this week that detailed not only financial specifics but also each club's medical plans for overseeing the 25-year-old Oden's ongoing recovery from a multitude of knee problems.
Oden hasn't played in an NBA game since Dec. 5, 2009, and underwent his third career microfracture surgery as recently as February 2012. He was selected No. 1 overall by Portland in 2007 but has played in just 82 career NBA games thanks to injury woes. In 21 games in the 2009-10 season, Oden averaged 11.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game before succumbing to injury again.
Sources said Cleveland, Boston and Memphis, in addition to the six finalists, all expressed interest in Oden, but those three teams declined to make a formal offer.
Miami long has been considered the favorite to land Oden by a number of rival teams because of the championship environment it offers and the fact that Heat president Pat Riley has been personally recruiting Oden since before the end of the 2012-13 regular season. Yet it remains to be seen whether Oden will opt to join a team farther away from the spotlight to lessen the pressure as he makes his return.
OneLifeToLive
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Perhaps the hold up is him having thoughts of re-signing with Portland.
Maybe he is growing a conscience.
Rhal
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I had such high high hopes for Oden. I can honestly say that I don't wish any more bad luck on Oden and hope he is able to come back and contribute to a team for years to come. I think that is in the realm of possibility and its still possible for him to have a big impact for a team and I wish him the best of luck...
With that being said its going to be Hard as HELL to watch and listen to anything about him if he comes back and starts to contribute in a big way to any team that isn't the Blazers.
With that being said its going to be Hard as HELL to watch and listen to anything about him if he comes back and starts to contribute in a big way to any team that isn't the Blazers.
Nate4Prez
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How much cap space do we have? I would be perfectly okay with giving Oden the remainder of our cap space on a year deal.
chris_in_pdx
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My jaw would hit the floor if this happened.
OneLifeToLive
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I still think the chances of him remaining healthy enough to help any team is small. He hasn't proven it. Shown it. I think it's a feat by itself. A feat I'm not certain his body is made for. But if he does, I think he helps whoever he is with. Maybe substantially. All he need is health.
OneLifeToLive
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I think there is enough to sign him.
maxiep
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The bottom line is he has never played a game in 100% basketball shape. And if you look at the impact of his presence when he was on the court, his stats didn't matter. He changed the way we were able to play, both on offense and defense.
Let's say his ceiling is now 80% of what it was when he was drafted. That is still one hell of an impactful player.
Which would you rather have? Thomas Robinson for the 2nd rounders or Greg Oden for free? If you're taking a flier, I would argue you'd rather have GO.
Fuck, this is going to sting.
Let's say his ceiling is now 80% of what it was when he was drafted. That is still one hell of an impactful player.
Which would you rather have? Thomas Robinson for the 2nd rounders or Greg Oden for free? If you're taking a flier, I would argue you'd rather have GO.
Fuck, this is going to sting.
OneLifeToLive
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He still has to make it and stay on the court for the impact to translate. As I said, I think that is a feat by itself. Will see.
-Ace-
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I'll throw in my thoughts from OLive earlier.....
I'm firmly split on how I feel about Greg Oden.
My first season as a ticket holder, Greg finally began his first season with the team as well. It was an exciting time in Blazers basketball as we won 54 games that year and made the playoffs for the first time since 2003. I was really happy with his progress and could deal with the fact that he missed some games that year, but was still generally healthy. He had monster potential.
The next year, he started out strong (for you PER fans, I think he finished in the top 10) and then came the big injury. After that, I became less interested and increasingly frustrated with Greg. Right when he was ready to come back....ANOTHER surgery. I was close to not caring about him anymore. He put down Portland and didn't take his rehab seriously. I grew tired of the word "setback." I can understand being depressed and all, but basketball was his JOB. It is your job to get healthy and sacrifice your vices for your career. What was his quote, "Doing things I shouldn't have been doing," something like that. Then, when we finally released him, he eventually got serious about his rehab and is now trying to play again. F Greg for that.
I will admit I was curious if we were going to try and offer him something this offseason. You know he can score the basketball and has a big body to defend with, which is exactly what we need. What you don't know is when the next big injury happens.....which is what we don't need.
For his own personal health, I hope he's able to walk when he gets older and can take up that gym teacher job he was talking about. But I won't cheer for him if he comes back to the RG.
I'm firmly split on how I feel about Greg Oden.
My first season as a ticket holder, Greg finally began his first season with the team as well. It was an exciting time in Blazers basketball as we won 54 games that year and made the playoffs for the first time since 2003. I was really happy with his progress and could deal with the fact that he missed some games that year, but was still generally healthy. He had monster potential.
The next year, he started out strong (for you PER fans, I think he finished in the top 10) and then came the big injury. After that, I became less interested and increasingly frustrated with Greg. Right when he was ready to come back....ANOTHER surgery. I was close to not caring about him anymore. He put down Portland and didn't take his rehab seriously. I grew tired of the word "setback." I can understand being depressed and all, but basketball was his JOB. It is your job to get healthy and sacrifice your vices for your career. What was his quote, "Doing things I shouldn't have been doing," something like that. Then, when we finally released him, he eventually got serious about his rehab and is now trying to play again. F Greg for that.
I will admit I was curious if we were going to try and offer him something this offseason. You know he can score the basketball and has a big body to defend with, which is exactly what we need. What you don't know is when the next big injury happens.....which is what we don't need.
For his own personal health, I hope he's able to walk when he gets older and can take up that gym teacher job he was talking about. But I won't cheer for him if he comes back to the RG.
magnifier661
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Cleveland losing lbj stung. This will just be hard to watch
I don't think much of Greg Oden and don't really care if he stays on the court next season.
The city was handed to him and he basically pissed on the opportunity. He was never a professional and had to be handled with kid gloves.
He's a nobody.
The city was handed to him and he basically pissed on the opportunity. He was never a professional and had to be handled with kid gloves.
He's a nobody.
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Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine - Sources close to process tell ESPN that Greg Oden has agreed to two-year minimum deal with Miami Heat with player option in Year 2
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Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine - In an interview with ESPN, Greg Oden just called Miami "the best place for me ... the best fit." More coming shortly
magnifier661
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Of course
maxiep
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At least LeBron got them to the Finals. At least they were able to enjoy him carrying the team. We just saw the promise between injuries.
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Grantland Exclusive: Greg Oden on Why He Chose Miami
About a year ago, Greg Oden told me that his plan was to rejoin his high school and college teammate Mike Conley Jr. in Memphis at the start of the 2013-14 season. Three months ago, he told me he wanted to play for Cleveland because he likes living in Ohio. Last month, he said his trip to Miami during the NBA Finals won him over and the Heat were the front-runners to land him.
In 2006, back when I was one of his AAU teammates, Oden was the most sought-after high school big man since Lew Alcindor. But for some reason, as he prepared to return to the NBA next season and teams courted him, he kept changing his mind like someone who'd never been recruited before. I decided that instead of trying to figure out Oden's thought process, I’d just wait until he was ready to make an official decision.
That time is now. Greg Oden, the no. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft, will sign with the Miami Heat.
"Obviously the chance to play with the best player in the world and compete for a championship was a big selling point," Oden told me. "But more than that, what I really liked was how they thought I could really add something to their team. They’ve won back-to-back championships without me, so for them to pursue me as hard as they did meant a lot, especially given all that I’ve gone through."
Those who watched Oden during his one year at Ohio State need no reminder of what he’s capable of when healthy. But considering there are high school seniors who were 10 years old during Oden’s freshman year of college, a refresher might be useful. This highlight video from a 2007 summer league game is a good start.
Through the first 21 games of the 2009-10 season — Oden's most recent in the NBA — he posted a Player Efficiency Rating of 23.14, which would have been good for eighth-best in the league and better than superstars like Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant. He averaged 16.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per 36 minutes that season, including a 13-point, 20-rebound, four-block performance against — coincidentally — Miami in his last full NBA game. He got into foul trouble a little more than he should have that year, but he showed enough flashes of brilliance to convince most NBA observers that Oden, one of the most anticipated players in basketball history, was well on his way to living up to the hype.
Of course, even the most optimistic Oden fans (like me) will admit that the Heat aren’t getting that Greg Oden. In truth, they’ll be lucky if Greg is half the player he was. Not only is his injury history unprecedented for an NBA player, but as he told me last year, his past few years away from the game have been a psychological and emotional struggle. Oden is now in a much better place mentally, but the odds of him salvaging his career still aren’t great, which is something he both knows and doesn't allow himself to think about.
"The past six years have been tough for me," Oden said, "but there’s nothing I can do about it now. The past is the past. All I’m focused on is right now. And right now I feel great and I’m looking forward to playing again.”
My 13-year friendship with Greg may have me grasping at straws here, but I really believe he can make a successful comeback. Not only is he just 25 years old, I also haven’t seen him in this good of shape since high school. Oden almost certainly won't have the explosiveness he once had, but he’s still moving well and he has enough athleticism and lateral movement to succeed in the NBA, especially since he plays center and there aren’t too many great big men in the league these days. If you didn’t know his past and you saw him work out for the first time today, you’d never guess that Oden is one of the most injury-plagued NBA players of all time. I know that’s not exactly much, but given what he’s been through it’s more than I thought I’d be able to say about him.
Most importantly, though, I’m optimistic about Oden's comeback because he’ll play for the Miami Heat — a team that’s a perfect fit. Because he’ll share a court with the most star-studded team in basketball, he’ll likely never be more than the fourth offensive option, meaning his role will basically be to do the three things he has excelled at his entire career: block shots, rebound, and finish at the rim. The Heat have proven that they can win a championship without Oden, so he won't be under much pressure to lead Miami to a new level. This means that he will be able to play as many minutes as he’s comfortable playing and even sit out a few games if his body reminds him that he had three microfracture surgeries in five years.
To recap: With the Heat, Oden can afford to ease his way back into the NBA. He will have zero pressure on him, his role will basically be to block shots and dunk on people, he'll be guaranteed to compete for a championship, he’ll play alongside two of the best players of all time, he’ll pay no state income tax, and he’ll get to live in Miami. There’s also this: “The cool thing about playing for the Heat is when you’re LeBron’s teammate and you screw up, nobody gets mad at you for missing a shot or turning the ball over — they get mad at LeBron for passing to you in the first place,” Oden joked.
I saw just about every step of Greg’s historically dominant high school career. I sat right next to him and saw the disappointment on his face when he couldn’t play in the first few games of his college career because of a wrist injury. I had a courtside seat to see him destroy the Big Ten night after night and put up 25 and 12 on Joakim Noah and Al Horford (now two NBA All-Stars) in the 2007 national championship game. I was in the crowd for that year’s NBA draft and saw Greg’s lifelong dream realized when the Portland Trail Blazers used the first overall pick on him. And I saw the depths of his depression when his career in Portland didn’t work out.
After witnessing this roller coaster, the thought of possibly one day seeing Greg hug LeBron after winning an NBA title or chest-bumping Chris Bosh after Bosh lets out a velociraptor scream is enough to give me goose bumps. Whether this thought becomes a reality remains to be seen. There’s no telling how the next chapter of Greg Oden’s NBA career will unfold. He could — knock on wood to not jinx him — suffer another serious injury in the preseason and never play a meaningful game again. But if karma is even partially real, then one of the nicest, most genuine, and most down-to-earth guys I’ve ever known will get a chance to salvage the rest of what once had the potential to be a Hall of Fame career.
According to Oden, "There’s a lot to be excited about in joining the NBA champions, getting to play with some great players, and living in Miami. But honestly, the thing I’m most excited about is just being able to play basketball again. It’s been a long and challenging road back, so just having the chance to play the game I love again has me more excited than anything else.”
I speak for basketball fans everywhere when I say that we’re excited too.
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...and-exclusive-greg-oden-on-why-he-chose-miami
About a year ago, Greg Oden told me that his plan was to rejoin his high school and college teammate Mike Conley Jr. in Memphis at the start of the 2013-14 season. Three months ago, he told me he wanted to play for Cleveland because he likes living in Ohio. Last month, he said his trip to Miami during the NBA Finals won him over and the Heat were the front-runners to land him.
In 2006, back when I was one of his AAU teammates, Oden was the most sought-after high school big man since Lew Alcindor. But for some reason, as he prepared to return to the NBA next season and teams courted him, he kept changing his mind like someone who'd never been recruited before. I decided that instead of trying to figure out Oden's thought process, I’d just wait until he was ready to make an official decision.
That time is now. Greg Oden, the no. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft, will sign with the Miami Heat.
"Obviously the chance to play with the best player in the world and compete for a championship was a big selling point," Oden told me. "But more than that, what I really liked was how they thought I could really add something to their team. They’ve won back-to-back championships without me, so for them to pursue me as hard as they did meant a lot, especially given all that I’ve gone through."
Those who watched Oden during his one year at Ohio State need no reminder of what he’s capable of when healthy. But considering there are high school seniors who were 10 years old during Oden’s freshman year of college, a refresher might be useful. This highlight video from a 2007 summer league game is a good start.
Through the first 21 games of the 2009-10 season — Oden's most recent in the NBA — he posted a Player Efficiency Rating of 23.14, which would have been good for eighth-best in the league and better than superstars like Dirk Nowitzki, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant. He averaged 16.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per 36 minutes that season, including a 13-point, 20-rebound, four-block performance against — coincidentally — Miami in his last full NBA game. He got into foul trouble a little more than he should have that year, but he showed enough flashes of brilliance to convince most NBA observers that Oden, one of the most anticipated players in basketball history, was well on his way to living up to the hype.
Of course, even the most optimistic Oden fans (like me) will admit that the Heat aren’t getting that Greg Oden. In truth, they’ll be lucky if Greg is half the player he was. Not only is his injury history unprecedented for an NBA player, but as he told me last year, his past few years away from the game have been a psychological and emotional struggle. Oden is now in a much better place mentally, but the odds of him salvaging his career still aren’t great, which is something he both knows and doesn't allow himself to think about.
"The past six years have been tough for me," Oden said, "but there’s nothing I can do about it now. The past is the past. All I’m focused on is right now. And right now I feel great and I’m looking forward to playing again.”
My 13-year friendship with Greg may have me grasping at straws here, but I really believe he can make a successful comeback. Not only is he just 25 years old, I also haven’t seen him in this good of shape since high school. Oden almost certainly won't have the explosiveness he once had, but he’s still moving well and he has enough athleticism and lateral movement to succeed in the NBA, especially since he plays center and there aren’t too many great big men in the league these days. If you didn’t know his past and you saw him work out for the first time today, you’d never guess that Oden is one of the most injury-plagued NBA players of all time. I know that’s not exactly much, but given what he’s been through it’s more than I thought I’d be able to say about him.
Most importantly, though, I’m optimistic about Oden's comeback because he’ll play for the Miami Heat — a team that’s a perfect fit. Because he’ll share a court with the most star-studded team in basketball, he’ll likely never be more than the fourth offensive option, meaning his role will basically be to do the three things he has excelled at his entire career: block shots, rebound, and finish at the rim. The Heat have proven that they can win a championship without Oden, so he won't be under much pressure to lead Miami to a new level. This means that he will be able to play as many minutes as he’s comfortable playing and even sit out a few games if his body reminds him that he had three microfracture surgeries in five years.
To recap: With the Heat, Oden can afford to ease his way back into the NBA. He will have zero pressure on him, his role will basically be to block shots and dunk on people, he'll be guaranteed to compete for a championship, he’ll play alongside two of the best players of all time, he’ll pay no state income tax, and he’ll get to live in Miami. There’s also this: “The cool thing about playing for the Heat is when you’re LeBron’s teammate and you screw up, nobody gets mad at you for missing a shot or turning the ball over — they get mad at LeBron for passing to you in the first place,” Oden joked.
I saw just about every step of Greg’s historically dominant high school career. I sat right next to him and saw the disappointment on his face when he couldn’t play in the first few games of his college career because of a wrist injury. I had a courtside seat to see him destroy the Big Ten night after night and put up 25 and 12 on Joakim Noah and Al Horford (now two NBA All-Stars) in the 2007 national championship game. I was in the crowd for that year’s NBA draft and saw Greg’s lifelong dream realized when the Portland Trail Blazers used the first overall pick on him. And I saw the depths of his depression when his career in Portland didn’t work out.
After witnessing this roller coaster, the thought of possibly one day seeing Greg hug LeBron after winning an NBA title or chest-bumping Chris Bosh after Bosh lets out a velociraptor scream is enough to give me goose bumps. Whether this thought becomes a reality remains to be seen. There’s no telling how the next chapter of Greg Oden’s NBA career will unfold. He could — knock on wood to not jinx him — suffer another serious injury in the preseason and never play a meaningful game again. But if karma is even partially real, then one of the nicest, most genuine, and most down-to-earth guys I’ve ever known will get a chance to salvage the rest of what once had the potential to be a Hall of Fame career.
According to Oden, "There’s a lot to be excited about in joining the NBA champions, getting to play with some great players, and living in Miami. But honestly, the thing I’m most excited about is just being able to play basketball again. It’s been a long and challenging road back, so just having the chance to play the game I love again has me more excited than anything else.”
I speak for basketball fans everywhere when I say that we’re excited too.
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...and-exclusive-greg-oden-on-why-he-chose-miami
magnifier661
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That's why it stings for Cleveland fans. They lost the best basketball player in the world. We got Zero and the sting happened a long time ago. In numb now
BBert
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Yes. Yes it is.
