Okafor might have a bad contract, but he can still get a double/double on most nights and block shots. Plus he hasn't missed a single game in the last three seasons, which is something we can't say about any center we've ever had. Oden isn't absolutely necessary to win championships. If that's what it takes to get Paul, then I'd send him. I'd hope that we'd keep Batum instead if that were the case.
I had been saying no, but voted yes. I'm really on the fence because I think Greg deserves another shot before getting rid of him.
Oden, if he reaches his potential, might be as good as Paul is right now. Paul is the best PG in the league and the best PG since Magic. He's a legitimate top 5 player and that's basically what we all wished Oden would be. If trading Oden means keeping Batum and having a starting four of Paul/Roy/Batum/Aldridge with Camby sticking around and two years to find a serviceable center that rebounds and defends, than we're sitting pretty.
IMO, the Blazers can win a title without Chris Paul (albeit, they'll need a solid long-term PG when Miller is gone). Conversely, I don't believe they can win one without Greg Oden.
seems we're sitting pretty with Miller/Roy/Batum/Aldridge/Oden. and we didn't need to trade half the team to get there.
If for no other reason than we can (with limited exception like Ben Gordon) have Oden under contract for 6 more years at our option. CP3 could be gone in 2. But I have a bunch of other reasons, mostly dealing with team fit, scarcity of game-changing big men in the league, old-wives' GM-ing (never trade big for small), and my vision that Oden will become, very shortly, a friggin' BEAST.
If Oden stays healthy and fulfills his promise. Oden could be a once-a-generation center (I know some have decided that's no longer a possibility, but I haven't). Paul already is a once-a-generation point guard. If one swapped Oden for Paul, one would be swapping risk for certainty. I would do that, but of course the goal (to me) is to pair them up.
Bosh is better than or equal to Aldridge. Lebron is better than Roy or Paul. Wade is better than or equal to Roy or Paul. Now, Oden at his full potential and if healthy, is unstoppable. So, I say no because Oden is our only chance at exposing the weak front courts of today's NBA. I remember playing Toronto and Oden abusing Bosh. I also remember Oden abusing the Heat with a 20 rebound effort. Sure, they have Big Z now but he's not a great defensive presence and he'll be gone in a few years. CP3 will get us wins in the regular season but in the finals, he'll be less effective in assists and scoring.
See, now why would you assume Oden could stay healthy AND reach his full potential, but also assume Paul would be less effective?
I think we HAVE TO KEEP Oden. His dominance is what will take us past the Lakers, Heat or Magic. Otherwise, we get beat along the way. Scrubs, Expiring Contracts, then LaMarcus, Batum or Roy before Oden. Everyone else can be replaced.
I'm saying, Oden's full potential far outweighs Chris Paul's potential contributions. Chris Paul is arguably the league's best point guard, yes. But, on the Blazers, he may limit Roy's scoring and Nate's offense (for better or for worse). Also, he wouldn't be as effective against the bigger front courts. We'd be left with Aldridge drawing double teams and trying to generate offense against these bigger guys. And imagine if we can't beat the Heat or the Lakers and Celtics with their front court? To CP3, teaming up with a dynamic scorer in Carmelo and/or a tough big man in Amare would sound like a much more enticing offer in 2 years.
Funnily enough, by PER (which I'm not a fan of, but others are), they were 7th and 8th in the league this year. Of course, PER doesn't measure defensive impact...
Homerism run amuck. Anybody outside of Portland would die laughing at the notion that Oden is worth more than Paul. While you are at it, why don't you explain how the Blazers were right to take Webster over Paul? I am actually embarassed for this forum.
Allow me to respond in the rare every line rhyme haiku: Don't trade big for small Webster is bigger than Paul That's an easy call.
Its not about who is worth more dude. Clearly Paul is worth more in a vacuum, but in the new LAL and Miami dominated NBA we have to figure out what pieces put us over the top. We're thinking about more then just another series of WCF knockout masturbation fests. We're thinking title chances, that means beating Miami and LAL before Brandon and or Paul's (limited by knees) gas tank hits empty. I actually WOULD trade Oden if he was the centerpiece like this, but that's my ABSOLUTE max offer to NOH: http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=27dzt94 I still think we would end up regretting it and wondering what if we had figured out another way to get Paul. Ideally we get Paul, Roy and Oden together or Paul, Oden, LMA and Batum. Oden actually would be the hardest for me to part with, I'd rather part with Roy on the chance that Paul really does reduce his game.
