How is it inevitable? What if Oden is injured again? You think any team is going to offer him 11 Million a year?
I just think it's a ridiculous question considering what New Orleans reportedly wants out of the trade. Taking on a 4 year max for a lesser player versus a 2 year max for Paul seems counterproductive to me.
Only if it's career ending. Hell, look at Darko a KNOWN bust or Channing a Role Player at best etc. etc. I mean unless Oden has a monster career ending injury he is going to demand near max based on his size alone. Also if he's broken down why does NOH want him? Conversely if he's a monster they can't afford him you can't have it both ways!!!
You just killed your own argument... Darko didn't get max, he didn't even get close. He didn't get it coming off his rookie contract, and he didn't get it this offseason either. Neither did Channing. If you think size automatically gives you close to the max, you should really reevaluate where your head is at.
Roy is the only Blazer I care to see in scarlet, black an white for his career. Not only is he an all star, he's a character guy. He is a better asset to this team than Chris Paul could ever be. Is CP3 one of the top two point guards in this league? perhaps so. But Roy is one of the top all around ball players and character guys to have played the game...and I believe this after a few short years he's been a Blazer. Trade LMA, the goof with a grin on his face and lack of heart, lack of hustle, before you think of trading the Franchise. The trade with NO should be LMA, Pryzbilla, Camby and Bayless for CP3 and West. With Paul, Rudy's game will flourish. With the addition of Matthews, our defense will be improved. And Miller off the bench behind CP3 gives us the top back court in all of basketball (Paul, Roy, Matthews, Miller and rookie Armon). We'll need Oden, no question - but for security, add Shaq and we'll see Miami in June!
Joe Johnson for Chris Paul??? Deron Williams for Chris Paul??? Rudy Gay for Chris Paul??? Max Player X for Chris Paul??? Any team in the league can have Paul, apparently. All they need is a lesser player with a longer max contract.
Actually I killed you argument for why NOH wants him. Unless he's a glorified expiring they lose either way. He blows up and they can't afford him, he's injured again he's worthless. Roy is as appealing or more so. My point with Darko and Frye is even known quantity busts/mediocre players snake big bucks. A guy with Odens size and athleticism is the rarest commodity in the game. I'm saying if stiffs with no upside get half max then guys like oden will get near max or more. Again since this is a stupid Roy vs oden debate where the clear answer is neither it's kinda pointless. That said. If Oden is injured he's worthless to NOH contrariwise if he blows up he's too expensive in the near future therefore NOH shouldn't want him OR Roy.
My point with this thread is Roy makes as much sense as Oden for NOH which is to say very little. I've explained why Oden makes no sense from a potential perspective or from an injury perspective. Roy would be stuck in NOH for 5 years is the only enticement for NOH. Oden makes no sense except as an expiring any offer NOH made would be exceeded by another team with a spendthrift owner. Unless he is seen as expiring then he makes no sense to the rebuild scenario.
That's because in your mind, he blows up one way or another. Contrary to what you may think, "Blowing up" and "Injured for the entire season" are not the only two options. They take Oden, see how he plays out, and pay him accordingly, or not at all. Having Oden's rights allow them to do that, whereas not having Oden at all doesn't even give them that option. Who knows, by then, Shinn might not even be the owner. Either way, it's how I think the Blazers are going to handle his extension as well, assuming they keep Oden. What about a guy injured for 2 of his 3 first seasons? I would say that's more rare, no? You were insinuating that they got close to the max. Darko got around $7 Million coming off his rookie contract and is being paid $5 Million now, Channing Frye got $7 Million last year, but he only got around $3 Million coming off his rookie contract. Neither of the two have missed the majority of their games, and In fact, I think 5-7 Million a year is a reasonable price to pay for Oden's potential, considering his injury history. The most obvious one is that Oden is cheaper this year, while Roy is already signed to his large extension. Again, those two are not the only options. And you seem to keep ignoring why Chris Paul would want to resign or play here without Roy.
I'm saying if NOH has your opinion of Oden why would they want him? Also history has shown Oden either plays well or is injured. If NOH thinks Oden will be a middling player (your third way) why would they want him as a centerpiece or deal breaker for Paul? Answer they wouldn't. Oden is worth far more to us the NOH. Batum and expirings are a better answer. I've already posted that Bayless, Rudy, Batum, AMEC, JPEC and camby plus cash, picks, draft rights and euros for Paul, Okafor and Posey makes the most sense for both teams. If it happens I believe that is how we get Paul no Roy and No Oden.
That's not what he said. He said players that are known to be mediocre get paid pretty good yearly amounts just due to size. With Oden, if he is healthy, will demand a salary level that NO wont consider even for a second. I have already brought this up previously - I just don't see NO wanting Oden. Folks keep putting him in trade ideas and debating if the Blazers should go as far as including Oden, etc., etc. What evidence do we have the NO wants Oden? What evidence do we have that NO would highly value Oden in a trade? What arguments can be made that Oden would be good for NO? I aruge, that sure, NO would take him in a trade. They do need a big after all, and he might work out for them. But, I don't think they would place a really high value on him. Thus, I conclude it isn't a sensible track to try including him in deals to NO. It won't maximize value for Portland. If Batum, Bayless and cap relief is not enough to beat the other offers, I think the next step is to trade Aldridge to a team that needs a PF, for an asset that NO values, like a Top 5 pick so they have a player with years on a rookie deal. That is what NO really wants.
What is my opinion? That Oden is going to for sure get injured? That's not my stance. I view him as largely an unknown with huge potential, risky, but could be very rewarding. It's very possible that New Orleans views him the same way. If we're just talking about Oden's history, he didn't play particularly well his second season, and he wasn't injured the entire season. There's MANY scenarios. They aren't as clear cut as you make them seem. And just going off your argument, he has good size anyways, so they'd keep for that, right?
For what was essentially his rookie season (his first experience playing in the NBA), he played very well. He had an 18 PER (driven by high efficiency scoring and an extremely high rebound rate) with very good defense.
