This may have already been discussed. Not sure. So, John Lund was mentioning on today's show that Oden's agent had wanted to hold him out to get a second opinion, etc. The Blazers "got" that second opinion....which turned out to be the same as first: Oden "appears" to be fit enough to play. The conspiracy part on Lund's part was that Oden's agent doesn't want to take a chance on Oden coming back and potentially being ineffective which, in turn, would end up costing long-term dollars to his client...and himself. Not entirely sure if this is factual...but it sounds somewhat plausible to me.
i could see that but no team will give him a monster payday by watching workouts. it could backfire as well. its in his head...
Lund said that teams might still pay on "perceived" potential, but won't pay on actual failed performance.
Do we know that this is the case that the Blazers think he can play? The Blazers and the LA doc agreed on something. Just what they agreed on is the question.
Oden already proved he was effective when he could play, so that's kind of a dumb thought by Lund, IMO. He will make more by being healthy than by not looking bad.
I was thinking the same thing. This strikes me as a nothing more than a theory ... a really sane, really reasonable theory.
All you have to do is just apply a little bit of logic. Oden's return is way past the point you would expect for somebody recovering from a broken bone (I'm talking waaaaaaaay past). So which do you think is more or likely, that the doctors he's been seeing are trying to hold him back or prod him back to the game? My gut tells me he's basically cleared to play, but he still experiences aches and pains and thinks he's still "injured" (structurally unsound) vs. "hurt" (feelings of pain).
...it wouldn't make much sense that someone with an injury whose number one treatment is "rest" would be practicing 5v5. My theory? Oden accidentally a large penis in his knee.
I think this conspiracy theory sounds pretty reasonable, sure it's speculation, but I was thinking the same thing yesterday when they said the doc agreed with the Blazers staff on Greg. Can't blame him for being gun shy after so many problems, not trusting the blazers staff 100%, wanting to come back in the best condition possible to impress the league. Not signing him to an extension means the Blazers only have this last year invested in Greg, without a long term commitment with financial security worrying about all those things falls on Greg and his agents shoulders.
Or could it be that Greg is a afraid to play, afraid of hurting himself, which to me is totally understandable. The second opinion is for his benefit, telling him that he really has healed and it's OK to start to go for it again. My sense is that it's the mental part that is holding him back now and this 2nd opinion may have been for that.
I'd be terrified if I were in his shoes. His gory knee injury happened by merely jumping to block a shot.
It may be also his agent thinks he's ready to play, but the Blazers are holding him back. The agent probably wants him to play to get a big contract and feels the longer he waits to play the less likely he'll get a big contract. Just speculation either way.