The Oden factor: a built in excuse to tread water. "We don't have to make big changes, we'll be fine once Oden returns and saves us!"
In reality, Oden probably won't save us. He's just too fragile. However, IF he could ever get and stay healthy, he would be the magic elixir that we need, for sure.
And just exactly what would you have the Blazers do? They have no cap space. Their highest paid player is untradeable because of his knees. There's at least a reasonable chance that Oden will be able to play again at a high level and, if that happens, the Blazers have a shot at being a contender. Would you have them dump that chance in favor of a total rebuild?
Yep--there's our formula for success. 1) Oden gets healthy 2) Roy removed via amnesty clause 3) Felton & Wallace party like it's 2009 4) ... 5) Profit!!
did you happen to catch 38 year old micro-fracture recipient Jason Kidd in the playoffs and finals? The Mavs don't make it out of the first round without him. The bad thing about MF surgery is that it keeps the athlete out for a long period of rehab. The good thing is that the fix typically doesn't take away from the athlete's physical ability. In the real world the last time Greg was playing he was sharing the center PT with Joel. For his time on the court, he was rebounding, blocking shots, and shooting the ball at a higher rate then 2009-10 All-NBA 1st teamer Dwight Howard. Of course GO was coming off of a summer where he'd worked out very hard and was in solid Bball shape, where as when he comes back this fall he'll have some work to do to reach that same level. But I expect that if he's on the court he will be a major force like he's always been... dude has a lot of advantages to work with.
Who says his knee doesn't spontaneously combust during a workout tomorrow? Best to wait until the last possible second, just in case.
Even if that happens, some people still won't give up on him. The delay is a bit odd, though, as is Buchanon saying management is going to meet again today to make a final decision. Here is the decision, IMO. Just do it, because if you don't and Oden suddenly emerges as a player somewhere else without the Blazers even offering a Q.O., Paul Allen may as well just sell the team.
We should have a poll-- "How many more microfracture surgeries till you decide to dump Oden?" 0 - get rid of him now 1 - everyone deserves a second try, so he still has one more big one to go, and I'll still want him. 2 - If he needs two more, I'll still want him. Three strikes, though, he's gone. 4 - I just checked my hand and it tells me to do things in units of 5. Fifth one, he walks. 5 - My hand must be different from yours. It says to wait 5 more, then on the sixth he goes. 6 - You guys got something against your other hand? You aren't real Blazer fans if you don't stay on your toes and think with all your digits. 7 - This is my lucky number whenever I sit on the curb and roll dice with hobos. I win when I roll 7 maybe because that is the rule. 8 - The best year of my life. I always go with 8. 9 - Oden deserves no more lives than a cat. Isn't that right, Pussy? Come on! Come here! Awww... 10 - My toe bunions are tingling and telling me that Oden deserves 1 microfracture per year.
Its not like Oden is 28, the guy is still 23. We are rolling the dice on him and pretty much betting that he will be the center of the future for us, because well we have no other real options there. Dominate bigs win championships and it would be hard to stop a duo of LMA/Oden with a supporting cast of fringe allstars (wallace/Felton) and great defenders in Mathews/Batum(Oh were did your defense go last year you frenchman!) so the thought has me salivating because there is no way we can get anyone in the realistically next few years that will have anything close to an impact as Oden. Oden your our only real chance to get to contend for a title(even though its all speculative tell he gets on the floor) so strap on titanium knee braces and get your ass on the court!
