While his durability may continue to be an issue, I don't think he'll have lost much of anything to the injuries. The knee surgeries he had on both knees were corrective, adding stability but not affecting the knee structure. Here's a Blazers Edge link from back in the day with good discussion following the article. His 2nd year on the Blazers (last year) was my first time really seeing him and he certainly was dunk contest athletic. Then he injured his shoulder. This year he blew out an achilles. Full recovery with loss of nothing is the norm for that injury but it usually takes a full year. I know 49er Vernon Davis blew one out early on in his career and is still thought of as the fastest TE going. So really nothing should prohibit him from being the same athlete he's been... except if he really is Mr Glass. As far as going forward, what the Blazers do hinges on insider stuff (work ethic, what type of guy he is, medical assessments) that we don't know much about. If they think he's going to be right, he has the sort of talent that should have them giving him full consideration. Man could they use another athletic wing... which is why I could see him wanting to stay. Then again they may blow their offseason chunk o change on someone established... who then will get injured regardless, Go Elliott! Having been laid up with longterm rehab a couple times, I always want to see guys make it back STOMP
I'm just returning to bball after I ruptured my achilles over a year ago, and I can't imagine ever playing the same again. But then again, I'm 36 years old, and I don't have trainers helping me out. One a side note, I just moved back to Portland this October after living in NC for 6 years, and I tried to sign my family up for a BlueCrossBlueShield insurance plan. They declined me because they consider a torn achilles injury to be a pre-existing condition for the next five years. I had no idea sports injuries could keep me from getting coverage. I'm 36, in great shape, great health, with no chronic medical conditions, and I can't buy normal coverage here? Sheesh.
Oden played 1816 minutes in the same time, 3 seasons. That's 12 times as many. Sam Bowie (3511 minutes) is to Oden as Oden is to Elliot Williams. They're really not comparable. They're all on separate orders of magnitude.
when Obamacare kicks in in Jan of 2014 you will able to but insurance from an Oregon "exchange" and I'm 95% sure pre-existing conditions won't come into play.
I think Federal law says you pay monthly premiums for 9 months, then the pre-existing condition is covered. Ask Blazer Prophet, who works in health insurance claims.
9 months is the law in Washington State, but I think they can deny you in Oregon. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=48.43.012 http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/choices/pre-existing-condition-insurance-plan/or.html
