With rumors that he feels a little disrespected by the extension not being offered how do you convince Greg to want to be apart of this organization for the long-term? My gut feeling is his agent wants to get Oden to Memphis with his son, Mike Conley. I have an uneasy feeling knowing Rich Cho and Larry Miller are spearheading these contract negotiations with Oden and his agent.
You throw a max extension at him once the opportunity presents itself, even if Oden goes the RFA route. Portland won't have to wait to extend Greg once the FA period hits (whenever that is/lockout) even if he rejects the Q.O. and is free this summer. If Oden accepts the Q.O., then you either throw Bird Rights at him in 2012, or you trade him at the deadline to a team that will sign him to an extension, and get at least something in return. Money talks, bullshit walks. The Blazers made their bed on this; the only way out is offering more money, IMO.
If he's disrespected by the lack of an offer, the team should just say they're basing it on his lack of staying healthy.
I'd sign Dan Dickau and Steve Blake to 2-year/$5million deals and have them offer their wives to Greg as penance from the entire organization.
The only thing worse than making a mistake (drafting him number one overall) is refusing to admit that you made one. Offering Greg a max extension will easily eclipse the stupidity involved with the ludicrous contract the Blazers gave Darius a few years back. Let the market set his value in restricted free agency and if the amount (which would definitely fall below a max deal) is something the team feels they can live with -- knowing that he'll be ininsurable -- then they retain the ability match. If he takes the QO and leaves in free agency then so be it. Far better to come out of this situation with some cap flexibility (assuming an amnesty clause for Brandon's deal) than to create another cap crippling contract that may severely impact your ability to field a competive team in possible hard-cap set of operating rules. Look around the league, is it dominant centers leading their team's to title runs? The NBA has changed and favors smaller, quicker perimeter players. Big men are still important and a semi-healthy, semi-productive Oden isn't a bad thing for this team to have, but expecting him to lead you to the promised land -- which is what paying him a max deal indicates -- seems really foolish to me.
Seems he still owes us a couple seasons of work that we already paid for. His gratitude to the fans and the team for their superhuman patience and understanding should be all the motivation he needs. If he's even considering another team after what he's put us through, then I'll not miss him at all.
The Blazers were certainly considering a future without him when they declined to offer him an extension last summer. Shouldn't your disdain go both ways?
I don't think it was the fact we refused to offer him an extension I think it was more that we didn't want to offer him more then a very crappy one probably in the range of 5/30m and his agent was like screw that if Oden is healthy and plays he'll get at least double that offer.
No one answered my question before on another thread. QUESTION: If Oden doesn't accept the QO, and another teams gives him a 4 year 40 mil offer and he accepts; would the Blazers match and he has no choice to sign with our team? I'm a bit confused on this matter. I guess I mean if he is a restricted free agent; if the Blazers match any offer given, will he be forced to stay with us?
I think they made a wise business decision by not guaranteeing him a huge contract for someone who has played 1/4 of all the games he could've played. They have to look out for the long term overall health of the franchise, not Greg Oden's well being. Of course, that kind of flies in the face of Brandon Roy's contract.
Magnifier661 - yes if offer is made and accepted and Blazers match - he is on the Blazers. Yes, any offer accepted and matched; he's ours.
Yes, that's true. Which makes it all Greg's decision. What will he do with the Q.O.? If he accepts it, he's pretty much done in Portland, and I hope he doesn't tank it to not play in whatever there is of 2011-12.
I think I like what nickolous said about "Letting the league set the value"; instead of jumping the gun. Maybe he doesn't accept the QO and tries to find a better offer outside of Portland. Then we can decide if we want to pay him that much.
If Oden is offended the team didn't offer him a Roy type deal......he's an egotistical idiot. If they want someone with an inflated sense of entitlement, they can just draft Jeremy Tyler.
His value depends on available suitors, though. Greg's best bet is for a UFA sign-and-trade in summer 2012, at least based on the current CBA. I fully expect him to accept the Q.O. If he doesn't, I will be thrilled that he is still in Portland. I just can't give up on the guy.
