Like Minstrel said, the special rookie contract provisions wouldn't apply to any new contract that Greg would sign. At the end of that contract, Greg would be a UFA just like any other player. Under the current CBA, the Blazers would have Bird Rights that would let them go over the cap to either extend his contract or sign him to a new one. The owners seem to want to eliminate those provisions, so it's up in the air as to what would happen under the new CBA.
Interesting. So it seems to me (but I might be wrong), the best offer from both sides is for Portland to tender the QO, and for Oden to reject it, making him an RFA after 7/1. Then they can treat him like a normal player and sign him under the normal RFA rules.
He doesn't have to reject the QO. As long as it's been tendered and is still on the table, he becomes a RFA. If the Blazers make a QO, the only way that Greg doesn't become a RFA would be for him to sign the QO contract, play out one year and then become an UFA.
I didn't mean that he would "reject" the offer and spurn the team, but if he accepts a QO it means in all likelihood that he wants to become an unrestricted free agent in a year, if he declines then it means he's exploring offers from teams in restricted free agency. The real drama isn't the team extending the QO in my mind, it's what Oden does with it.
It's in the team's best interest to wait until the last minute to make the QO. On the other hand, it'd be a sign of good faith to make the offer ASAP. The Blazers and Oden could then agree to any kind of contract that's allowed under the CBA (whatever the CBA is then), or the Blazers can tell Oden, "go get your best offer on the open market and we'll match it."
A new Oden article on NBA.com this morning! I haven't read it yet. This will probably cover new territory, never before reported! http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/06/16/how-long-can-blazers-wait-on-oden/?ls=iref:nbahpt1
