Oden wants to go to Miami?
John Lund reported on 750am at about 1pm today that he has it from "a very reliable NBA source" that Oden wants to go to Miami after his contract with the Blazers is up. "Reported" is questionable.
Says Lund:
"A very reliable NBA source tells me that while Greg Oden is open to signing his $8.8M qualifying offer and rehabbing his knee with the Blazers next season, his preferred destination is with the Miami Heat. The rationale is that the only way he'll stop being compared to Kevin Durant is to win 3 or 4 rings while playing caddy alongside the big 3."
Sounds like Canzano-esque journalism to me. "Journalism" is also questionable.
***Update: Found the actual link and added a snippet of his quote. Click and scroll down to "#1" for his full comment.
12 months ago
Oh. Em. Gee.
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I would probably stop watching the NBA if this happened.
It’s bad enough that the Heat are already so stacked. Watching Oden play for them would be too much. Here’s hoping this is nothing more than false rumor.
"Nicolas! You're the strongest boy in the world!"
Who am I kidding? I'll keep watching.
I just can’t stand players who chase championships like this. I guess if you can’t beat them, join them.
"Nicolas! You're the strongest boy in the world!"
As long as he wants to go for Juwan Howard
and not for the James/Wade/Bosh trio
I can get behind that argument.
And, I bet GO would make a better PG than Mike Bibby.
Q: "Why are the Heat losing?"
'Dre: "That's for them to figure out. We did our job."
by Oh. Em. Gee. on Jun 1, 2011 5:13 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I just heard a snippet of this when I was moving my car
just enough time to hear two callers call in and say something like “here’s why this doesn’t work,” and then Lund say something like “well, that’s just what I’m hearing from NBA circles.”
WTF, local media? Do you hate our team?
Not a bad idea for Greg though. Most fanbases of contending teams that would pick up Greg would hate him as soon as he missed his set of games. In Miami, they just probably wouldn’t notice.
I
by joelor on Jun 1, 2011 1:45 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
how does it not work?
based on salary cap rules? given there’s no cba, that’s a dubious argument. no one really knows what the new cba will look like. oden might well be willing to take less to have a shot at a ring and to get out of portland where he’ll never live up to the enormous expectations he’ll always carry.
really as much as people want to discredit this report as they don’t like what it’s saying, greg oden leaving town after signing his QO makes plenty of sense and miami will certainly look to improve it’s front line.
Oden is gone. Why would he stay, really, with the albatross of being the failed savior around his neck?
If there was ever a guy who could make a case for needing a fresh start, it’s him. As fans, we need to accept this.
by raoulduke on Jun 1, 2011 1:51 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Oden is kidding himself if he thinks...
that running with his tail between his legs to Miami to win a couple empty championships is going to restore his image or make people forget that Kevin Durant has, thus far, been the better pick of their draft. Oden needs to man up, play for Portland, the team and fan base that has suffered with him and continued to support him.
Those who say he needs a fresh start are just giving him any easy way out. Those who take the easy way are not respected. Lebron James is exhibit “A”.
LaMarshmallow - Distant Memory.
by mlsinpdx on Jun 1, 2011 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions 7 recs
you said it perfectly
I am a huge Oden supporter but if running to Miami to “hide” is really his idea of getting past the whole Oden v Durant stuff, then he has such a losers mentality that I don’t want him anyway.
Having said that, I seriously doubt the report that Oden is just waiting to jump ship. I think he will ultimately stay here long-term and he WILL produce and silence all the doubters!
Go G.O.!
by biggfish02 on Jun 1, 2011 6:27 PM PDT up reply actions 6 recs
AND...
…Oden should stay here because Portland fans still say “thus far” when comparing him to Durant (I’m one of ‘em). He’s not going to find that kind of love in any other market. He still owes us for his “welcome festival” at Pioneer Courthouse Square a few years ago…
joined **Apr 16, 2008** last login **in progress**
by bforsythe on Jun 1, 2011 7:03 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
As a b ball player... you'd be nuts to pick Portland over Miami...
the girls, the weather, no state income tax, more potential for ring(s), endorsement deals, etc.
With that said – i think he owes it to fans to try to make a go of it in Portland at least one more time.
Talk of ‘easy way out’ and ‘not respected’ are phrases that only a idealistic Blazers fan would use in this scenario. If Oden were to go to a big market and make a substantial contribution to a championship team the rest of the nation wouldn’t even remember he played (or rehabbed) here – nor would they care.
Treat people well because Karma can hit you at any second.
But, as a business person....
you’d be MORE NUTS to choose a MLE type salary over a $10-12mil/year salary. Especially given his injury history.
As much as it may suck for lifestyle and rings, it would just be foolish to turn down $20-25 million in guaranteed salary, considering it may be his last legit contract. That’s money that just can’t be made up. Ever.
We’re talking the support and well being of GENERATIONS of his family. At some point, he has to consider that, and it’s a large reason why most athletes eventually follow the money.
You know what really burns me about the whole "fresh start" perspective?
We’re the only fan base that hasn’t written him off as a bust long ago! Do you have any idea what the New York fans would have done to Oden if he had been their pick? He’d have to wear a giant bag over his head while walking Charles Barkley Mclovin!
We’re the only people in the league that haven’t given up on him; seems a strange thing to want to leave.
If he leaves Portland for greener pastures, he would be a loser of the highest order and I would put him in a select cadre of my most loathed players, currently headed by Lebron.
We’re the only fan base that hasn’t written him off as a bust long ago!
. i disagree. We’re just the only fan base that gives a rats behind about him right now because he just happens to be on our roster. Most other fan bases look at him with indifference and/or just don’t care. Those around the country that do care look at him as some enigma that rehabs through a small market team on the West Coast.
Treat people well because Karma can hit you at any second.
*shrug* everything I know about Oden makes this pretty plausible to me.
Warm weather, women, and Oden could take the spotlight off himself as a fourth wheel.
But there is little chance Miami could pull this off. Oden’s a restricted free agent if we extend the qualifying offer. Miami is capped out. Portland may be amenable to a sign and trade, but Miami has nothing to trade, so why would we do a S&T with the Heat?
Basically, if you’re Oden and you want to get out of Portland, there are only two real options: (1) accept the qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent in 2012, or (2) sign a contract in 2011 as a restricted free agent with a team that Portland would be interested in executing a sign and trade for. This almost has to be prenegotiated for this to work, between all three parties: Oden, Blazers, and Team X.
Because option #1 is so high risk for Oden, if I were his agent, I’d be working on #2.
How is option 1 high risk?
He people said it was high risk for Oden to not sign long term last summer. Then the worst thing imaginable happened and Oden is still going to get more than $10 million.
by Oden Mad, Oden Smash! on Jun 1, 2011 2:05 PM PDT up reply actions
*shrug* Imagine he can't make it back.
Or he makes it back and reinjures himself. Or he makes it back with clearly degraded mobility and athleticism. He may still be able to get a contract since the league is always desperate for a halfway mobile 7 footer, but how many millions less will he get then versus what he’ll be able to get this summer?
Yeah he’ll get $10 million this summer, but he’ll have already left millions on the table because he got injured again last year. If he gets injured again next year, he’ll leave tens of millions on the table.
by howlingfantods on Jun 1, 2011 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Number two is illegal - at least by the current CBA
"Well, you can always sell your team."
by douglast on Jun 1, 2011 2:19 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
What you probably meant
Was for the blazers to sign and trade oden to another team, which is legal and always is pre-arranged between all three parties. What is not allowed is for him to sign an RFA offer sheet with another team and then turn that into a sign and trade.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
by douglast on Jun 1, 2011 2:23 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
whats the problem people
its sunny and 50 outside, why would you want to go some where a little warmer, i know i would.
Nice to know
that Oden is willing to play for the minimum salary. Why sign a 4 year, $40 million deal when you can get 3 years and $3 million from heat?
MLE in summer 2012? (if it still exists)
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Its not about the money!
ITS ABOUT NOT BEING COMPARED TO KD! lol
John Lund’s rationale for this is quite laughable.
But if the owners get a hard cap in 2013
will they give him the MLE in 2012 for more than one year if they’re just going to have to cut him in 2013 to get under the hard cap?
But let’s assume that there is no hard cap. Then maybe the heat can give him 3 years, $12 million via an (assumed lower value under the new CBA) MLE offer.
Still not convinced that Oden will be happy with that…..
EXACTLY!
I understand Lebron taking slightly less (in reality I’d wager my house he came out FAR and away on top going to Florida—no income tax etc.) cause when you’re talking 120 million vs 110 million so what. $12-15 million vs 35+ is a whole ’nother ballgame.
yes
I’m so sick of hearing that Lebron isn’t a bad guy because he took less money to win. What a joke.
P.S. I’m so sick of how most of the media is now protecting Lebron just because he’s winning. The best was Jeff Van Gundy last night saying…
“If you take away all the bad stuff Lebron has done, he’s not that bad of a guy!”
I think we only have 2 chances of keeping Oden past 2011-12
1) completely and ridiculously overpay (years and dollars)
2) some sort of franchise tag mechanic
Beyond that, I just don’t see it happening. I don’t see him signing any RFA sheet this summer/fall unless it’s in the ridiculous camp – but only cruddy teams he doesn’t want to play for have that much space, so I don’t even see that happening. Summer 2012 he walks off on a (worse case for him) 3-year MLE offer with a team like Miami.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Yep.
Unless we make Oden a huge offer after the lockout he is out of here. He will sign the QO and then get multiple near-max (not MLE) offers in summer of 2012. He will have multiple choices where he wants to go.
BUT – I think Paul will make that huge offer (he will start at 4 years $48M with team option 5th year, but probably end up a little more if allowed under the new CBA) to keep Greg here (and he will regret not extending Oden for less money last October, but he can blame that on Cho now – true or not).
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Jun 1, 2011 9:00 PM PDT up reply actions
It pissed me off to no end hearing his segment...
Athletes will ALWAYS go where the money is. Yeah he’s going to pass up 4 for 40 (or more) and take a 3 year 20mil MLE just to play in Miami. Uh no. And the fact Lund didn’t bring up the economics of it absolutely smacked of Canzano. I enjoy listening to Lund but he was way too tabloid-ish today.
by ilikescotch on Jun 1, 2011 4:02 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
When it's a slow day in the sports radio world, the local guys like Lund and Canzano play the "Oden card".
They know that this market will talk Oden so they stir the pot. At this point, Oden would be a damn fool to take the one year, $8.8 million QO and pass up a guaranteed multi-year deal.
by JAWKS on Jun 1, 2011 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
This fanshot needs to be retitled:
“Hack ‘Journalist’ Wants to Feel Relevant”
"Hey! If the moon were made of ribs, wouldja eat it? I know I would!"
by cubs0505 on Jun 1, 2011 4:16 PM PDT reply actions 5 recs
If Ben bumps it to the first page
I have a feeling he’d do it himself anyways.
Q: "Why are the Heat losing?"
'Dre: "That's for them to figure out. We did our job."
by Oh. Em. Gee. on Jun 1, 2011 5:20 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Nah, I don't think he'd rename it
Only hacks use subjective adjectives such as the word “hack” in their work. Ben, being a journalist that I actually respect (and the fact that we share a pretty awesome first name) wouldn’t do that.
"Hey! If the moon were made of ribs, wouldja eat it? I know I would!"
Lund said it so it must be true!
Let’s all draw conclusions about Greg personally!
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
good for GO how?
because he’s a coward and just another NBA players that has zero loyalty? The only thing worse than greg odens loyalty is blazer fans insecurity.
by notoriousj on Jun 1, 2011 8:58 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
re: Oden's loyalty
That’s wierd, I didn’t realize he had already left the Blazers. It’s amazing to me how we take stories like this and turn it into accepted fact about Oden’s personality.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Jun 2, 2011 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
no joke
how is g.o. a coward? because he’s undergone multiple surgeries? because when he’s on the court he doesnt back down from nobody? i dont get it. Lund says he’s leaving and that makes him a coward?
has john lund ever been right about anything
FIRE BUCHANAN!!
by thomasikehara on Jun 1, 2011 4:42 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Greg
is a small market, low key kind of guy.
No way he chucks Portland for Miami.
Lund just creating buzz that Canzano will jump all over.
by Rip City Reign on Jun 1, 2011 5:01 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
What if Lund's source is Canzano and Canzano's source is Lund??!!???
Lolz….
by ilikescotch on Jun 1, 2011 5:08 PM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
you just blew my mind
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
I think you just invented perpetual motion
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Dynamic Duo.
I think you are on to something.
My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.
when I heard Lund say this today I had a big Clownzono,Quick flashback
Can we please get some meaningful coverage of our team for next season. This kind of stuff just feeeeeds the negative sorts that LOVE to kick people like Oden and Roy when they are down. Very tiresome.
I would have a hard time watching and enjoying the NBA
if this were to happen. Not that I am saying this is credible information, I’m just going over the what ifs. The small market snub would be back in full effect and my hopes of winning a title anytime soon would slowly start to dissipate. That would be a dirty little move if Greg would ever pull this.
I guess in the end he really doesn’t owe anything to Portland and the fans that have had his back since he got here. I’m pretty sure the average fan still has hope and support for him, it’s the small vocal minority that can get into your head is what I fear. Well, we can’t do anything about this now other than ride it out.
Hot sauce in my bag.
he should try harder to get over surgery faster
I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
Mark Twain
Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain_4.html#ixzz1IE4sPu16
by Tyler Durrden on Jun 1, 2011 10:01 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't know how credible this story is
but as others have said, from what we’ve seen and heard from Greg Oden, I could see it. In a strange way, Oden’s seemingly newfound ability to let the chips fall where they may, which is the thing that makes me think Oden is a fairly well adjusted individual in the manner he’s dealt with his injuries, is the same trait that makes me think he could be on the first train out of here. The guy is young, rich, and will have 20 or so odd teams willing to throw him north of $40 million (based on the market for Cs) on potential. As he said, it’s his move.
Kevin Durant won me over when he went Rocky IV on Russia this summer.
20 teams?
There aren’t 20 teams wit cap space, let alone, 20 teams with enough cap space to offer him north of $40 million.
At best, he’ll have 4 or 5 teams be able to offer him that kind of money, and, most likely, those teams will be of the Minnesota/Sacramento/Charlotte variety. If he wants to win now (i.e. Miami, Chicago, Thunder, etc.), he’d have to be willing to sign for the Vet Minimum, which for him would be around $1m per year.
Or, he can sign the big-bucks contract with a crappy team with a ton of cap space.
OR, he can sign a big-bucks contract with a solid-to-good playoff team, who has the potential to be very good, if he is healthy and contributing.
IMO, while the Blazers may not be his first choice given complete free agency, they are most certainly his best choice if he has interest in BOTH winning games and making large sums of money. In the end, this should win out.
by thevolv on Jun 2, 2011 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
The new CBA will be a critical piece in all this
but under the current rules, Oden can get a long term deal with a team of his choosing through a sign and trade. If Cleveland was willing to play ball with Miami, you can bet Portland will get something, even a realtive pittance, for Oden rather than nothing if he says he’s leaving and a sign and trade is the way the deal goes down
Kevin Durant won me over when he went Rocky IV on Russia this summer.
by blazeraddict on Jun 2, 2011 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
He can't sign with Cleveland and then
get traded to Miami.
The only way he can be signed-and-traded is if the Blazers sign him and trade him. The only way they agree to that, is if they think he legitimately might sign with Miami for the Vet Minimum (no way he does this), or would prefer to play in Cleveland than in Portland (possible, but, highly doubtful).
Considering any new CBA would likely restrict player movement even more than the current one, I can’t see any scenario where it becomes easier for this deal to happen. In fact, I think it’s likely that a new CBA would severely limit teams ability to sign-and-trade, or it may even outlaw the practice altogether.
You completely misundestood me
Cleveland agreed to a sign and trade for LeBron with Miami – in the aftermath of “the Decision” and Dan Gilbert’s hate letter to LeBron. Business is business, and if Greg Oden/his agent tell Portland at some point that he’s walking one way or another, I’m guessing our GM (whenever we hire one) will play ball and get something in return. All back to my larger point that Oden has a higher level of mobility here than I think you’re giving him
Kevin Durant won me over when he went Rocky IV on Russia this summer.
by blazeraddict on Jun 2, 2011 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions
OK, yes, I totally misunderstood what you were getting at.
But, there is still one MAJOR difference.
The Blazers would have to truly believe that Greg would walk away to a middling-to-doormat team. If he is not willing to do that, then there is no reason to sign-and-trade him.
Even if Greg signs the QO, and becomes an UFA after next year, he will still have to play the open market, which is likely to be made up of mostly also-ran teams with even smaller cap figures than they have now.
Sure, he has options. But, he has very few GOOD options.
Not to mention
that I don’t think Cleveland is exactly looking for more ways to help Miami get better.
If anything, they’d probably be more likely to sign Greg JUST TO SPITE Miami (extremely unlikely, but still), then facilitate any sort of deal with them.
The front offices of the Blazers and Jazz are freaking BFF’s compared to Cleveland and Miami at this point.
Miami could give him the MLE
which is a lot more than the vet’s minimum, and with a 3-5 year deal behind it, it’s good money. not as much as staying – but maybe it’s worth 10-15 million for him to split and go to south beach and win titles and rack up endorsements and exposure.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
That's assuming that the MLE still exists.
If it does, then, obviously, he’d be a good candidate for such a deal.
However, when was the last time you actually heard of a player (especailly one with Oden’s injury history) turning down GUARANTEED money in the order of tens of millions of dollars?
Sure, it could happen, but, you gotta think that at some point, cooler heads will prevail and he’d rather take $10-12 million/year rather than $5-6 million/year. I mean, over the course of a 4 year deal, you’re talking 20-24 MILLION DOLLARS!
Think about that for a second.
TWENTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS
That’s a lot of money to give up for anyone, and, especially for someone who has to at least consider the notion that this may be his last opportunity to make that kind of money.
Who could blame him?
Objectively speaking, Miami would be the best situation for Greg Oden.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
It's amazing how quickly this speculation became fact to so many people.
I have some lottery numbers that I guarantee will win! I have a very reliable source and I’ll sell them to you for next to nothing!
I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
Mark Twain
Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain_4.html#ixzz1IE4sPu16
by Tyler Durrden on Jun 2, 2011 6:37 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
well
it doesn’t hurt that this kind of move is, for Oden, the most logical choice.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Whether it's a good move or not lends no more credence to a rumor
than the fact that someone talked about it on the radio. We can have any opinion about it we want, doesn’t make it truth…
I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
Mark Twain
Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain_4.html#ixzz1IE4sPu16
by Tyler Durrden on Jun 2, 2011 9:48 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
How is it logical
to leave tens of millions of dollars on the table to sign a Vet Minimum deal with Miami (or some other contender)?
This explanation should be good.
I agree
we are so quick to run with reports like this…I can’t stand it. We use this crap to say Greg is not a loyal person, then talk about it like it’s a done deal. Come on peeps, let’s wait and see what actually happens. Crazy, I know.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
I think it's pretty likely we're going to see a lot of these stories this summer,
and it won’t be press guys blowing smoke; these will be the results of leaks from parties in the know.
Keeping in mind that the best case scenario for Oden is securing a large contract this summer, and also keeping in mind that the Blazers may or may not be interested in offering a large contract, there’s a distinct possibility that both parties will conclude that the best option is to interest a third team in a sign and trade deal. Oden gets a big veteran’s contract and some security, Portland gets some assets back, and another team (GSW? Wolves?) rolls dice on a high risk, high reward player.
If that ends up happening, we will hear a lot about a lot of teams—agents will be talking, team front offices will be talking, unrelated third party front offices will hear gossip about the talks, etc.
How likely is it? Lord knows. I would’ve said a pretty high level of likelihood before the Cho thing, since it seemed like Cho generally took a pretty hard headed approach, and since Oden wasn’t his pick, he wouldn’t have been resistant to admitting error by moving him. But I have no idea who’s making the decisions now, if there’s any one person charged with determining overall roster strategy, if anyone has anything longer than a one year plan for roster creation.
by howlingfantods on Jun 2, 2011 2:53 PM PDT up reply actions
I guess my take home message is to take any stories like this with a grain of salt
and I would encourage people not to draw definitive judgments about Greg Oden the person based on these things. Something will ultimately happen and we can make our judgments. It is certainly a unique and fascinating situation.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
I really don't--if I were a young millionaire athlete,
I’d rather be in LA or Phoenix or Miami or NYC than Portland, too. Heck, I’m not a young millionaire athlete, and I’m living in SF instead of Portland—I really
by howlingfantods on Jun 2, 2011 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions
oops.
anyways, my point is that I don’t think you need to ascribe villainous motives to a guy for wanting to change teams, cities, circumstances. You can just assume he’s as human as anyone else. But it’s also unrealistic to ascribe some kind of narratively satisfying stuff about team loyalty or gratitude leading to willingness to give up tens of millions to stay in Portland.
by howlingfantods on Jun 2, 2011 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions
well, whether he has to give up tens of millions remains to be seen
but as people who choose to live in Portland, it is not easy to accept that as a valid reason. If I were a millionaire may or may not be somewhere else, but as it stands we choose to live here, so it may be a little different for me than for you to just say “oh well, can’t blame the guy for wanting to be in LA or PHX or Miami or NYC.” Sure I can, it’s bad enough that the perception puts us at a disadvantage with regards to metro attractiveness levels, but we are one of 30 NBA teams, and I’m not going to give every player who wants to leave town a free pass because this is Portland.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Ok, let me put it this way:
1) when I hear a NBA player saying “I want to go to LA or Phoenix or NYC or Miami, etc”, my reaction is, “duh”. Everyone wants to go to those teams, everything else being equal.
2) but I think the reality of whether he actually does go elsewhere or not will depend a lot on whether Portland is willing to give him a big contract this summer, and if not, whether any other teams that Portland could do a sign and trade with would be willing to give him a big contract. If Portland won’t offer him $$ but GSW or Minnesota or whoever else will, and they can work out a deal with Portland for picks or whatever, then I expect he will leave, and justifiably so.
by howlingfantods on Jun 2, 2011 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions
fair enough
If I were in the NBA I would certainly prefer NY and MSG to playing in Milwaukee…and obviously I’m a homer for Portland and Oregon, I just feel that as a fan of this team I can’t really accept Los Angeles>Portland as a reason to bolt. If something is on the table that makes sense, that brings us something legitimate in return, and that gives Greg a contract he’s happy with and puts him in a situation he’s happy with, I can probably live with that.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
i wasn't talking about the money angle
obviously that comes into play at some point (though you are forgetting the MLE option for Oden to Miami)
I was talking about the logic from Oden’s standpoint – taking off my homer Blazer fan hat and looking at it objectively – him getting a new start elsewhere is the most logical thing for him. Here he will always be looked at as the #1 pick who’s supposed to help us get tot he promised land – all the while getting compared to Durant. As soon as he splits town, that all disappears.
If he can get a full MLE deal AND go to a team like Miami, maybe that would trump 4/40 to stay here
"Well, you can always sell your team."
There are points of this argument I can appreciate
Here he will always be looked at as the #1 pick who’s supposed to help us get tot he promised land – all the while getting compared to Durant. As soon as he splits town, that all disappears.
But Greg Oden will always be the #1 pick…always ahead of Durant. It doesn’t matter where he goes. That is a fact that is etched in history and he will always be measured by those standards no matter what uniform he is wearing. Greg will get more leeway with the Portland fanbase because we’ve lived the saga and are numb to a lot of it. There’s only one fanbase that believes in Greg that knows what it’s like to deal with the disappointments, and that’s us.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
but it will be different
here, he was OUR number 1 pick. the pressure to live up to that will always hang over him. Anywhere else he’s just someone else’s number 1 pick. THAT team didn’t spend a number 1 pick on him – they just signed him as a free agent.
That is a WORLD of difference.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
that's fair
I just don’t think running away from this situation (aka abandoning it, jumping ship, taking the “easy” road) is the right thing for him to do. If he wants to ever be perceived as a success I think it would serve him well to turn things around in Portland.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
for what it's worth, I agree with you
but at least some of that is my heart talking. But it doesn’t matter what we think – it only matters what Greg thinks. If he believes his best move is to move on and get a fresh start elsewhere, then that’s what matters.
In the end you and I both know that if he does move on and have success elsewhere – he will be seen as a success. Maybe not here in Portland, but the rest of the country will see him as a success – and a great comeback story – if he is able to stay healthy and have a solid career and win a few titles. No one outside of Portland will care where that occurs at all.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
you're right
it’s difficult for me to keep my heart entirely out of this conversation. I will say that if what you say happens, that he goes to another team and finds success, there will be many Portlandians who will be happy for him and will support him. I do not think I will be one of them. If that happens Greg will live in infamy for me…not because he’s a bad guy personally or because I blame him for leaving, but simply because of the whole spectrum of circumstances surrounding this saga. The hate we’ve endured. Laughed at since that first injury. Colin Cowherd and that stupid song. Only to maintain our faith…only to watch him bolt and finally find success.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
yep, pretty much my biggest fear on the Oden front
both parties have gotten a raw deal on this first 4 years – the team hasn’t got to see him play enough in comparison to his draft spot and salary, and Oden has obviously had a tough time dealing with all the injuries and pressures. And neither party is really at fault for anything that has happened thus far, or will happen down the road. Either we lose our former #1 pick without ever getting much productivity out of him, or we keep him long term. In either case, it remains to be seen whether we or some future team do get a high level of productivity out him going forward. The worst case is him saying “thanks for the time, I need a new start”, then managing to be both healthy and highly productive for the next decade. That’s probably the most likely case too unfortunately.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
I address this above, but, I'll reiterate here.
1) There is a strong chance that the MLE will not be a part of the new CBA. Particularly if there is a hard-cap in place (or anything resembling one).
2) The MLE currently is just under $6 million. If there is a MLE in the new CBA, it will, undoubtably, be for less than that. Even if it stays the same, we’re still talking about HALF of what he will likely be offered from the Blazers. HALF. That’s a LOT of coin to give up for a “fresh start”.
1) obviously everything changes depending on the new CBA. kind of silly to get into scenarios cherry picking certain elements of the current one and not others. It’s all speculation until then. for now, we have to assume the status quo until we know otherwise
2) probably more like 2/3, but your point is taken. But keep in mind playing for a high profile team in Miami will provide many other financial benefits – 10% income tax savings, much higher profile playing deeper into the playoffs on championship teams – which can/will lead to endorsement money as well as a higher next contract. so, it may be a short term loss, but if he believes in himself, he could be looking at it as a longer term gain.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Well...
1) I’ve read multiple reports that the MLE would be one of the first things to go if they moved anywhere NEAR a hard cap. Sure, a lot of things left up in the air, but, even if they do still have a MLE, I imagine it will be greatly reduced.
Heck, they’re trying to get the NBAPA to agree to an ACROSS THE BOARD 25% pay cut. I think the MLE would probably be cut in half, but, as you say, that’s all speculation.
2) First, no way he only gets offered $8million from the Blazers, considering the QO is $8.8million. $10-12 is very reasonable. That’s a LOT of coin to pass up on.
Anyone know if Oden has learned how to not foul yet?
a year of college ball. 5 years on the bench in the NBA, with professional tutors…hope so.
Nt completely impossible actually
Say we sign and trade Oden (and maybe Fernandez) to Miami, who sends Bosh to say, the kings, and we get Dalembert, Bismark Biyombo, and a future first? We could get Kanter probably, but rumor has it that he has bad knees.
We could possibly do the same with the Pistons, Raptors, Wizards or Cavaliers.
Portland could coast along with their superior talent and stay right with us. Now that Portland woke up, the hammer cometh down.
Bayless > Daffy Duck after 3 cans of rockstar
Bosh is 15th in playoff PER, 3rd amongst power forwards,
only behind Dirk and Zbo. There is zero chance that Miami trades him for Oden plus filler.
by howlingfantods on Jun 2, 2011 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Saying there's "zero chance" is putting it nicely.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
oden's desire to go miami was on wikipedia (since taken down) a few months ago
I think that is Lund’s source
FIRE BUCHANAN!!
this is the same guy that said
that a “source” told him that the Blazers would be trading Andre Miller at the trade deadline because the front office felt that ‘Dre doesn’t care about winning and is a bad influence on the team.
Lund has no sources and even less journalistic instincts.
Clowns will be clowns. some make you laugh, some make you cry.
by ratzo on Jun 2, 2011 9:28 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
PEOPLE, MIAMI HAS NO MONEY!!!
They can’t sign him. They have WAY too much money invested in James/Wade/Bosh. So unless Greg is going to play for $2 million a year he isn’t going there. Greg knows what’s up, he knows that this fanbase has been pretty darn supportive considering all the circumstances, and that being the 4th best player on Miami will do nothing to “erase” the Oden/Durant debate. All that would do is make Lebron and Wade look better, not Greg. So until I hear Greg come out and say “I do not want to be in Portland anymore,” I ain’t sweatin it.
AND
if they do have the MLE (if its in the next CBA), they’re not going to use it on a question mark of a player like G.O. They’re going to have to use it on someone they KNOW they can pencil in for quality playing time. I would be more worried about the year after this one when Miami will probably go get Andre Miller with the MLE!
Thank you.
We could try trading Oden and Wallace for Lebron though.
by aPleasureToBurn on Jun 28, 2011 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions
This is nothing but sensationalistic journalism.
But with that said, if GO thinks going to Miami and winning 3 or 4 rings will quiet the Oden vs. Durant debate, he’s nuts. OKC built its team around Durant. He is a part of their core. If GO goes to Miami, he will not be an integral part of their core. Their core is Lebron, Wade, and Bosh.
There is no reason to take Lund's word
I’m not saying he’s a dirty liar, just that I wouldn’t trust him.
Lund is a joke. Plus Miami's a few eggs short of spending fifty million dollars on THREE GUYS
Do you really think they have enough to sign Oden if they wanted him? Psh, no.
Blazers fan since '91
REST IN PEACE MAURICE LUCAS 1952-2010 R.I.P #20
"B.Roy, he play like Brandon Roy. That's it." - Nicolas Batum
"We're family. We're family because of this stupid, stinkin' team." - Dave
by rise_stand_resist on Jun 23, 2011 11:18 PM PDT reply actions
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