FanPost

This is a dumb theory but hear me out

In 2007 Kevin Pritchard convinces Paul Allen to draft Greg Oden over Kevin Durant. Allen agrees but says if it fails and Durant becomes All-World he will fire Pritchard and hound him forever, to the gates of hell, no matter where he gets his next job. Oden becomes a bust, Pritchard is fired in a most humiliating fashion, told in no uncertain terms that he owes Allen for life or until he somehow repays debt.

Fast forward 2011-12; Blazers waive Greg Oden, an Indiana native, who has been linked to Pacers over the years as a team he could eventually play for. Paul Allen hires Neil Olshey as GM; Pritchard is hired as GM by Pacers. Allen orders Olshey to target RFA center Roy Hibbard and by extension, Pritchard in move that, if successful, will clear slate between Allen and Pritchard.

Pritchard is forced to look for replacement center, and in his dubious first act as GM signs a “healthy” Greg Oden after David Stern intervenes to repay Paul Allen for going Darth Vader on behalf of the league during the CBA talks. Paul Allen finally gets his franchise center, all of those Roy jerseys and bobbleheads can be partially recycled, but in a final twist Kevin Pritchard is vindicated when a “healthy”” Greg Oden leads the Pacers to the NBA finals against OKC, winning the championship in 6 games.