Greg Oden could possibly be the definition of injury prone. With a total of 82 games played out of a possible 246+, he definitely fits the definition of injury prone. He has been injured well over half of his NBA career and no one has seen him to his full potential. Last season fans got many glimpses of what he is capable of playing like, but not enough to become a fan of his play. The Blazers are in need of a big man to occupy the key every year and he has not proven he can be relied on. It was agreed that the Blazers would not give Greg Oden a contract extension before the deadline. Greg will become a restricted free agent next season and the Blazers will be able to match any offer thrown at him. He will be the only number 1 draft pick since Kwame Brown not to get resigned. Kwame Brown has stayed a little healthier than Oden, but still had trouble staying on the court.
Oden could also be compared to Sam Bowie, who similarly could not stay healthy for a whole season. Bowie was drafted instead of Michael Jordan; Oden was drafted instead of Kevin Durant. Sam Bowie played 139 games in four seasons with the Blazers and then was traded away to the Nets. Greg Oden has played 82 games in 3 seasons and has missed all of his 4th so far. Is Oden tradable and would anyone want him? It’s tough to say. He has potential to be great, but does he have potential to play a whole season?
With injuries to both Greg and Joel last season, Portland had to trade away two players who were key to the team. Steve Blake was probably the toughest to see departure. He is now apart of the Los Angeles Lakers, defending World Champs who were fortunate enough to pick up a veteran like him during the off-season.
On November 18th, there was news that he would be having season ending micro fracture surgery on his left knee. It will be his third knee surgery in four years. The surgery doesn’t mean he won’t be playing again, but it means that he will never be what he was expected to be. Oden’s injuries kind of resemble the whole Blazer team. They have talent, but haven’t been able to put it to use yet. This is not good for the Portland Trail Blazers because more injuries just delay the outburst they will have when everyone’s healthy.
It’s obviously not Greg’s fault directly, but what if he stayed healthy? What if he was able to continue playing the whole season and into the playoffs? The Blazers might not be in this center cursed predicament they’re in now. Maybe Oden’s injury was a good thing. It may have opened some eyes that he is not the player they thought he was. Now that the Blazers have Camby and now Gerald Wallace, maybe Oden isn’t meant for this team. I’m sure he would get picked up by someone other than the Blazers if they decided to let him go. But for now he will continue to wear a Blazer jersey and hopefully get on the court next season at full health and ready to play.
-Connor Buckley
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