Pelicans to meet with Oden {EDIT-Oden chooses Miami,P.61}

I thought guys who signed as free agents can't be moved until three months into the season?

So doesn't that just leave miller, roberts, withey, jackson, smith, rivers as possibilities? don't see any of those guys being moved except roberts and that won't get us nearly close enough

Dell and Loomis ain't nothing to mess with. Wow.

Can't be planning on going into the luxury tax zone, can we?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AD23nEG10

I thought guys who signed as free agents can't be moved until three months into the season?

---

They can be moved immediately if they are traded straight up for another player. If they are a part of a package then you have to wait 60 days. I do not know if the same rule applies to releasing or waiving a player though.

According to ESPN (I got this from BleecherReport), Oden will meet with us today and is "giving serious consideration to NOLA". http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...look-from-oden

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NOLAFan2013

According to ESPN (I got this from BleecherReport), Oden will meet with us today and is "giving serious consideration to NOLA". http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...look-from-oden

---

Not today:

Quote:

---

Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that the Pelicans have been booked for a Wednesday sitdown

---

From the yahoo link it said it's going to be later this week now, not wednesday.

My bad, typo you're right. I thought it was stunning that he's truly considering us given the other suitors out there with better chances of a championship run. But I guess he's looking for a team he can grow with and become a special part of without the hype

All this noise to bring aboard...oden? Seriously?

When you have a low risk, high reward player this late in free agency, who also happens to be very young but yes injury-prone, I think because it's a position of need on our roster, you'd be crazy not to at least talk about bringing him on, if not wan him on board

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kurgan

All this noise to bring aboard...oden? Seriously?

---

To me its more about the potential i mean we all know he's been injured but potential sells on fans imo. I think it'd be the perfect cap to a perfect off season.

Yeah I'm with you. As I told Bob Licht on twitter, Withey turning into our future C is much more likely than Oden staying healthy.

If we got him I think we should try and limit his # of games for this first year.

Could Sties be sent to Portland for his rights? That would open up $2.7mil to sign Oden. Then you could trade Roberts for a 2nd round pick to get his 800k off the books

There's no reason not to do this... He's a low risk, very high reward. This doesn't mean we get rid of Withey, he isn't ready yet. It gives us more depth, and potentially a really talented center.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nightshade

Could Sties be sent to Portland for his rights? That would open up $2.7mil to sign Oden. Then you could trade Roberts for a 2nd round pick to get his 800k off the books

---

If Portland has Oden's rights then yes I believe that is possible.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RekeHavoc

There's no reason not to do this... He's a low risk, very high reward. This doesn't mean we get rid of Withey, he isn't ready yet. It gives us more depth, and potentially a really talented center.

---

Exactly

it'd be such a jerk move to send steimsma already but i'd be so for it. only guy on this team i don't care much for

Is he even healthy, or near healthy right now?? Just wondering. Haven't seen anything about his health in a while.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JrueOrleans

Is he even healthy, or near healthy right now?? Just wondering. Haven't seen anything about his health in a while.

---

He's supposed to be

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...-unbelievable/

Honestly oden would be the less interesting player added to our roster this offseason, by far. The guy has played a whoopping 88 games, playoffs included, out of 492 (492!) possible, and i'm being good since i'm counting only regular season games. What makes ANYONE think he can play more than 5 minutes without going down with a knee blown out? I don't understand all the enthusiasm i'll be sincere, knee injuries are always troubling, knee injuries on a big even more so, repeated knee injuries on a big who has played one regular season out of SIX? I'd like oden simply because he could be a decent "camp" body, before he crashes down on his knees again, but 3 millions for him? No sir, that's way too expensive for someone who will certainly miss (way) more time than he'll play.
That's just me so yeah, i see everyone else is jumping up and down with joy, i hope they're right about another porcelain player.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Pelican Fan

He's supposed to be

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.c...-unbelievable/

---

Awesome! Well like most said, he wouldn't need to play the whole game here. Only 10-15 min. If we do sign him, hopefully it works out.

From the article:

Quote:

---

Former Ohio State forward Deshaun Thomas said he’s been working out with ex-Portland center Greg Oden.

“Man, he looks unbelievable,” he said at the draft combine. “He’s running. He’s lifting weights. You might be seeing a comeback. He looks like he’s ready to go. He’s running, getting in shape. I’ll tell you one thing. For a big 7-footer that’s all he does, running and getting in shape. He’s looking right.”

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AD23nEG10

it'd be such a jerk move to send steimsma already but i'd be so for it. only guy on this team i don't care much for

---

Ya gotta take personal feelings out of it man. It's just a buisness. No different than trading Noel a few hours after drafting him. All teams make decisions like this and it doesn't mean they are being dirty or underhanded or jerks.

edit: I know you werent arguing to keep Steim, just saying it;s not personal

I would trade Steisma and Roberts for Oden. I know he's as injury prone as it gets but supposedly he'a been working out hard and keeping healthy, if he can prove he's healthy enough I'd do it. This could open up a roster spot maybe for one of the guys in the SL for a minimum contract. If he stays healthy though could you imagine a lineup like this?
Jrue/Rivers/Jackson
Gordon/Evans/Morrow
Aminu/Miller
Davis/Anderson/Thomas
Oden/Smith/Withey

Are you drooling yet? I sure am!

Well, I just read the Wiki page of his career. It talks about all of his injuries, from the first to the last. Its pretty scary to think we are going to give him 3 mil, and he's had like 5 surgeries. I'm behind the team on whatever they do. If they sign him I hope it works out. If not, I wouldn't be too upset.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Oden

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JrueOrleans

Well, I just read the Wiki page of his career. It talks about all of his injuries, from the first to the last. Its pretty scary to think we are going to give him 3 mil, and he's had like 5 surgeries. I'm behind the team on whatever they do. If they sign him I hope it works out. If not, I wouldn't be too upset.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Oden

---

I think it's just based off his potential which is crazy high before he got injured. I've always liked him but it sucks he always gets hurt especially so young. Hopefully he can make a turn around

guys have invested so much more than 3 mil a year on a player who never saw the floor... it's not a crazy number of money to have tied up on a risk/reward guy.

The first thing people need to do when imagining Oden in a Pelicans uniform is to forget the guys was drafted #1 overall. That Oden is gone, and will likely never return. It reamind to be seen just who Greg Oden is anymore, but it's possible the this guy can give some quality minutes off the bench and maybe get back to baing a fulltime starter.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Davisistheman

Ya gotta take personal feelings out of it man. It's just a buisness. No different than trading Noel a few hours after drafting him. All teams make decisions like this and it doesn't mean they are being dirty or underhanded or jerks.

edit: I know you werent arguing to keep Steim, just saying it;s not personal

---

I disagree. It would be a black eye to the Pelicans if they traded a guy who chose to sign with them via free agency. What would other free agents think in the future when considering whether to sign with the Pelicans? If it is a S&T, it sounds to me like it would have to involve Smith. He makes $2.5 million which would allow us to take back up to $3.75 million. That would be a big risk IMO as Smith is a quality bench player at a position that we do not have much quality. The Pelicans would have to be sold that Oden's ceiling is pretty high and that he is fairly healthy.

The only other player whose salary would make sense is Rivers, but I would hope they would not trade him for a chance at Oden.

It's not a crazy # if it's just for one year. Oden WAS excellent in his time on the court, his bulk #'s are a little depressed because he never played high minutes. There's no telling if he can get back to that form or stay on the court, but there is some significant reward there if he can. He had an 18 PER at a rookie and a 23 PER in his 2nd season (just 21 games). He was a boss rebounder and averaged 2.3 blocks in just 24 mpg year 2.

It all depends on the contract terms. If you can keep him healthy for 15-20 minutes a night, he could pay great dividends, ala Birdman in Miami last season.

Just because others have invested more on a player solely on potential, doesn't mean its a good move. How many times has an injury prone big man (one who has had multiple surgeries) come back and be successful? Just saying....

http://basketball.realgm.com/article...g-Men-Injuries

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JrueOrleans

Just because others have invested more on a player solely on potential, doesn't mean its a good move. How many times has an injury prone big man (one who has had multiple surgeries) come back and be successful? Just saying....

http://basketball.realgm.com/article...g-Men-Injuries

---

Low risk.

if he signs, do i expect Oden to be the player he was at Ohio St? not really

but the potential is there. and i like him and id love to root for him.

regardless, its just exciting to have a front office who is trying to make things happen. they leave no stone unturned and actually want to win. Thats what i have taken from this offseason. whether it is successful or not, our front office is doing whatever they can to make this team a winner and as a fan thats all you can really hope for.

I wouldn't want to give him a guaranteed four-year deal or anything, but I'd love it if we could land him for a couple of years at $3 million. If it doesn't work out, we can always just let the contract expire.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JrueOrleans

Well, I just read the Wiki page of his career. It talks about all of his injuries, from the first to the last. Its pretty scary to think we are going to give him 3 mil, and he's had like 5 surgeries. I'm behind the team on whatever they do. If they sign him I hope it works out. If not, I wouldn't be too upset.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Oden

---

Nice name ;)

I wish we could work out some kinda Bynum deal. Guaranteed the minimum, incentives go up to $3 mil.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eman5805

I wish we could work out some kinda Bynum deal. Guaranteed the minimum, incentives go up to $3 mil.

---

Exactly what I think we will do. He gets an extra mil if he plays over 40 games, another if he plays in over 60. Or something similar to that.

New campaign slogan...."Just Say No to G.O" .....It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. With Ayon and B. Wright still out there (both 6'10) I'd say go after one of them...They're proven commodities with a penchant for staying healthy...Even Mozgov, Mr. Wrong-side-of-a-highlight-poster himself (whose name became a verb) is a better option....What about Ohlbrecht? 1 year in the league. Just released by Houston. 6'11 255...Won D-league finals last year with RIo Grand Valley...Avged 14 and 7 in finals , 10 and 7 for the season....THe point is, there are a lot more options, for probably the same price, as Oden, more than likely without the history of 80 y/o man knees and a habit of sending pictures of his 3rd leg to girls he doesn't know.

so the two other main teams in the chase are spurs & heat... but some people on this board don't think he's worth 3 Mil from us but if one of the two teams who just played in the finals sign him for that much i bet people say its a genius signing...

the spurs do their homework, i would have my doubts if only bottom of the barrel teams were getting serious interest from oden

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NOSportsFan

New campaign slogan...."Just Say No to G.O" .....It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. With Ayon and B. Wright still out there (both 6'10) I'd say go after one of them...They're proven commodities with a penchant for staying healthy...Even Mozgov, Mr. Wrong-side-of-a-highlight-poster himself (whose name became a verb) is a better option....What about Ohlbrecht? 1 year in the league. Just released by Houston. 6'11 255...Won D-league finals last year with RIo Grand Valley...Avged 14 and 7 in finals , 10 and 7 for the season....THe point is, there are a lot more options, for probably the same price, as Oden, more than likely without the history of 80 y/o man knees and a habit of sending pictures of his 3rd leg to girls he doesn't know.

---

Yes, but none of those guys were deemed a can't-miss prospect coming out of college. Oden's potential reward is unbelievably higher than any of those guys you mentioned. For only the 10-15 minutes per game those guys would get, taking a low risk with Oden is worth it. The Pelicans don't have to have any of those guys next year to compete. We'd give up nothing except for $3M for 1 year to take a chance on one of the best prospects to come out of college in a long time. He was cut because of his injury. The guys you mentioned besides Oden are healthy, yet still haven't been signed. That's a testament to their skill levels. Skill was not the reason Oden was let go.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eman5805

I wish we could work out some kinda Bynum deal. Guaranteed the minimum, incentives go up to $3 mil.

---

How does that affect the cap? Do we need to make room to provide for the full potential of the contract?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by daybreaker

How does that affect the cap? Do we need to make room to provide for the full potential of the contract?

---

Yes

I'd take the leap of faith and make this happen if we can. G.O. (even notat full strength) and AD would be a defensive nightmare for opponents

The thing about Ayon and Wright are we know we'll get just a bench player with them. And how much better than what we have would we be getting?

If (and this "if" is so big wouldn't fit through the Halo's from HALO, it would need its own mass effect generator to keep from collapsing in on itself, Kazuki Nakashima and Studio Gainax would think that "if" is too damn big) if Oden pans out, you might got yourself a the best center not named Dwight, Gasol, or Kevin Mawae.

And all you lose otherwise is some money. Calculable risk. And the reward is something that starts with a D and ends with nasty.

The Spurs gave Richard Jefferson his current contract and regretted it. They are the model franchise but everyone makes mistakes every now and then. Going after Oden isn't a matter of doing your homework, it's a matter of prayer and fingers crossed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mr. West

The Spurs gave Richard Jefferson his current contract and regretted it. They are the model franchise but everyone makes mistakes every now and then. Going after Oden isn't a matter of doing your homework, it's a matter of prayer and fingers crossed.

---

Which is perfectly acceptable on a short-term deal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by whodat504

Yes, but none of those guys were deemed a can't-miss prospect coming out of college. Oden's potential reward is unbelievably higher than any of those guys you mentioned. For only the 10-15 minutes per game those guys would get, taking a low risk with Oden is worth it. The Pelicans don't have to have any of those guys next year to compete. We'd give up nothing except for $3M for 1 year to take a chance on one of the best prospects to come out of college in a long time. He was cut because of his injury. The guys you mentioned besides Oden are healthy, yet still haven't been signed. That's a testament to their skill levels. Skill was not the reason Oden was let go.

---

Very true..He shot free throws opposite handed..Played great with Mike Conley...And made the Blazers once again the snakebite big man drafters they are....Whenever there is a possibly game changing guard/forward and a possibly game changing C twice they've drafted the Center. Twice they've been burned...But on to my point...If your best friend goes and buys a brand new car, and inexplicably the front axle falls off, then he gets it repaired because its under warranty, then 2 weeks later the rear axle falls off, so he once again takes it and gets it repaired, just to once again have the front axle fall off, so he gets it repaired.....But he decides he's had enough so he trades the car in for another one....Are you going to go to the dealership to buy the car you friend just traded back in, even if it's a Ferrari?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mr. West

The Spurs gave Richard Jefferson his current contract and regretted it. They are the model franchise but everyone makes mistakes every now and then. Going after Oden isn't a matter of doing your homework, it's a matter of prayer and fingers crossed.

---

But there is virtually no risk with a one year, unguaranteed contract. So worst case scenario, he just comes off the books next summer. I don't see how this is bad.

If he could even have a Sam Bowie like career that would be amazing for whoever signed him. While Sam was no MJ, he was no slouch of a center either. He had leg problems his entire career, but he averaged 27 min a game, and 10/9/1 to finish his career.

If we could get that, I would be ok with it, but Oden isn't Bowie. His body has had more work done it than a Jaguar X-Type. The guy will be lucky to get 10-15 min a game next season. His body can't possibly be in game shape, so whatever you are signing, it is only a stop gap to his next contract.