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

[daybreaker]

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?

If the mechanics just spent a solid year working on it and I can rent it indefinitely for super cheap like $200/month with no further financial obligation, heck yes I go get that ferrari.

[groundpatty]

Source: Oden met with Mavs & Kings Monday n Vegas. scheduling future meeting with Pelicans. Still at least a week or more away from decision

— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 16, 2013

[NOSportsFan]

My whole point is this , made simple....Are we looking for a "Starting" center? No...Everyone has been saying "we need someone for 10-15 mins a game, tops" ...Ok...My point is, people are jumping to agreement with whoever is reported N.O. is possibly interested in...A month ago, posters here were talking about Wright, posting his highlights...I actually wouldn't mind him playing here...The 5's today aren't really the 5's of old. Wright is more athletic and defensive minded, which is what we need..Smith has always said he's a "natural 4", but doesn't mind playing the 5.So, if I were making the decision, which Im not, Why not see if you could make a deal for a young athletic big that has NBA Game experience to fit into a rotation so you can work the new center you just got into NBA shape without having to depend on him? If Withey pans out, all of the Oden talk goes away. And I would love to see Wright off the bench at the 5, Smith at the 4, Morrow at the 3, Reke at the 2, and Jackson at the 1 outrunning all other teams second units...

So no......From my POV, No to Oden.

[JJackisangry]

Dell and co are trying to create a "Super Team" with a young core. If Oden pans out, this team will be a monster for years to come. There is also a chance this experiment fails miserably, but you cannot fault them for trying.

[DefensiveMind]

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?

No, but say I am a farmer and desperately needed a new work truck. Same scenario you posed, but instead of a Ferrari its 2013 Dodge Ram with everything I need to be immensely profitable as long it works some of the time. Its about utility and need. That truck will go a long way toward my bottom line.

[NOSportsFan]

No, but say I am a farmer and desperately needed a new work truck. Same scenario you posed, but instead of a Ferrari its 2013 Dodge Ram with everything I need to be immensely profitable as long it works some of the time. Its about utility and need. That truck will go a long way toward my bottom line.

If you desperately needed a work truck, you wouldn't want it working SOME of the time...THat would only kill your bottom line.

[Smow-]

I feel bad for Portland fans amongst all of this hoplaholla. They probably feel about this the same way we feel about Gordon and probably believe we are wasting time and money signing him.

It will be bittersweet if he pans out wherever he goes.

[Purple Haze]

Well I'd say it's advantageous that we're last.

[Amakhosi002]

I think it's SUPER unlikely Oden is ever a force in the league again. And I think it's very unlikely he plays regular basketball again. He's gone through so many injuries. The only hope is in what a poster said earlier in the thread, and that is that Oden never relied on explosive athleticism, so he could still return to being a good NBA player. But his knees hold the answers.

[DefensiveMind]

If you desperately needed a work truck, you wouldn't want it working SOME of the time...THat would only kill your bottom line.

So the Pelicans are killing their bottom line, signing Oden to a one year deal? They are not leveraging themselves.

[Pelican Tech]

After looking at his injury reports, he is literally made of glass. Its unbelievable that you can get hurt that easily.

[nolaslim213]

They are bringing in Loomis? Wow, they are serious. Make it happen Loomis!!!

[Jackaveli]

I look at it like this, the Pelicans are probably not signing him to start 82 games this year. If a guy with his potential can be the 10th guy on the roster without them sacrificing say our best 1-7 players, what's the harm.

[nolaslim213]

After looking at his injury reports, he is literally made of glass. Its unbelievable that you can get hurt that easily.

The truth of the matter is that the team kept rushing him back from injury when he wasn't ready. He kept injuring the same knee, and his other injuries could also be chalked up to overcompensation (at least some of them). He has had 2 full years of rehab, so I think the knee should be solid when he tries to come back. It's just a matter of easing him back into it.

[Pelicans78]

The truth of the matter is that the team kept rushing him back from injury when he wasn't ready. He kept injuring the same knee, and his other injuries could also be chalked up to overcompensation (at least some of them). He has had 2 full years of rehab, so I think the knee should be solid when he tries to come back. It's just a matter of easing him back into it.

I would be fine with him starting at about 10-15 minutes per game and gradually increasing during the season. Maybe even give him the Gordon treatment of not playing back to back games.

[cgrand]

The truth of the matter is that the team kept rushing him back from injury when he wasn't ready. He kept injuring the same knee, and his other injuries could also be chalked up to overcompensation (at least some of them). He has had 2 full years of rehab, so I think the knee should be solid when he tries to come back. It's just a matter of easing him back into it.

he's had multiple microfracture surgeries
if his knees come back "solid" he will be the first

that said, even if he cant run the floor he (was) is a defensive freak, and can likely help around the rim on offensive second chances (of which there will be many with gordan/evans/holiday)

[RaisingTheBar]

I would be fine with him starting at about 10-15 minutes per game and gradually increasing during the season. Maybe even give him the Gordon treatment of not playing back to back games.

100% agreed.

[AD23nEG10]

3 million dollars in basketball money isn't much at all. guys throw away money on guys all the time with much lower ceilings. he'd be making greg stiemsma money, who averaged 4 pts and 3 rebounds last year. well worth the risk.

[Smow-]

I would be fine with him starting at about 10-15 minutes per game and gradually increasing during the season. Maybe even give him the Gordon treatment of not playing back to back games.

Now that you have mentioned the no back-to-back system they put in place for Gordon, I can't imagine them not going that rout for at least first month or two he plays. You need to put a stress test to gauge if he would even be capable of filling the 10-15 minute role we are all believing in.

Nene and Chandler were guys who were thought to be glassmen, but proved they could bounce back with good conditioning. Oden is an extreme case, but I think he has just as much of a chance as those two guys.

[Tomdda]

I'm not too optimistic on his chances of staying injury free. But having said that, I wouldn't mind him spending a season here to see what he CAN do.

[MonsterMash]

The NBA is all about taking calculated risks. Role players matter, but the guys that are going to make a difference toward your team jumping up a level, then another and another are those legit top 50-ish guys.

Signing Oden, assuming its not to some crazy guarantee for multiple years, does nothing to hurt your long-term outlook if he fails. If he succeeds, he's got significant upside and perhaps provides one of the rarest commodities in the league, elite-very, very strong play at center (even if only for limited minutes per night).

The one thing I very much like about Demps is that he invests his resources in players that can reach a HIGH ceiling. He's not spending a lot of money on the Jarrett Jack's of the world while building his core. He's spending on guys that could be major difference makers. Even if Oden's only 15-20% to hit that, or even if he only does it for a year or so, it's a worthwhile investment if you don't have to break your back to do so.

[MonsterMash]

Now that you have mentioned the no back-to-back system they put in place for Gordon, I can't imagine them not going that rout for at least first month or two he plays. You need to put a stress test to gauge if he would even be capable of filling the 10-15 minute role we are all believing in.

Nene and Chandler were guys who were thought to be glassmen, but proved they could bounce back with good conditioning. Oden is an extreme case, but I think he has just as much of a chance as those two guys.

In the NFL, Danario Alexander was a young receiver with a lot of talent that couldn't find a team simply because his knees were in such bad shape. Could barely practice. The Chargers took a flier on him last season and he turned in a dominating run in the second half of the season.

Alexander may never do it again. Or he may. But for almost nothing, the Chargers got pro bowl production from a guy who profiled pretty similarly to Oden last season.

[Kurgan]

In the NFL, Danario Alexander was a young receiver with a lot of talent that couldn't find a team simply because his knees were in such bad shape. Could barely practice. The Chargers took a flier on him last season and he turned in a dominating run in the second half of the season.

Alexander may never do it again. Or he may. But for almost nothing, the Chargers got pro bowl production from a guy who profiled pretty similarly to Oden last season.

Danario alexander didn't play 16 games in 6 years of career..oden is a completely unique case.

So, are we going to sign him for a 1 year-deal? If so..

A) He'll get injured, waived, bye bye
B) He'll magically play all the season, have good averages, and bolt for a team with better championship probability% next season (why should he not? Granted, the heat could use him if he actually managed to play 5 games without damaging an acl)

One year rent?

[BallSoHard]

Danario alexander didn't play 16 games in 6 years of career..oden is a completely unique case.

So, are we going to sign him for a 1 year-deal? If so..

A) He'll get injured, waived, bye bye
B) He'll magically play all the season, have good averages, and bolt for a team with better championship probability% next season (why should he not? Granted, the heat could use him if he actually managed to play 5 games without damaging an acl)

One year rent?

B) championship Level team wouldn't have said cap room to sign him. If we can potentially offer him in the 5 mill range and make the playoffs verus a champion contender at 3 then i think we have alegitmate shot at keeping him.

[MonsterMash]

Danario alexander didn't play 16 games in 6 years of career..oden is a completely unique case.

So, are we going to sign him for a 1 year-deal? If so..

A) He'll get injured, waived, bye bye
B) He'll magically play all the season, have good averages, and bolt for a team with better championship probability% next season (why should he not? Granted, the heat could use him if he actually managed to play 5 games without damaging an acl)

One year rent?

A) Then Stiesma, Withey or Smith (sp, again) becomes center rotation when Davis isn't there, as planned.
B) Then he gave us a good season, in a year we're supposed to be gunning for the playoffs. Such is the same for anyone on a 1-year contract. This is not a failure.