The Oden Saga...

Two years ago Greg Oden was the #1 pick in the NBA Draft. At the time, most of the experts thought it was the right pick for Portland to make. Behind him, in the 2 hole, was Kevin Durant. Oden blew out this knee in the summer and never played a game in 07/08. Durant went on to win Rookie of the Year. Year 2 rolled around and Oden has been less than spectacular - dealing with numerous injuries, inconsistent play and foul trouble. Meanwhile, Durant has elevated his game to superstar status. Was it the right pick for Portland to make???

Those Oden supporters will argue that you have to have a big man to win the titles. Oden has been compared to Bill Russell. Maybe it's because they currently look the same (and Russell is 75 years old). Since Oden was 13 years old the "experts" thought he would be the next Russell or Shaq or Admiral. It's gotta be tough to deal with those sort of expectations. Russell won 11 NBA titles as a player and if Oden was half the player he was - he would be worthy of the #1 pick.

Since the Blazers picked Oden, he doesn't have to average 20 and 12. He is lucky to be surrounded by a pretty talented (albeit young) group of players. Brandon Roy has been an All-Star the last 2 seasons and most NBA gurus consider him one of the best finishers in the game already. Aldridge is nice complimentary piece at power forward and now adding Oden the Blazers thought they were set. Except they didn't count on Oden getting injured. And then injured again. And then again.

Rightly or wrongly, the comparisons to Sam Bowie will be there. After all, it was the Blazers who selected Bowie instead of Jordan way back when. Now, since Durant has become a stud - the comparisons are back.

We won't know if the Blazers picked the wrong guy for a few years. We have to wait and see how Oden develops over the next 5 years. Then we'll have a better idea of whether they made the 'right' selection.

Would you rather have Durant on your team and he make the All-Star team 5 years straight - but you don't win anything? Or would you rather have 1 NBA title? 5-time all star or 1 NBA title? I think most NBA GM's and owners would obviously take the title. I'm not saying the Blazers will win the NBA title within 5 years - but that might be how long we have to wait and see about these 2 picks.

Let's see what Oden can do when healthy. Unfortunately, we don't know when that will be.

As for the Durant supporters for the #1 pick two years ago - can you imagine this Blazers team with Blake, Roy, Durant, Aldridge, and Przybilla?? That seems pretty good to me. But would the team have the same chemistry? Would they be better off defensively? Would Roy's development into a superstar have been stalled due to KD's presence? We'll never know.

This past NBA trade deadline we heard a lot of rumors about the Blazers trying to acquire a small forward because that was their weakest position. They were after Gerald Wallace. They were looking at Richard Jefferson. They even talked to the Nets about Vince apparently. Hmmmm, or they could have selected Durant.

So, where do you sit on this argument? Should the Blazers have selected Durant over Oden? Or was Oden the better pick? I guess only time will tell.

Now, as for the JBL, I think it's almost time to let Oden go. As disappointed the Blazers must be in his production, I have pretty much had it. He does not help me at all. He's not worth keeping for $15 bucks because I have no idea what he's going to produce next season. The only reason I've kept him around this long is because there really isn't anyone better out there right now? Javale McGee? Francisco Elson? It's a weak crop. I'll watch the waiver wire this week and see who is injured and then decide on Sunday night. But the 2 year run for Oden in Golden is nearing an end. Poor Oden. Poor Johnny.