Greg Oden is back in the NBA. The top pick in the 2007 NBA draft will join the Miami Heat and hope his troublesome knees finally allow him to continue his once-promising basketball career.
Oden had been a free agent since March of last year, when the Portland Trail Blazers waived him following a string of setbacks in his recovery from a serious knee injury. The big man’s last appearance in an NBA game was Dec. 5, 2009. Since then, it’s been a constant cycle of recovery and setbacks for the former Ohio State star.
At the very least, it’s an intriguing, low-risk move. Oden was averaging 11 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game, while shooting over 60 percent from the field, the last time NBA fans saw him. Those are solid numbers for what amounted to a second-year player.
What he will be able to accomplish upon his return to the court is a mystery. The possibility of him playing starter’s minutes for an extended period of time is slim, but he stands a reasonable chance of becoming an efficient role player.
Of course, everything comes down to staying healthy. Oden has been on the verge of a return to the floor multiple times, only to have another setback with his knees. Sadly, it wouldn’t be surprising if it happened again.
Hopefully that’s not the case, though. The big man clearly has enough raw talent to succeed at the NBA level, even if it’s in a limited role. If Oden can stay healthy for an entire season, he should be able to carve out a nice niche for himself.
Only time will tell if his knees will hold up well enough for him to accomplish that.
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