Report: Trail Blazers to waive Greg Oden
And if things couldn’t get crazier, there are multiple reports that claim the Portland Trail Blazers are expected to waive centers Greg Oden and Chris Johnson. The move comes after the Blazers signed four new players today as they dealt Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby in exchange for New Jersey Nets Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams, Houston Rockets Hasheem Thabeet and Jonny Flynn.
That gave the Blazers 17 players on the roster space, and since Oden hasn’t stepped on a basketball court since December of 2009, Portland had to make the tough call on waiving the number one pick of the 2007 draft. Reports a few days earlier claimed that Oden was in the process of selling his Portland home, so it was a matter of time.
Oden, who spent 2007-12 with the Blazers only played in 82 full games, all the rest were spent dealing with significant injuries. Five knee surgeries has killed any hope for what Portland hoped for their own “Big 3” consisting of Oden, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. This move is best for both sides, Oden will have a fresh start somewhere else and no baggage with the fans, while Portland can finally move on from heartbreak and save some much-needed cash. It’s a shame that Oden couldn’t be the force he was destined to be.
Also in the report this afternoon, center Chris Johnson was the other player that has been waived to make room. Nothing by the team has been made official yet.
photo courtesy of nba.com/blazers
Nicholas Filipas