i'm going to voice a controversial/unpopular opinion to see what you think.
would you trade greg oden this summer? while i'm a typical guy who doesn't believe it's wise to move an asset when his value is low (as it would be when he's injured), i don't think this is the case with oden (at least not yet). his value may be lower than it was last year, but not by much.
i'm a fan who thinks the most underrated statistic in pro sports is games played. in other words, i don't like injuries. i especially don't like the franchise denial that follows injuries ("we're not that bad"), the paralysis they cause as teams wait (often forever) for players to get healthy, and the general fan experience around the team while said players rest on the sidelines. "what if's" make me nautious.
now, it's true, greg oden hasn't played a game yet. it's premature to label the man as injury-prone. my point is that i'd be reluctant to take a chance- because as we know, as soon as it becomes accepted that he
is in fact injury-prone, his trade value will drop accordingly and the team will be hurt for it then, too. for me, i've seen enough. he was injured in college, he's been injured in the pros and i think it's a wild risk to believe that it might stop here, in spite of the fact that an argument can still be made either way. i just wouldn't be led to play the lottery again. i mean, i'm not exactly risk-averse but for this, i totally am.
imo, the fact he's sustained legit injuries changes nothing, either. some athletes- at every level- are more prone to even legit injuries. they're not all vince carter clones. but it doesn't make it much better. the fact that a player doesn't play is all that really matters, imo-
why he doesn't is not so important.
listen, i'm not a portland-hater, i'm not an oden-hater... i'm just an injury-hater.
as a fan, i hate everything about injuries. i try to stay away from players who are not durable, which is why i'd advocate the raptors moving tj ford and why i'm not all that excited about the future with chris bosh. i appreciate reliable pieces. i'd rather have a 7/10 roster that's 100% reliable than a 10/10 roster that constantly revolves around an excuse.
in portland's case, i think it may be especially important considering the team is in development, making 'now' the absolute worst time to sit around waiting. if i were a blazer nut, i'd at least field trade offers for greg oden- and if a good package came around with players who could be relied upon to fill obvious team holes, i would not hesitate. you don't feel the same way, i'm sure- but why? i'd welcome your thoughts on this one. thanks.
peace
Lottery? We Don't Need To Win No Stinkin' Lottery
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