Agent Mike Conley says Greg Oden will not decide on his next team until July. Cavs, Heat and Celtics in running.
— Shaun Powell (@Powell2daPeople) February 27, 2013
Why do I suddenly feel like I’ve been rushed back to 2007?
The struggling Celtics have been urged to blow it up many times this season, fall into the lottery, and try to rebuild from there. It’s not unlike the pre-Garnett days, which I’d just as soon like to purge from my memory.
The prize back then? Greg Oden. Now, seven years later, some people want the Celtics to tank again… and there are reports that they are in the hunt for Oden.
I know… I know… it’s not the same. I’m just having a flashback to the old days. The funny thing is (not so much if you’re Oden, though) is Oden has barely played a season’s worth of games since then. Hell… he’s almost still a rookie.
Here’s the odd thing about this report. The Celtics and Heat are capped out. The Cavs are not. Greg Oden, as damaged as he has been, is a 25-year-old 7-footer who put up some monster numbers before his last injury. In the NBA, that’s still worth more than minimum wage.
So… are the Celtics contemplating using their mid-level exception on Oden? With a few roster tweaks (read: trading someone like Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, or Brandon Bass) the Celtics will be far enough under the tax line to offer Oden at least a portion of the non-tax payer (or full) mid-level deal.
If that’s what Danny Ainge is thinking, then I gotta hand it to him… no matter what Michael Felger tries to say, he’s got brass balls. I’m more afraid of Greg Oden’s knees than I am of waking up drunk in Vegas married to a Kardashian.
Let’s just wait and see on this…. but just keep that in mind. If the Celtics are truly in the mix to sign Oden this summer…. You can be damn sure it won’t be for minimum wage.
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