Greg Oden signed a two-year deal with the Miami Heat today with a player option for next year. Oden spurned offers from teams like the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings among others in making the decision. Oden, who has not played since 2009, seeks to finish a season that ends with him starting more games than missing. And he’ll do it on a team that really needs no help. Oden isn’t being signed to be “the” guy. If he stays healthy, the contract will have paid for itself, regardless of the production or minutes.
But honestly, I’m sick and tired of this.
These fading stars that ride off with the best horse in the race. Or in Oden’s case, a star that really never was. He was a great player at the collegiate level, but never stayed healthy long enough to make it in the NBA. Numerous micro-fracture surgeries forced the former Buckeye big man to the sidelines multiple times. But now Oden is ready for a comeback, and when he does, it’ll be in a Miami Heat uniform.
I can’t blame the guy, I mean, if your career stalled out for years due to injuries and you were finally healthy, you wouldn’t mess around with a middling small-market team. And it’s not like the Portland Trail Blazers came calling for a sentimental reunion. Of course, you would choose the team that gives you the best option of winning a championship, it’s admirable in a way, I’m just tired of seeing it in the league and especially with the Heat recently.
Shane Battier, to his credit, was more than serviceable in the NBA Finals and would have easily earned the honor as most important to his team while also being the oldest if it weren’t for the heroics of Ray Allen. A lot has been made of Pat Riley‘s managerial skills and business acumen in signing these free agents, but I’m not buying that. In fact, these stars come for LeBron James and that’s it, period. Stars have joined the King in South Beach because it’s good to be king. And if you can’t be king, you may as well ride the coattails. But the streak ends with Oden.
Teams will be looking to topple LeBron and his assembled cronies more than ever. It’s one thing to prevent the King from winning another, but it’s a whole other sense of motivation to end the sense that you have to assemble an Avengers-esque super team filled out with aging stars looking to clutch the trophy. That’s a view I know many players in the association share.
The Heat will be better, but not because of Oden; it’s all because of LeBron, but I doubt the Heat are able to three-peat as champions with this roster. I’m all for second chances and comebacks, but I am, again, sick and tired of players just saying, “you know what? This is my best shot.” And god forbid Oden goes down again. What then? But if the Heat are able to repeat, well then that’s impressive.
And if they do, I’m sure Allen Iverson may be available.
Karim Akbar is a Sacramento Kings writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kuhreem , “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
