Greg Oden has let Portland down

By 2007, the Portland Trailblazers had settled into the bottom of the Western Conference standings. That summer marked the fourth consecutive season where they had failed to make the playoffs. But, the team was showing promise behind their Rookie of the Year guard, Brandon Roy. The plan was to create an inside-out duo that would consist of Roy and the upcoming rookie, Greg Oden. After playing only one year of college basketball, he had established himself as a force.

Because of his immense talent, teams were lining up to get a piece of Greg Oden. Even before he played in the NBA, Oden was receiving comparisons to other legendary centers. While a lot of teams, mainly the Boston Celtics, wanted Oden, it would end up being the Portland Trailblazers that landed the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. The team was expecting a big season with their new dynamic duo, but Greg Oden was injured during the summer leage, so he sat out his rookie season.

Greg Oden was classified as a rookie for the 2008-2009 season and the Blazers had built without him, now there was the hassle of adding him to the mix. His rookie season was limited, due to injuries, but the Blazers still had a great season behind the heroics of Brandon Roy. But, because Oden was limited with injuries, the team fell in the playoffs to the Houston Rockets. Greg Oden was simply unable to contend against the Rockets' own 7 footer, Yao Ming.

The Portland Trailblazers were expecting something major with Greg Oden, but all that they have received is an injury-prone center. There is still a chance that Oden could be great, but that would not happen in Portland. The Blazers were tired of waiting, so they built their team around LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy. It may not be exactly what they wanted, but they do make a strong one-two punch. During the offseason, it should come as no surprise if Oden is used a trade bait. If he were moved out of Portland and to another team, he could prove his critics wrong and end up being a legend, regardless.