Greg Oden Chooses Miami (merged)

[LooseCannon]

Don't be too shocked if he somehow stays healthy and averages a double/double for Miami.

Don't be too shocked if Greg Oden has a less productive season than Fab Melo, either.

[KG Living Legend]

New Orleans or Miami is my guess

In that case, I am hoping for NO.  I am not a Heat hater, but I want to root for the kid and I don't really want the Heat to have yet another asset.

Since I don't at all expect him to stay in one piece at all, I wouldn't be opposed to having Miami sink resources in him.

It'll be just our luck, Mia gets him and he stays healthy, they all stay together by taking even less money and he and Lebron lead them to 5 more chips...

 Whoa, Whoa, easy with the optimism. Reality is he plays eleven games looks great then is out for the season with Odenitus...

[indeedproceed]

Oden is still out of shape, and not playing 5 on 5 publicly. It's a minor coup for Miami, but are his odds of being a difference maker any better than Dampier, Big Z, Eddy Curry, or Birdman? Only Birdman made a difference, and he's still ideally a backup.

[Mr Green]

Meh, he probably thinks a ring will stop him being mentioned as one of the biggest ever draft busts.

History is very clear about bigs with bad wheels. This is going to end in tears for Oden and Miami.

[BleedinGreen417]

Nothing against Oden but he's played 82 out of the last 476 NBA regular season games. I will believe he can be back and productive when I see it and not a moment before.

+1 for you Nick. I couldn't agree more.

[LooseCannon]

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 7h

Oden tells ESPN by phone that it was “big deciding factor” that Heat officials made it clear he “wouldn’t be needed as much” early in season

[cltc5]

how does Miami have money to burn?  I'm surprised they weren in the thick of the Dwight howard sweepstakes

[Onslaught]

This is a playoff piece that Miami needs. His job is guarding Roy Hibbert because that's the one guy that Miami can do nothing about. IF and this is a huge if, Oden is still playing by the time the playoffs come around then this is a huge blow for other teams.

I'm sure they won't play him all that much until the time comes that they need him.

[LooseCannon]

how does Miami have money to burn?  I'm surprised they weren in the thick of the Dwight howard sweepstakes

Oden signed for the minimum.

[CeltsPride]

how does Miami have money to burn?  I'm surprised they weren in the thick of the Dwight howard sweepstakes

These are the strangest posts. It's like you don't even bother reading anything about the signing. We just need to bash the Heat.

[sofutomygaha]

Yup. Champ's privilege. They get first dibs for the next go-round.

If he's bad, it doesn't matter.
If he's good, he won't stay long.

Imagine if pickup worked this way at the gym- after a game, instead of the next five coming on to play the winners, the winners get to look over everyone on the sidelines and add whoever they want, and then play the best five of who's left.

[CelticG1]

Great pick up for Miami

Pretty stupid decision by Oden in almost every way. I mean it could work out but tjink it will be harder there than anywhere.

If Oden IS healthy (big if) and Miami starts depending on him on a somewhat nightly basis especially in the playoffs than it will put an enourmous amount of pressure on him physically not to mention mentally.

And if they aren't planning on using him than what was the point of joining them?

[Banner18now!]

What a shocker! Who doesn't run to Miami now.
I'm sure he will be hurt again so this is really no big deal.

[pearljammer10]

Great pick up for Miami

Pretty stupid decision by Oden in almost every way. I mean it could work out but tjink it will be harder there than anywhere.

If Oden IS healthy (big if) and Miami starts depending on him on a somewhat nightly basis especially in the playoffs than it will put an enourmous amount of pressure on him physically not to mention mentally.

And if they aren't planning on using him than what was the point of joining them?

I dont see how this is stupid by Oden in any way. He can go to Miami and sit on the bench for a year and still get a ring.

[Roy H.]

Great pick up for Miami

Pretty stupid decision by Oden in almost every way. I mean it could work out but tjink it will be harder there than anywhere.

If Oden IS healthy (big if) and Miami starts depending on him on a somewhat nightly basis especially in the playoffs than it will put an enourmous amount of pressure on him physically not to mention mentally.

And if they aren't planning on using him than what was the point of joining them?

I dont see how this is stupid by Oden in any way. He can go to Miami and sit on the bench for a year and still get a ring.

Great weather, no taxes, a chance at a ring, and very little chance that the spotlight will be on him.