Dallas pushes to join the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat for Oden Sweepstakes

[Indazone]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9478509/dallas-mavericks-new-orleans-pelicans-sacramento-kings-meet-greg-oden-sources-say

Oden To Meet With Teams In VegasBrian Windhorst discusses meetings planned this week between free-agent center Greg Oden and representatives from the Mavs, Kings and Pelicans.Tags: Greg Oden (http://search.espn.go.com/greg-oden/video/6), Dallas Maverricks (http://search.espn.go.com/dallas-maverricks/video/6), Sacramento Kings (http://search.espn.go.com/sacramento-kings/video/6), New Orleans Pelicans (http://search.espn.go.com/new-orleans-pelicans/video/6), San Antonio Spurs (http://search.espn.go.com/san-antonio-spurs/video/6),Miami Heat (http://search.espn.go.com/miami-heat/video/6), free agent (http://search.espn.go.com/free-agent/video/6)


Free-agent center Greg Oden (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3225/greg-oden) will be in Las Vegas this week for face-to-face meetings with officials from the Dallas Mavericks (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks), Sacramento Kings (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/sac/sacramento-kings) and New Orleans Pelicans (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/no/new-orleans-pelicans), according to sources with knowledge of Oden's plans.
Fitzsimmons and Durrett
Marc Stein joins Ian Fitzsimmons and Tim MacMahon to discuss why the Mavericks didn't want to match Cleveland's offer to Andrew Bynum, what's next for the Mavs and the possibility of Dirk Nowitzki ending his career elsewhere.

More Podcasts » (http://espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/)

The sitdown with Mavericks officials, sources said, is scheduled for later Monday, as Dallas pushes to join the San Antonio Spurs (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/sa/san-antonio-spurs) and Miami Heat (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/mia/miami-heat) at the forefront of the race to resurrect the career of 2007's No. 1 overall pick.
Oden, 25, has battled numerous knee injuries and hasn't played in an NBA game since Dec. 5, 2009. He is coming off his third microfracture knee surgery in February 2012.
He was the top overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft out of Ohio State, chosen by the Portland Trail Blazers (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/por/portland-trail-blazers) one spot ahead of Kevin Durant (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3202/kevin-durant).
ESPN.com reported last week that the Cleveland Cavaliers (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/cle/cleveland-cavaliers)' signing of Andrew Bynum (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/2748/andrew-bynum)removed the Cavs from the list of contenders for his services. San Antonio and Miami are widely regarded as the two favorites, but Dallas continues to pursue Oden with intent while also negotiating with Milwaukee Bucks (http://espn.go.com/nba/team/_/name/mil/milwaukee-bucks) free-agent big man Samuel Dalembert (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/991/samuel-dalembert).
Heat president Pat Riley recently told local reporters that he's had an extended exchange with Oden already.

[Johnny RIngo]

lol at calling this the Oden sweepstakes. Won't even play twenty games. I have nothing against Oden - he's a nice guy and all, but he's clearly looking for one last paycheck. Someone will be dumb enough to pay him though

[KaiRMD1]

I don't quite understand all the hoopla for a player with as terrible knees as this ol' sport. Perhaps they would be better off trying to sign Yao Ming?

[Texas_Ranger]

I don't see a reason why would the Spurs need him. 6 bigs on the team already. Only if Bonner is getting traded and we know that's not happening.

[Robz4000]

Oden is low-risk, high-reward. The Spurs would be dumb to pass on the chance (provided he'd sign for the min).

[Johnny RIngo]

Oden is low-risk, high-reward. The Spurs would be dumb to pass on the chance (provided he'd sign for the min).

We thought the same thing about Nando and he ended up riding the pine during the playoffs. IMO, this is is low-risk, no reward.

[exstatic]

Oden is low-risk, high-reward. The Spurs would be dumb to pass on the chance (provided he'd sign for the min).

Only financially is he low risk. His health is a horrible risk.

[CGD]

What's Miami's financial situation? Even if they pay Oden the vet minimum, wont that put them in financial straights -- aren't they way over the tax? Seems to me like the main reason Oden hasn't accepted the Spurs offer is because he's praying Miami finds the money for him.

FYI it looks like Sham is in the middle of updating salary info. Miami's salary info has already been updated, why the Spurs hasnt.

[Captivus]

Lets see how much he gets, comparing it to what Bynum got.

[Chomag]

After Slitter was resigned and spurs getting Pittmen (sp?) I felt they no longer would need to be looking at Oden. However with Baynes Sub-par Summer league play maybe Spurs might want to think about bringing him on for Baynes insurance?

[coyotes_geek]

There's no such thing as Baynes insurance. If Oden came here it would be to compete against Baynes for Baynes' job.

[Duncanonu]

After Slitter was resigned and spurs getting Pittmen (sp?) I felt they no longer would need to be looking at Oden. However with Baynes Sub-par Summer league play maybe Spurs might want to think about bringing him on for Baynes insurance?

lmao at this entire post. First of all his name is Splitter. Secondly, Pittman (not Pittmen) is trash to fill the summer league roster with zero chance of playing for the Spurs, ever. And lastly, Baynes would be Oden insurance, not the other way around. Baynes would clearly go to the D-League and be insurance if (or when) Oden gets hurt.

[mercos]

I would be stunned if the Spurs signed Oden. I can't see him picking SA over Miami if both teams come in with similar offers.

[TXstbobcat]

lmao at this entire post. First of all his name is Splitter. Secondly, Pittman (not Pittmen) is trash to fill the summer league roster with zero chance of playing for the Spurs, ever. And lastly, Baynes would be Oden insurance, not the other way around. Baynes would clearly go to the D-League and be insurance if (or when) Oden gets hurt.

Pittman has no chance of making the spurs roster.

i would rather have Baynes then than take a risk on Oden.

[Duncanonu]

I would be stunned if the Spurs signed Oden. I can't see him picking SA over Miami if both teams come in with similar offers.

I have been thinking this all along. He is going to have to play cheap for a year or two to prove himself before he ever gets serious money. That being the case, where is he most likely to get the exposure (on a national media scale) and playing time? The answer is clearly Miami over San Antonio.

[monkeypunk]

I would be stunned if the Spurs signed Oden. I can't see him picking SA over Miami if both teams come in with similar offers.

^This.

There is no way he is going to turn down the Heat.

NBA players are like most women, they say they want to be with nice guys and they always choose the assholes.

[Duncanonu]

^This.

There is no way he is going to turn down the Heat.

NBA players are like most women, they say they want to be with nice guys and they always choose the assholes.

Very true, except for one problem. The Spurs best player and coach are very much assholes. My two favorite assholes, that is.

[tesseractive]

Only financially is he low risk. His health is a horrible risk.
If we had the chance to fill that roster spot with a superstar, the risk of him not panning out would present a significant opportunity cost. On the other hand, if signing him merely means a minimum contract and that we have to choose between shipping Thomas to Europe for a year or cutting Mills or DeColo, I guess I don't feel like it would be a terrible loss if we took a flyer on him and nothing came of it.

[Duncanonu]

If we had the chance to fill that roster spot with a superstar, the risk of him not panning out would present a significant opportunity cost. On the other hand, if signing him merely means a minimum contract and that we have to choose between shipping Thomas to Europe for a year or cutting Mills or DeColo, I guess I don't feel like it would be a terrible loss if we took a flyer on him and nothing came of it.

The Spurs would lose nobody. De Colo and Baynes could be sent to the D-League. Thomas could as well.

[Marcus Bryant]

I thought Ilgauskas' career was done for and then he put in a solid decade of work.

Yes, two different situations. Still, Oden is only 25. With the knees of a 35 year old.

Still, if he can play, he brings interior defense and rebounding. It wouldn't be a bad gamble if we're talking about a vet min contract.

[tesseractive]

The Spurs would lose nobody. De Colo and Baynes could be sent to the D-League. Thomas could as well.
If we send a player to the D League on a Spurs contract, that player takes up one of our 15 roster spots -- 14 of which are currently committed. If we instead cut that player and try to get him to go to Austin on a D League contract, he would be free to sign with any team, in the NBA or in Europe.

There were other teams interested in Baynes last year, and I expect he could stick somewhere. After the scoring clinic Thomas has been putting on in summer league, it's pretty likely that there are teams who would be happy to offer him at least a 10-day in the NBA. And even if De Colo didn't have any front office fans in the NBA, he could play just about anywhere in Europe.

[Duncanonu]

If we send a player to the D League on a Spurs contract, that player takes up one of our 15 roster spots -- 14 of which are currently committed. If we instead cut that player and try to get him to go to Austin on a D League contract, he would be free to sign with any team, in the NBA or in Europe.

There were other teams interested in Baynes last year, and I expect he could stick somewhere. After the scoring clinic Thomas has been putting on in summer league, it's pretty likely that there are teams who would be happy to offer him at least a 10-day in the NBA. And even if De Colo didn't have any front office fans in the NBA, he could play just about anywhere in Europe.

So De Colo gets sent down and then signed by someone else. Okay. Of course this would all be a moot point if the Spurs would have let Bonner go like they should have. Talk about garbage.

[tesseractive]

So De Colo gets sent down and then signed by someone else. Okay. Of course this would all be a moot point if the Spurs would have let Bonner go like they should have. Talk about garbage.
The Spurs are confirmed over the cap, and at little risk of hitting the luxury tax. If the front office decided that he was their 15th best player and they needed the roster spot, they could cut Bonner, they'd just have to play his salary anyway. And they can still try to ship him out as an expiring contract at the trade deadline if they want to.

Of course, Bonner played useful minutes for us last year, both in the regular season and in the playoffs, and he's nowhere near being our worst player. We'd be crazy to cut him without at least seeing Pendergraph in action and confirming that he can be effective as our 4th big.

[Duncanonu]

The Spurs are confirmed over the cap, and at little risk of hitting the luxury tax. If the front office decided that he was their 15th best player and they needed the roster spot, they could cut Bonner, they'd just have to play his salary anyway. And they can still try to ship him out as an expiring contract at the trade deadline if they want to.

Of course, Bonner played useful minutes for us last year, both in the regular season and in the playoffs, and he's nowhere near being our worst player. We'd be crazy to cut him without at least seeing Pendergraph in action and confirming that he can be effective as our 4th big.

I forgot about Pendergraph, but I'm pretty confident that Bonner is not only the Spurs worst player, but a candidate for worst player in the NBA. If Pendergraph is somehow worse, then why on earth would the Spurs have signed him? If Bonner were cut today, he would be signed by a Spurs rival (vet minimum) purely 100% for Spurs corporate knowledge. If it weren't for that, nobody would sign him because he is trash.

[monkeypunk]

I forgot about Pendergraph, but I'm pretty confident that Bonner is not only the Spurs worst player, but a candidate for worst player in the NBA. If Pendergraph is somehow worse, then why on earth would the Spurs have signed him? If Bonner were cut today, he would be signed by a Spurs rival (vet minimum) purely 100% for Spurs corporate knowledge. If it weren't for that, nobody would sign him because he is trash.

:rolleyes

[Nathan89]

Can the Spurs offer anything more than the Heat? If not it doesn't make sense for him to come to a team with multiple starting caliber centers over the Heat.

[BatManu20]

http://i56.tinypic.com/opr70z.jpg

[BatManu20]

He's going to Miami tbh. Esp with Mike Miller gone now.

[Budkin]

Can the Spurs offer anything more than the Heat? If not it doesn't make sense for him to come to a team with multiple starting caliber centers over the Heat.

It does if he has the opportunity to be groomed into Duncan's replacement going forward.

[admiralsnackbar]

I forgot about Pendergraph, but I'm pretty confident that Bonner is not only the Spurs worst player, but a candidate for worst player in the NBA. If Pendergraph is somehow worse, then why on earth would the Spurs have signed him? If Bonner were cut today, he would be signed by a Spurs rival (vet minimum) purely 100% for Spurs corporate knowledge. If it weren't for that, nobody would sign him because he is trash.

The worst player in the NBA was a substantial part of our playoff campaign against the Grizz.

Our winning playoff campaign.

[Drom John]

The worst player in the NBA was a substantial part of our playoff campaign against the Grizz.

Our winning playoff campaign.

When did Michael Beasley help the Spurs beat the Grizzlies?

[Nathan89]

It does if he has the opportunity to be groomed into Duncan's replacement going forward.

Potential playing time on the back-to-back champs would be more important for the majority of players.

[slick'81]

So its between spurs and heat yeah odens not coming here

[Budkin]

So its between spurs and heat yeah odens not coming here

Most likely correct.

[007nites]

If Oden is healthy and he plays 20 minutes a game he can give us 9ppg, 7rpg, and 1.5bpg a game. Now if he can handle 30-36 minutes a game he can put 20ppg, 12rpg, and 2-3bpg.

[024]

Spurs don't have cap room to offer a big contract anyways so I'm fine with Oden. Low risk, high reward.

[dbestpro]

I thought Ilgauskas' career was done for and then he put in a solid decade of work.

Yes, two different situations. Still, Oden is only 25. With the knees of a 35 year old.

Still, if he can play, he brings interior defense and rebounding. It wouldn't be a bad gamble if we're talking about a vet min contract.

So, I guess this means he needs to play until he's 45. That's in knee years of course.

[Seventyniner]

If Oden is healthy and he plays 20 minutes a game he can give us 9ppg, 7rpg, and 1.5bpg a game. Now if he can handle 30-36 minutes a game he can put 20ppg, 12rpg, and 2-3bpg.

True. Also, if my considerable penny stock holdings were to considerably appreciate in value, I would be a rich man overnight.

[playblair]

4XjDjpHpwJY

[coyotes_geek]

If Oden is healthy and he plays 20 minutes a game he can give us 9ppg, 7rpg, and 1.5bpg a game. Now if he can handle 30-36 minutes a game he can put 20ppg, 12rpg, and 2-3bpg.

I think we should play him 48 minutes a game so that he could average 32ppg, 18rpg and 5-6bpg.

[monkeypunk]

I think we should play him 48 minutes a game so that he could average 32ppg, 18rpg and 5-6bpg.

:lol

[LarryDavid]

If Oden is healthy and he plays 20 minutes a game he can give us 9ppg, 7rpg, and 1.5bpg a game. Now if he can handle 30-36 minutes a game he can put 20ppg, 12rpg, and 2-3bpg.

:lol:lol:lol:lol

If he can handle 30-36 minutes??? Dude could barely handle 25.

[Canibspur]

How exactly is this a Sweepstakes?

[TXstbobcat]

Oden's knees will hold up for about 20 - 30 games at best.

[Marcus Bryant]

So, I guess this means he needs to play until he's 45. That's in knee years of course.

Well, until he's 37, in knee years. Or in reality, dude looks ancient. I would be interested in him for the rest of the TD era, which appears to be 2 years.

If he was able to give you 15 healthy minutes a night of defense and rebounding, the Spurs would have the best bigman rotation in the L. That is asking for a lot, given his history, but for his talent level it's worth a vet min contract to see if he can.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

4XjDjpHpwJY

That play is representational of how much vertical leap Oden has left.

[Ice009]

I'm sorry, but if Oden doesn't clearly have the Spurs as his number 1 choice then he is borderline retarded.

1. Spurs have one of the all-time great big men that he can learn from. If he is serious about improving as a basketball player, then there is no one better to teach him than Tim. Tim is also someone that didn't have great athleticism to begin with, but also lost a good bit of what he did have with his knee injury early in his career. Tim can really teach him how to approach the game differently. He'd get great on the job training, not sure what he can learn in Miami as far as big man game goes.

2. Pop won't push him, he'll also look after him minutes wise and do the best thing for him. He won't be asked to play more minutes than he is capable of.

3. If Oden can make a successful comeback, Spurs will have money in a couple of years where they can possibly offer him a much better contract. Miami is capped out and likely will never have any significant money to offer him if they resign Lebron and Wade.

I really don't get why the Heat would be at the top of his list. If he was older and past his prime and wanted a chance to win a ring, then yes, Miami would be a great place for him, but right now, it shouldn't even be a contest between the two teams. If he wants to do what is best for him, then I just don't see how he couldn't choose the Spurs, that is, if the Spurs actually really want him.

[Kidd K]

We thought the same thing about Nando and he ended up riding the pine during the playoffs. IMO, this is is low-risk, no reward.

Who thought Nando was low risk? Do you mean before we've seen him play to realize he's a sloppy gambler who turns the ball over too much?



4XjDjpHpwJY

That's when RJ was still athletic and posterizing people though. He sucked the last year or two we had him, but he used to be good. That play's not really a knock on Oden imo. It's more a show of how good RJ was supposed to be.

[Cowboys_Wear_Spurs]

I forgot about Pendergraph, but I'm pretty confident that Bonner is not only the Spurs worst player, but a candidate for worst player in the NBA. If Pendergraph is somehow worse, then why on earth would the Spurs have signed him? If Bonner were cut today, he would be signed by a Spurs rival (vet minimum) purely 100% for Spurs corporate knowledge. If it weren't for that, nobody would sign him because he is trash.

Obviously, you don't watch too many NBA games do you.

[Mikeanaro]

Oden is a corpse, should pay for play I don´t get why people make so much noise around him

[Russ]

If God is good, he is not God.

If God is God, he is not good.

-- Archibald MacLeish "JB"


If Oden's good, he's not a Spur. (He's a Heat.)

If Oden's a Spur, he is not good. (Heat passed.)

-- Me

[TheGreatYacht]

I'm sorry, but if Oden doesn't clearly have the Spurs as his number 1 choice then he is borderline retarded.

1. Spurs have one of the all-time great big men that he can learn from. If he is serious about improving as a basketball player, then there is no one better to teach him than Tim. Tim is also someone that didn't have great athleticism to begin with, but also lost a good bit of what he did have with his knee injury early in his career. Tim can really teach him how to approach the game differently. He'd get great on the job training, not sure what he can learn in Miami as far as big man game goes.

2. Pop won't push him, he'll also look after him minutes wise and do the best thing for him. He won't be asked to play more minutes than he is capable of.

3. If Oden can make a successful comeback, Spurs will have money in a couple of years where they can possibly offer him a much better contract. Miami is capped out and likely will never have any significant money to offer him if they resign Lebron and Wade.

I really don't get why the Heat would be at the top of his list. If he was older and past his prime and wanted a chance to win a ring, then yes, Miami would be a great place for him, but right now, it shouldn't even be a contest between the two teams. If he wants to do what is best for him, then I just don't see how he couldn't choose the Spurs, that is, if the Spurs actually really want him.Good post. I said something similar. Players tend to think with their eyes and their heart but not with their heads.

[poop]

True. Also, if my considerable penny stock holdings were to considerably appreciate in value, I would be a rich man overnight.

Lmfao!

[superbigtime]

Very true, except for one problem. The Spurs best player and coach are very much assholes. My two favorite assholes, that is.


bonner and pop are each other's favorite asshole.

[SpurPadre]

I'm sorry, but if Oden doesn't clearly have the Spurs as his number 1 choice then he is borderline retarded.

1. Spurs have one of the all-time great big men that he can learn from. If he is serious about improving as a basketball player, then there is no one better to teach him than Tim. Tim is also someone that didn't have great athleticism to begin with, but also lost a good bit of what he did have with his knee injury early in his career. Tim can really teach him how to approach the game differently. He'd get great on the job training, not sure what he can learn in Miami as far as big man game goes.

2. Pop won't push him, he'll also look after him minutes wise and do the best thing for him. He won't be asked to play more minutes than he is capable of.

3. If Oden can make a successful comeback, Spurs will have money in a couple of years where they can possibly offer him a much better contract. Miami is capped out and likely will never have any significant money to offer him if they resign Lebron and Wade.

I really don't get why the Heat would be at the top of his list. If he was older and past his prime and wanted a chance to win a ring, then yes, Miami would be a great place for him, but right now, it shouldn't even be a contest between the two teams. If he wants to do what is best for him, then I just don't see how he couldn't choose the Spurs, that is, if the Spurs actually really want him.

He's stalling but he's going to the Heat most likely because he's caught up in their razzle-dazzle minset of dunks, flash, showboating and attention- whoring to go along with championship pedigree. If he's deciding between us and them it's only to drive up interest, make the Heat sweat a little, or maybe even a matter of the Heat making him sweat a little?

[TheGreatYacht]

Greg Oden? Portland curse? What happened? http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219948&p=6764358#post6764358