As the NBA offseason is set to officially begin at the beginning of July, one of the biggest stories will likely be the future of big man, Greg Oden. The center has been quietly rehabbing from another microfracture surgery but has remained vocal about wanting to return to the league. Oden has been working out to get back into playing in 2013 and the Miami Heat could be the frontrunner to sign him.
Fresh off winning another NBA Championship, the Heat are quickly thinking of ways to improve the team for another run during the 2013-14 season. One of the noticeable weaknesses of Miami during the playoffs was their lack of a true center. Forward Chris Bosh played most of the minutes at center, but the Heat do not want to call on their players to play a lot bigger than they need to.
With the rise of the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs, the Heat need a real big man. They someone to help match size to size. According to FoxSports Florida, Oden might be that big man for Miami. They are reporting their is mutual interest between the two parties and a deal could be reached once the offseason begins.
Oden's agent Mike Conley reports that his client is very interested in signing with the Heat this summer. He expects talks to begin immediately.
"The Heat need some size, that's not a secret. Whether it's in a backup role or whatever, he could help them. I know they're interested in him and he's interested in them," Conley said.
The Heat will not offer him a large a contract. The team is currently over the luxury tax limit, giving them very little flexibility to sign a player that comes with a larger price. Due to Oden's injury history, he has very little leverage to command anything over the minimum.
FoxSports is also reporting an interest from the San Antonio Spurs with Oden. The team is looking to improve their interior defense and view Oden as a project player. While he may not be completely healthy for a few more months, he could finish his rehabbing in Texas, while learning in a backup role.
Oden has not seen an NBA court since 2009. After being a top draft pick, he could go from having the most NBA potential in the world, bust if he cannot get on a team and prove why he was once considered the future of the NBA. During Oden's 82-game stint in the league, he averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 22 minutes per game. If he can return to that level or better, the Miami Heat or any other team will be getting a highly productive player. While the signing comes with great risk that Oden will get injured once again, there could also be a large upside.