Earlier in February, Greg Oden's return to the NBA seemed like a guarantee. It was recently reported that Oden and the Cleveland Cavaliers were close to reaching an agreement on the two-year contract, however it is now looking as though Oden will not sign any contract until the offseason hits.
While the Cavaliers are still showing interest in the center, the two sides are not close to reaching an agreement. The team currently ranks 27th in the league in total defense and needs to get a player immediately before the trade deadline in order to have any hope of stringing together a good season. This would lower their chances of being able to sign Oden to a contract now and will force them to hold out on their offer.
The injury riddled center has not played a game in the NBA since Dec. 5, 2009. He was a No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, but has only played a total of 82 games in his professional basketball career. He has undergone three separate knee surgeries and was released by the Portland Trailblazers following his latest microfracture surgery in March 2012.
Oden has targeted a return to the NBA in 2013-2014. The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics were the first teams to show interest in him, while Cleveland began to establish themselves as the frontrunner after Oden was spotted multiple times rehabbing at Cleveland's facilities. Oden spent his college career playing for the University of Ohio and a return to playing in the state where he has had most of his basketball success could be what he needs to get his career back on track.
The Cavaliers are rumored to be prepared to offer Oden a two-year contract with an option for a third year if he is able to begin playing. At 25, Oden could still have a long and decent NBA career if he is able to stay healthy. During his 82-game stint, he averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 22 minutes. If he can come back and play close to the numbers he used to be able to put up, the Cavaliers could be getting a superstar player.
