For an offseason train, CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn, Brad Botkin and Jasmyn Wimbish put collectively a listing of 25 of the biggest “what ifs” from the last 25 years of NBA history.
In addition to discussions about LeBron James by no means leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and Stephen Curry being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wimbish broaches a query a lot nearer to Portland Trail Blazers followers’ hearts: What if Brandon Roy and Greg Oden have been wholesome?
Let’s first present appreciation for the truth that the Portland Trail Blazers constructed a roster that ought to’ve been competing for a number of championships within the mid-2000s. They have been savvy of their roster selections, swindled groups on draft evening — you, Chicago, and buying and selling LaMarcus Aldridge for Tyrus Thomas in 2006 — and whereas it’s a full failure that they determined to take Greg Oden over Kevin Durant, had Oden stayed wholesome, that may not look as egregious now. In reality, had Brandon Roy stayed wholesome too, the Trail Blazers in all probability have a championship from that period.
If Oden enters the league wholesome after being taken No. 1 general in 2007, he instantly kinds an thrilling trio alongside each Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. The Blazers are more likely to end with a greater document than their .500 mark within the 2007-08 season, mirroring their efficiency the next yr in Oden’s first skilled season, once they received 54 video games. The Trail Blazers would’ve been a constant risk within the playoffs with Oden and Aldridge within the frontcourt, and Roy because the scoring risk within the backcourt.
Remember, Oden was taken forward of Durant as a result of he was seen as a can’t-miss franchise cornerstone on the middle place. He was going to be the premier rim-protecting massive man, able to placing up a double-double on a nightly foundation. You pair that with Aldridge, who was probably the greatest mid-range scoring massive males of that period, and Roy, who Kobe Bryant as soon as mentioned was essentially the most troublesome participant to protect within the Western Conference as a result of he had no weaknesses in his recreation, you get a Portland staff that may’ve brought about issues for these Bryant-Pau Gasol Lakers groups throughout that point. — Wimbish
The trio of LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy and Greg Oden was imagined to be one of many premier teams within the NBA. Instead, it was derailed by accidents, by no means permitting a full take a look at what the three gamers may do collectively.
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Oden performed simply 105 video games in his NBA profession and missed 4 full seasons to damage earlier than finally retiring in 2014. Roy was a three-time NBA All-Star in his 5 seasons with Portland earlier than his accidents finally compelled him into an early retirement following the 2010-11 season. He got here again to play yet one more season with the Timberwolves, however appeared in simply 5 video games earlier than retiring for good.