FanHouse

With the shocking news that Greg Oden is expected to miss the entire 2007-2008 season following micro fracture knee surgery this morning, the question on our minds here at the NBA FanHouse was, Is Greg Oden the modern-day version of Sam Bowie? Bowie of course, is the guy the Portland chose over Michael Jordan in the 1984 draft, and we all know how that turned out.

Earlier this summer, the Blazers once again decided to go with a big man over a spectacular wing player (Kevin Durant) in the draft.

Have the Portland Trailblazers made the same mistake a little over 20 years later? To find out, we had a roundtable discussion:

Tom Ziller: The Sam Bowie situation is certainly eerie; I think Blazers fans can find solace in the vastly improved medical care we have know, obviously. I mean, we even have a wildly successful micro fracture surgery for an athletic big to point at. In Bowie's day, there was no cure for chronic leg issues for a big man.

(More after the jump)

Marcel Mutoni: I'm not saying Greg will go down as Sam Bowie: The Remix, but if Oden never reaches his full potential (whatever that is), I don't think any GM, media person, fan, or casual observer should ever be allowed to say, "In the draft, you take the sure-thing big man." Here's the bottom line: Durant is the better player no matter which way you slice it; the guy most likely to go down as an all-time great, and now with the Oden injury, it's just more proof that NBA decision-makers have no balls whatsoever.

Well, everyone but Isiah Thomas that is.

MJD: Still, though ... micro fracture, man. It would have been better news if someone dropped an anvil on his femur. Amare's recovery is the first out of how many? I'm glad we're getting better with treating this thing, and I hope it works out for Greg Oden, but we're still not looking at a very high success rate.

I'm optimistic, but I am not banking of a full recovery. To quote the Big Lebowski (the one who sponsored the urban achievers), "Nothing is ****ed!? THE ***DAMN PLANE HAS CRASHED INTO THE MOUNTAIN."

Question: if it was known before the draft that Oden needed micro fracture surgery, where would be drafted?

Ziller: Wow, I still think he'd be top-2. I don't know -- would you pick Al Horford over a Greg Oden who needs micro fracture surgery? I don't think I would -- Oden's just that beast. And I lived through watching Chris Webber's career die over this type of thing.

I think my optimism comes from the fact this injury wasn't due to a single gruesome event like Webber's or Kenyon Martin's. Like Amare's injury, this was a subtle thing that crept up and finally got figured out with a scope surgery. Maybe my thinking is faulty, but Amare's success with the same type of circumstances makes me hopeful. Well, as hopeful as someone who roots for a rival team actually can be.

Obviously Sam Presti wouldn't trade Durant for Oden today. But would you trade Horford for Oden right now?

Mutoni: I'm not sure if I'd be willing to trade anyone (besides Durant) for Oden. He's still a beast, micro fracture surgery be damned.

Bethlehem Shoals: I'm with Tom. Post-Amare, microfracture just doesn't scare me that much. Fine, he might lose a tiny bit of explosiveness; let's be honest, Amare doesn't muster it up on every possession anymore. But he's so damn tall that his game was never going to revolve around that to begin with.

I mean, do any of you really feel like we're seeing a career die?

Nate Jones: Two things to add. Somewhere Zach Randolph is laughing. Also it might be good for Portland. As they might end up with a top three pick in the draft this year. This is a great point guard year for the draft and now they'll likely be able to secure the pg they covet.

MJD: I guess I couldn't say yes to that Horford/Oden swap. I didn't mean to come off as too pessimistic ... one of the things I love about Oden is that I think he's got an underrated work ethic and a fantastic attitude, so that works in his favor. I guess I'd still take him over Horford, but I can't say I wouldn't have to think about it ... and no, there's no one else I'd swap for Oden, either. The word "microfracture" just scares the hell out of me.