For the Portland Trailblazers, it's the final chance of avoiding the two worst draft picks of all time. For Greg Oden, it could be his final chance to avoid becoming the answer to a trivia question 20 years from now.
ESPN.com reports that the Blazers have tendered their oft-injured center to a $8.8 million offer sheet to stay in the Emerald City for at least one more year, unless they choose not to match another team's offer on the restricted free agent.
Since being selected No. 1 overall in the 2007 NBA draft over two-time scoring champion Kevin Durant, Oden has appeared in only 82 games, averaging 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. In the four years since being selected, Oden has had more microfracture knee surgeries (two, one on each leg) than total seasons completed.
After missing his entire rookie season recovering from microfracture surgery on his right knee, the one-and-done Buckeye played in 61 games in his sophomore year, battling through smaller injuries. In the first 21 games of the 2009-10 season, Oden started to show some of the promise that helped lead him to the 2007 national championship game and the first overall pick, but his season was once again cut short after he fractured his right kneecap.
In November of last season, it was announced that Oden would miss the season to have his second microfracture surgery.
