Former Jiangsu Dragons and Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese Basketball Association team Jiangsu Dragons has reportedly waived former NBA standout Greg Oden on Monday after only 24 games with the franchise this season.
Oden has registered decent numbers during his short stint in China's premier professional basketball league, averaging 12.9 points, 12.7 rebounds (sixth-best in the league), and 2.1 blocks (fourth-best) during the 2015-2016 season, as per Asia-basket.
The 28-year-old top pick of the 2007 NBA Draft was signed by the Dragons in August of last year to a one-year deal worth $1.2 million. He played his best game with the squad on December 9, 2015, scoring 22 points and grabbing 14 boards during their victory against the Shandong Golden Stars.
SB Nation noted that this recent bump in Oden's hoop profession could mean "the end of his professional basketball career" as he has not shown the ability to catch up even in a league like the CBA.
Other average players in the NBA such as Michael Beasley and Jason Maxiell have all thrived in the said Asian professional league. Oden's failure to dominate in such competitions would clearly shy away potential opportunities especially if he wants to return to the NBA.
The report mentioned that "Jiangsu's decision to cut Oden was likely motivated by strict roster quotas which limit the number of 'imports' teams can have on their rosters", and the team will most likely fill-up his spot with someone less injury-prone.
Oden's contract with Jiangsu officially ended after the team's 106-104 loss to the Sichuan Blue Whales in Round 36 of the CBA, ending head coach Hu Xuefeng postseason hopes this year.
The 7-foot former Ohio State Buckeye was picked first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007 ahead of the likes of current NBA stars Kevin Durant, Al Horford, Mike Conley, Joakim Noah, and Marc Gasol.
His pro career was mired by a lot of injuries, particularly in the knees and feet, which have not allowed it to flourish as compared to many of his contemporaries.
Oden was not able to play during his rookie season after he underwent a microfracture surgery to repair an ailing right knee. He officially appeared in his first NBA game the next season against the Los Angeles Lakers but was injured again after only 13 minutes of scoreless playing time.
