Free agent Greg Oden will reportedly sign by Friday with an NBA team. Six teams remain in the mix, but the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are still considered the frontrunners.
Oden will choose a team to sign with by Friday, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reported on Thursday. A decision appears imminent - ESPN reported on Monday that Oden would pick a team sometime in the week.
According to multiple reports, six teams remain in contention: the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Miami and San Antonio. The latter two are believed to be the two finalists.
Oden has said fit and comfort, not money, are the determining factors for where he signs, according to ESPN. The Spurs and Heat have long been rumored to be the frontrunners. Both teams offer Oden a shot at a championship, and they both have a style of play that the 7-footer believes is conducive to his skill set.
Dallas is also pushing hard for him, touting the medical care they can provide under the helm of renowned Team USA trainer Casey Smith and doctor Tarek Souryal.
Despite not having played in an NBA game since December 2009, Oden appears to be a hot commodity. Teams consider Oden to be a low-risk, high-reward prospect. Given his history of knee injuries, a team can sign him to an inexpensive contract and not take a massive hit in the books if he doesn't pan out.
If Oden can remain healthy, however, the 2007 No. 1 pick could be a huge reward. He had a stellar career at Ohio State and showed flashes of greatness in his brief NBA career. Averages of 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game make him worth a gamble.
Knee injuries have derailed his career. Although only 25, Oden has already had three microfracture knee surgeries, his last in February 2012. Oden skipped the entire 2012-13 season to focus on his rehab.
Oden believes he's healthy now, and, based on reports from his workouts, he looks good.
"He needs to get in better shape but that will come," an unidentified coach told ESPN. "He does look pretty good."
