Speaking at a charity event in Akron Ohio, James stayed politically correct when he commented on the lack of expectation the Miami Heat ball club will have of their new injury-prone center.
“Adding Greg is a huge piece for us but we’re not asking too much from him, we’re not going to put too much pressure on him,” James said. “He hasn’t played since 2009, so it’s been awhile. We just want him to work his way back into condition. Whatever he gives us is extra.”
For a player who hasn’t played since December of 2009, the bar is set pretty low. But at what point will Oden be expected to perform? He is getting a guaranteed $2 million for the next two seasons.
Oden was the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. After several knee injuries, he underwent microfracture knee surgery in September 2007, missing the 2007–2008 season. He came back to play the next season, but only for a few games due to injuries.
