by Todd Pheifer

Created on: December 04, 2007   Last Updated: January 03, 2009

Before we start talking about championships, we have to discuss whether or not Greg Oden will even be an impact player in the NBA. The size is obviously there, and the raw talent suggests that he may be a dominant big man for years to come. However, to lose a rookie season due to an injury is a bad start. Basketball is tough on the joints, and a body like Oden's can put a lot of stress on knees and ankles. In addition, the NBA is an increasingly physical sport and inside players can absorb a great deal of punishment during a long 82-game season. Longtime Trailblazer fans have memories of what was (a championship with Bill Walton) and what could have been (many more championships with Bill Walton sidetracked by injuries).

All about health...

Assuming Greg Oden stays healthy, there is still the question of whether HE will bring a championship to Portland. I would suggest that if a championship comes to Portland in the next ten years, it will be through the play of Brandon Roy, with Oden as a complementary player. Championship teams over the last couple of decades have had a pair or a trio of great players who play well together. Jordan had Pippen, Kobe had Shaq, and Bird had McHale and Parrish. There have been many great individual players in recent years, but one could argue that none of them won championships without another star or "almost star".

Partner in crime

Brandon Roy is the type of player that can be a catalyst for a championship. He has the ability to score, rebound, and distribute. In addition, he is the type of player that can make people around him better. If Oden turns out to be a dominant big man, he will free up Roy to get the rest of the team involved, and create a defensive nightmare for opponents.

Guard play

The other reason that Roy would bring a championship to Portland before Oden is that the NBA is a guard-driven league. Teams continue to be enamored with players because they are big, but quality guard play is the key to success. When the game is on the line and a shot must be made, you call on a guard to shoot a jumper. You rarely dump it into the post. That is the reality of today's NBA game. Therefore, a player like Roy would be more key in an important playoff situation than Oden. When Kobe and Shaq were winning championships, it was more often Kobe in charge at the end of games.

Possible key

Greg Oden may be a key part of a future Trailblazer championship run. But he must prove that he can stay healthy and he must develop those skills that are currently in the "potential" category. That said, if a championship is going to be won in Portland, it will probably be won on the shoulders of a player like Brandon Roy.

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