NBA Rumors: Indiana Pacers Should Stay Away from Injury-Prone Greg Oden

The Indiana Pacers should distance themselves from injury-prone center Greg Oden, no matter how interested he is in playing for his hometown team.

Oden was waived by the Portland Trail Blazers this past Thursday before the trade deadline, which means he is free to sign with another team some day.

According to The Indianapolis Star, Oden's agent Mike Conley Sr. says that the former No. 1 overall pick in 2007 is "interested in signing with the Pacers."

Oden played his high school basketball at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Indiana and would no doubt love to come home.

The current NBA bench mainstay missed his entire rookie season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery shortly after being drafted, and played in 61 games his first season. Oden fractured his left patella after playing 21 games the following season and missed the rest of the year. He has not played since December 2009.

Since the patella injury, Oden has underwent two more microfracture left knee surgeries and is still recovering as the Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers battle for a playoff spot without him. His continued setbacks ran their course in Portland and it's hard to imagine any other NBA franchise having enough patience to take a shot at the seven-footer

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"When we talked it was one of the teams he talked about, but Greg's really not thinking basketball now. His thing is to get healthy and figure out why these injuries keep occurring. He wants to get back and not have to worry about getting injured again." - Mike Conley Sr.

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Oden's career averages are 9.4 PPG and 7.3 RPG in 22.1 MPG. His numbers are excellent for a reserve big man coming off the bench, but his inability to remain on the court is too much of a liability for the Pacers to take a chance on. 

At 25-17 heading into Saturday night's matchup with the New York Knicks, it makes no sense for the Pacers to acquire a circus at their own cost. Indiana is the fifth-best rebounding team in the league without Oden, and is en route to hosting a first-round playoff series this spring. 

Fellow seven-footer Roy Hibbert has emerged as a force for the Pacers as well, averaging 12.8 PPG and 9.1 RPG in his fourth full NBA season. Hibbert was drafted one year after Oden but has played in 191 more games.

There is simply nothing to gain by bringing on Oden at this time or any other for the Pacers. He may have an interest in playing for his hometown squad, but the desire should not be mutual.