NBA Free Agents: Portland's Greg Oden Needs to Consider Signing with Miami Heat

For Greg Oden and the Portland Trail Blazers, things haven't quite gone according to plan after the Blazers selected Oden with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

While all signs indicate that Oden is leaning towards accepting the Blazers' one-year $8.8 million qualifying offer, maybe the center needs to consider other options.

These next 66 games are the most important games in Oden's career. If anyone needs to prove the doubters wrong, it's Oden.

Maybe things aren't working in Portland and he needs a quick change of scenery in order to cash in as an unrestricted free agent the following summer.

If there is one team that would be a perfect fit for Oden during the upcoming NBA season, it's the Miami Heat. The Heat and Oden could be a perfect match for each other and should be an option the 23-year-old considers.

With Miami, Oden wouldn't be as big of a focal point as he would be in a Blazers uniform. Miami simply needs a presence on the inside that can defend and rebound. Oden could fill that role similar to what Tyson Chandler did for the Dallas Mavericks a season ago.

Coming off a good playoff run in which Chandler primarily was just a rebounder and defender in the paint, Chandler is about to cash in as a free agent. Oden can do the same in a Miami uniform.

Maybe the biggest thing about Oden to the Heat would be the fact he wouldn't have to play as many minutes as he would in Portland. He's already out until early January and a somewhat reduced role could be huge for Oden in the long run.

Considering the schedule will feature a ton of back-to-backs, Oden's minutes could be monitored much easier in Miami than they likely will in Portland.

The only negative with Oden considering the Heat is that they won't be able to offer the $8.8 million that Portland can. But in the long run, it may make sense for a guy like Oden to sacrifice a couple million this season in order to cash in bigger next season.

Miami needs a big body in the middle. Oden needs a change of scenery. On paper it could be a good match.