Portland Trail Blazers 2007-08 Season Preview

2006-07 FINISH: 32-50

ADDITIONS: Steve Blake (G) - Free Agent; Rudy Fernandez (G) - Trade with Phoenix; Channing Frye (F) - Trade with New York; James Jones (F) - Trade with Phoenix; Petteri Koponen (F) - Trade with Philadelphia.

SUBTRACTIONS: Dan Dickau (G) - Traded to New York; Ime Udoka (F) - Signed with San Antonio; Fred Jones (G) - Traded to New York; Jamaal Magloire (C) - Signed with New Jersey; Zach Randolph (F) - Traded to New York.

RE-SIGNINGS: Travis Outlaw (F).

2007 DRAFT PICKS: 1. (1) Greg Oden (C, Ohio State); 2. (37) Josh McRoberts (F, Duke); 2. (42) Derrick Byars (F, Vanderbilt) - Traded to Philadelphia; 2. (52) Taurean Green (G, Florida); 2. (53) Demetris Nichols (F, Syracuse) - Traded to New York.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: PG Jarrett Jack, SG Brandon Roy, SF Martell Webster, PF LaMarcus Aldridge, C Joel Przybilla

COACH: Nate McMillan

Sports Network - Portland has already suffered a major setback, and the season hasn’t even started. Rookie center Greg Oden, who was selected with the first overall pick in the draft, will miss the entire 2007-08 season after undergoing right knee surgery.

An exploratory arthroscopic procedure, which was done in September, revealed cartilage damage, and micro-fracture surgery was also performed on Oden’s injured knee. The Ohio State product is expected to need between six and 12 months recovery time from the surgery. After the draft, Oden played in just two Las Vegas summer league games, and had a tonsillectomy in July.

The seven-foot Oden is expected to be one of those players who comes along once in a decade. Oden, who is just 19-years-old, is very athletic, plays strong on the defensive end around the basket and runs the floor effectively. He is still developing his low-post game offensively, and when he gets healthy is expected to polish his moves and should become a dominant force in the paint. Unfortunately for the Trail Blazers, they won’t see what their franchise player can do until the 2008-09 campaign.