Mavericks Willing To Gamble On Oden, But Not Bynum?

The Dallas Mavericks are one of the teams the Greg Oden is meeting with in Las Vegas. The Mavericks are still looking for a center to fill the void created when Tyson Chandler headed to the Big Apple.

They unsuccessfully attempted to woo Dwight Howard, who ultimately chose their in-state rivals the Houston Rockets. They then met with Andrew Bynum but didn’t sign him either, though it seems that they didn’t even make an offer.

But if Bynum and his knees were a risk, why would the Dallas Mavericks gamble on Greg Oden?

Dallas Morning News columnist Eddie Sefko breaks it down:

"Oden will come far cheaper. If the Mavericks can get him for something in the $3-million range that was pegged for Devin Harris, then that’s a reasonable risk to take.Oden hasn’t played in three seasons. So he’ll have a lot to prove.There will be other teams with better shots to win big who are in the running for Oden. It will come down to his health, and to money, just as it did with Bynum.Oden is not as much of a gamble. It’s still a desperation move. That’s clear. But if you can take a swing at a long shot, sometimes they come in."

 The Dallas Mavericks believe strongly in their medical team and were the first to embrace cyrotherapy. They used their ability to help often injured players turn around their careers, like Tyson Chandler, as a pitch to Bynum. They could use that same pitch on Greg Oden, maybe that could sway him and make him consider Dallas.