NEW YORK (AP) - The Portland Trail Blazers won’t offer a contract extension to former No. 1 pick Greg Oden before the Monday deadline, a team spokesman said Saturday.
The Oregonian reported Friday that the Blazers and Oden’s representatives agreed there would be no extension, making the oft-injured center the first top pick since Kwame Brown not to get one at the end of his rookie contract. Teams have until Monday to reach deals with first-round picks from the 2007 draft.
But Portland hasn’t seen enough of Oden, who has played in only 82 games since he was picked ahead of Kevin Durant. He has been sidelined since fracturing his left patella last Dec. 5.
Bill Duffy, head of the agency that represents Oden, told AOL FanHouse on Tuesday that Oden would not be signing an extension before the deadline.
Oden will be a restricted free agent next summer and the Blazers will be able to match any offers for him.
The Blazers exercised their fourth-year options on the contracts of Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez, they announced after their 100-95 victory over the New York Knicks.
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