CLEVELAND -- Former NBA center Greg Oden will not decide on his next team until July, sources close to the situation told FOX Sports Ohio.
The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007 is making a comeback after three microfracture knee surgeries. Oden last played in the NBA in December 2009 with Portland.
Oden’s agent, Mike Conley Sr., has said Oden is 100 percent and could become a future All-Star.
Oden, 25, is currently taking classes at Ohio State -- the school he led to the NCAA title game in 2007, when it lost to Florida. The Trail Blazers drafted the 7-footer one spot ahead of Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant.
Sources told FSO earlier this month that Oden was leaning heavily toward signing with the Cavs. However, no commitment has been reached by other side.
“We’ll see,” Cavs general manager Chris Grant said last week. “We’ll still talk to them and see what their position is and see what his goals are. Just like any other free agent, if something happens that makes sense, we’ll do it.
"If not, that’s OK. Who knows? From our standpoint, we have no idea.”
Conley told FOX Sports Florida that Oden is itching to play.
“He’s going to sign somewhere,’’ Conley told the website. “He’s going to get healthy and be coming back.’’
Conley added, “I think when he comes back, maybe five or six or seven months after that, he should return to the type of player he should have been. It will take some time to get his conditioning back. I think that when he comes back to playing in the NBA, he will have the ability to be an All-Star.”
Oden played a total of 82 games over three seasons, compiling career averages of 9.4 points and 7.3 rebounds. He grabbed 20 rebounds in his final NBA game, Dec. 9, 2009 vs. Miami.
Teams are eligible to begin signing free agents in early July. Conley has said he doesn’t expect any serious negotiations until the fall.
Twitter: @SamAmicoFSO
