Many forget that during the Brandon Roy and Greg Oden era, the 2009-10 Portland Trail Blazers were stacked with talent.
They had five top-10 overall picks on the roster – Andre Miller, Marcus Camby, LaMarcus Aldridge, Oden and Roy.
Practically every position was covered with high-level talent and the team under Nate McMillan felt everything was perfectly put together.
That season's sixth-place finish in the West with a 50-32 record, just seven wins behind the first-place Los Angeles Lakers, is proof of how good that team was.
Miller reflected on those days and the injuries that cut short Roy's and Oden's careers on the "All the Smoke" podcast.
"Brandon Roy, man. What a special dude and special player. Man, if he was healthy, if Greg Oden was healthy… I mean, man, Brandon Roy couldn't make it through no practices. You know, his knees were shot when I got there and I felt bad for him because, man, I really thought I could flourish with him," Miller said .
"That team was so good and I was actually on the court when Greg Oden blew out that knee. Man, he was special. I mean, he was like a new version, like a new Shaq — big and athletic, could play with both hands. And I wish Brandon Roy could have stayed healthy because I thought I was slow, but man, Brandon Roy, the way he maneuvered with that ball… he was special. Both of those guys are special and I wish they were healthy. I thought we had a good run over there," Miller concluded.
That season, Portland fell 4-2 to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs, but no one worried about the team's future – it was just the beginning. Injuries, however, turned their roster into one of the biggest "what ifs."
Roy was forced to retire after just six seasons because his knees could no longer handle the physical demands and the pace of the league. Oden's career was over even faster, after just three seasons, barely reaching 100 games mark due to chronic knee issues.
Years later, Oden reflected on the situation and said he wished he had played more with Roy and Aldridge .
"We were super young and I rarely got to play with them. Those dudes were so talented. Brandon Roy, always welcome… LaMarcus, man, one of the most unstoppable guys," Oden said . "I wish I was healthy enough to help build what Portland had. We had some guys coming up like Steve Blake, Andre Miller, Gerald Wallace."
People who watched the Blazers at that time believed this team had massive potential for a Larry O'Brien Trophy in years to come. Miller was the definition of floor general, feeding Roy the ball consistently as Roy developed into one of the most lethal shooting guards in the Association. Down low, Oden dominated with raw power, Aldridge stretched the floor with his mid-range shooting and Camby provided veteran support.
On paper, this team had everything to potentially become a dynasty – youth, talent, skill – but they didn't have the health.
The fact that this group of guys is still talked about today, despite achieving almost nothing in terms of accolades, illustrates just how high the ceiling could have been.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
