Greg Oden’s Miami Heat contract only for a single season, according to report

The Miami Heat made quite a few headlines when they were able to add Greg Oden on a minimum deal earlier this summer. The reigning NBA champions were lauded for the move considering they had locked up the former No. 1 pick for just the NBA’s veteran’s minimum, but it turns out the contract didn’t end up exactly as it was originally reported.

It was originally reported by numerous sources that the contract would give Oden the option of re-upping the deal next summer if he chose to do so.

The indispensable Mark Deeks of ShamSports reports that the contract submitted to the league is simply a one-year deal, however, with no second-year option for either side included.

Greg Oden signed a guaranteed one-year minimum salary contract on August 7, 2013. Oden is actually being paid $1,027,424, the minimum salary for a five-year veteran, but as, his minimum salary contract is only for one year and he has more than two years of experience, the team is only billed an amount equal to the minimum salary of a two-year vet. The league pays the rest.

This isn’t exactly earth-shattering news, but it is interesting that Oden accepted a minimum deal without any real security past this season. Considering that both he and members of the Heat have intimated that he’s likely not going to play much of a role early in the season as he returns to basketball shape -- and hopefully full health -- it’s interesting that he wouldn’t have pushed for at least the option of re-upping his contract for a second season with the Heat. Even if it was only at the minimum, it at least would have given Oden some options next year, regardless if this season goes better or worse than expected.