Jason QuickofThe Oregonian reportsthat recent indications from both sides are accurate and that restricted free agent center Greg Oden will sign a 1-year qualifying offer with the Portland Trail Blazers when free agency opens on Friday... --------------------- Greg Oden will be a Trail Blazer next season. Agent Bill Duffy says Oden will sign 1-year qualifying offer on Friday for $8.9 million. "The mission is not yet accomplished," Duffy said regarding Oden and the Blazers. Oden on signing 1-year deal w/Blazers: "I like Portland and it's a good deal. So I definitely want to take it." --------------------- TheAssociated Press has confirmed.Here's the full reportwith an updated rehabilitation timeline andnew medical details. --------------------- The hope inside Blazers offices is that a late January, early February return would be possible, but the final decision will be made by Oden, and only Oden. Greg Oden says he has been given clearance to cut, pivot and shoot when Blazers open training camp Friday, but no clearance for full contact. Oden says he's "still a ways" from full-contact drills. "We want me to progress. We don't want to push me out there too soon." --------------------- Blazers president Larry Millerdiscussed Odenalmost as if he were already part of the team at a press conference last week and there wasa report last weekendthat Oden was "leaning strongly towards" accepting the Qualifying Offer. Oden, 23, last played in an NBA game in December 2009 and is currently rehabilitating from microfracture surgery.Update: For those asking, once Oden signs the qualifying offer, the Blazers will not be able to negotiate a multi-year contract with him until July 1, 2012, the date that the summer free agency period opens. Oden will be an unrestricted free agent at that point.bumped to top (again); Thursday's news items below-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter