"The big charade continued on Friday with the news that Greg Oden was having another knee surgery.

This one was arthroscopic, right knee. It was Oden's fourth knee surgery since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Trail Blazers in 2007. And there may be a fifth one, next week on his left knee.

Can someone please make this all stop?

Oden will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. During games he currently sits at the end of the bench, in a suit, mostly look disinterested. Most of Portland wrote Oden off long ago, when it became clear that he'd rehabilitate on the Blazers' dime this season, and then probably try his NBA career somewhere else.

The Blazers said Friday what any decent basketball organization would say about an injured player under contract. Acting general manager Chad Buchanan said the team would "continue to stand by Greg and support him." Oden's camp, too, confirmed the surgery and said the big guy is just trying to get his knee healthy.

While we wait, it's time for everyone to drop the act and deal with the truth.

Oden is done in Portland.

We all know it. Nobody is saying it. And while the team requires Oden to sit on the bench during the games, and to do his contractually obligated NBA appearances, I don't think Blazers fans would mind a bit if the organization excused him from the rest of the season and sent him home."