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Odom to Miami? Don’t bet on it

July 26th, 2009, 5:16 pm · 55 Comments · posted by JANIS CARR, OCREGISTER.COM

The talk (at this moment) is Lamar Odom is “leading strongly toward accepting” a 5-year, $34 million deal from Miami. From conversations I’ve had, I’m convinced that those reports are nothing more than agent posturing.

Even the fact Pat Riley flew to Los Angeles this weekend still doesn’t change the fact Odom wants to remain with the Lakers. (The Heat president owns a house in L.A.)

Ramona Shelburne of the L.A. Daily News said that “theories and facts change from day to day.”  But the belief among those who know say Odom will remain in Los Angeles and will make it official soon.

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Posted in: Lamar Odom
 
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 55 Comments

  • Niko says:

    At this point Lamar, just go!!

    • Brizzle says:

      Niko is not a laker fan.

      Any Laker fan knows that our team has a better chance at winning another championship with Lamar on it.

      If we can get Lamar back then our team is better for it.

      Those that wan’t to see Lamar “just go” are either idiots or not Lakers Fans.

      • Niko says:

        My “just go” comment is for threatening to leave to Miami everytime Buss’ offer is not “good enough” for Lamar.

        Why would you want to pay LO 10 million (20 million after luxury taxes)? Is he worth it? Do you realize he’s a BACKUP power forward that shows up 1 every 3 games? Buss pushed all his chips towards the middle of the table when he signed Bynum longterm. It’s time to let Bynum show what he can do now that he’s healthy.

        To call me out shows me that you know nothing about the Lakers or life itself. You probably don’t know anything about negotiating or “leverage” working at McDonalds Sure, the Lakers would be “better” with Lamar moron, but at what extent? This is Buss’ way to let Lamar know that the Lakers are premier sports franchise, and most players would love to play here.

        FYI - I’ve been a Laker fan long before you were just a twinkle, so quit picking fights with someone you’ve recently asked, “paper or plastic sir”.

        • DM says:

          We are all frustrated that it is taking so long for LO to resign. The longer it takes the more chance there is that he may go somewhere else. But anybody that gets frustrated and posts comments like “Lamar, just go” are obviously not thinking rationally.
          Lamar made over $14 mil last season and the Lakers are offering $9 mil. That is a 36% decrease. I don’t know about you, but if my boss offered me 36% less than I am used to making, I would feel a little disrespected and start looking at other opportunities.
          Lamar is just trying to make the most amount of money that he can and nobody can blame him for that because we all do the same thing!!

        • David says:

          I agree with you to a certain extent…I want Odom to come back, BUT I also want him to make up his damn mind. I’m sick of all the damn posturing, I want to know who is going to be on the damn 2010 roster. I want to know who will still be available. The longer he takes to decide, it cuts out the rest of the free agents that are currently on the market, and gives us less of a chance to get them. Someone noted that Gooden signed in Dallas, it doesn’t mean we’d be interested, but we may need to add a piece LIKE Gooden in order to continue. LO, we want you back, but just like your game indicates, we have no idea what your plans are, just like we have no idea which LO will show up on the basketball court. If you stay, cool, if you don’t, God Bless and Peace. Just make up your damn mind ALREADY!!!

      • James says:

        He’s just expressing what all of us are feeling, frustration and confusion regarding this situation.

        The general consensus is that Lamar is being greedy by playing these games with the team he just won a championship with. I know it’s business, but it’s rude to ignore an offer, especially if it’s a VERY GOOD offer like the one that was reported. He should show some respect, because we all know he’s been overpaid for the last few years.

        Buss may have overreacted by taking the offer off the table, but in the end it might be a good move if the Lakers save money as a result.

        Anyways, the fans that are saying they want him to leave are just angry. If they weren’t fans, they wouldn’t care!

    • TheKillerMamba says:

      Niko… u really don’t know much about basketball my man!!!!!!

      Lamar has no replacement right now on the team. I understand the thing about let Bynum play more time but when u talk about LO you have to see him like a insurance policy for Bynum himself.

      Tourkoglu got a 53 million contract for 5 years. Why LO can’t earn 10 a year???

      • Niko says:

        Because LO turned down 40 million….why? Because he wants 50 million. Do you want to write that check?

        Didn’t think so.

        Continue writing checks you can cash, and stop asking the Lakers to be like the Yankees. That would be a VERY expensive insurance policy.

        The Lakers need role players now with Artest in the lineup. We can’t afford to have a “dream team” to keep up with the Jones’.

        • DM says:

          LO didn’t turn down $40 mil. The only offers he got from the Lakers were for $30 mil guaranteed.

          Niko, you’re right that the Lakers need role players. There is no better role player than LO. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make an impact on a game and doesn’t have an ego that would create any arguments over not getting enough shots.

          If the Lakers do not sign LO, they will not repeat. All the big teams (Spurs, Celtics, Mavs) all are getting better. Replacing Ariza and LO with just Artest actually makes the Lakers worse than they were last year.

  • Diggity Dave says:

    Another reporter who doesn’t know jack sh*t about anything and adds to the speculation. Zzz….

  • NikoRetard says:

    Ehhhhh Niko retard

  • 7r@cy says:

    ^ Hell naw! They just need to guarantee that 4th year and Lamar will be resigned already.

  • Jazzgear says:

    No, I wouldn’t fully guarantee the 4th year. I’d give him as much $$s as he’d get in the Miami offer (taking into account the FL tax break). Then leave it to him to decide. Take the same amount of $$s from a lesser team or come back for more ’ship opportunities. I would not give him $10 per for 4 years guaranteed…not given his past history to disappear for strings of games at a time.

    • thechampishere says:

      And that’s a good point. I totally agree w/ that. But…

      Odom is still a one-of-a-kind player that I’d hate to see in any other uniform.

      He’s the only player in the league who can truly play all 5 positions AND be effective.

      The Lakers were a BETTER team when he took Bynum’s place in the lineup.

      W/ him coming off the bench he adds to the Laker depth.

      The Spurs, Cavs, Celtics, Magic have all added depth this summer. Each trying to get where the Lakers are now. Lakers can’t afford to take 2 steps back this summer losing 2 key pieces.

      If Buss can give Devean George, Sasha, Walton big money for their services he can give Odom that guaranteed 4th year.

  • david says:

    Sighs

  • Al says:

    Janis, given all of the previous false reports, why should we believe that all of the sudden he’ll make it official and re-sign with the lakers?

    No offense, I like following what you write, but too many false rumors out there to believe anything these days. This has become a silly circuis and its all Odoms creation.

  • TrueFan1947 says:

    Lamar is 6′10″ of skilled, speedy inconsistency. Sometimes he’s there, sometimes he’s not. He’s a nice fellow, I’m sure. So WHAT? If the Lakers get him for the right price, fine. Whatever Buss and Mitch decide to do is fine with me. Lamar blew it when he played hard-to-get a couple weeks back. Now he’s squirming in that tiny corner that he painted himself into. The Lakers are a contender without Lamar…though I’m the 1st to admit they’d be even MORE awesome WITH Lamar (but only at Buss’ convenience and discretion). Lamar made a dumb mistake in alienating arguably the very best owner in all of professional sports!

  • Joe says:

    It would be tragic if we couldn’t see this lineup on the floor at some point:

    Fisher
    Kobe
    Artest
    LO
    Gasol

  • lowell meyer says:

    for basically the same money, why would anyone want to leave the lakers for miami??? doubtful Miami can make the play offs at all with or without Odom…funny, during each year everyone wants him traded. because he is so hot & cold..frankly, if you notice, all the players that the lakers get rid of do not do well with another team…could it be the system???? .he requires alot of motivating from Koby and Jackson and even then he is still only good everyother game…he would just be another player with another team…with the lakers he will excel at least everyother game….but if he is not smart enough to figure out playing with a champion versus playing with an also ran, for basically the same money, then he is not smart enough to have as a Laker….and with Bynum back heathy, we can do without someone who apparently is not VERY PROUD TO BE A LAKER….sorry to see you go, but you made your bed, so sleep in it

    • Lakers#1fan says:

      Lowell is damn right. I love Lamar and yes I do want him back but he’s starting to piss me off. And to make it worse, his inconsistency is far more a liability than a reward. Mostly. He does have explosive games at times but nothing that a healthy Bynum can’t bring. I think that it’s time to let Bynum shine and LO leaving would give him that opportunity. On the other hand, LO’s life story and the person he is makes it hard for me to see him go. But like Ariza, if he isn’t in love with his team and his fans, then why should we bother. All in all, I would love to have Lamar back but I won’t be too upset if he leaves. We are still a championship team with or without him. I completely disagree with anyone who feels that LO is needed in order for us to be a championship contender. I have faith in Bynum and I know what he can do. He will definitely pick up the slack and in a major way. Besides, Artest is a huge pick up.

    • Infamous says:

      Are you stupid?, miami made the playoffs last year with nobody, and your gonna say that with odom there worst off? lol go and be more of a fanboy then anything

  • titi says:

    janis, is this true? i hope it is, because as a woman, i’m pulling for you. you cannot lose more credibility. i hope you are right, this time.

    • Kaveh says:

      Ahh, that’s just horrible, lol.

      “As a woman, i’m pulling for you. you cannot lose more credibility.”

      Just awful…but funny.

  • Tony F says:

    If this is nothing more than posturing why did you waste readers timesl by starting the rumor Friday.?

  • Badung says:

    This doesn’t add up. Why would Lamar go through all this trouble to call Jerry Buss to put the offer back on the table to start negotiations again…then he turns around and starts negotiating with the Miami Heat. Whoever is the source from Yahoo! is also working for Lamar’s agent. Hey Lamar!!!! Fire you’re agent please!!! His agent probably went to school with Trevor Ariza’s agent.

  • Mr. Juan_Your Warlock says:

    Callin all Captains!!

    The Brizzle! …Came and went… In a Fizzle! …Hahahaha

  • jake says:

    DOnt go lamar

  • James Katt says:

    If Lamar Odom goes to Miami, it is because he is too stupid to do the math.

  • LAfan93 says:

    For the people who seem to bash LO and somehow think that having no bench is a good thing with injury prone guys. PLEASE STOP TYPING!

    Is LO being a spoiled child? Yes! but before you start saying he can’t do math can you? If Buss has lowered the deal (lots of rumors say he has) it’s not likely LO stays.

    3 years at 24 mil (highly taxed) or 5 years at 35 mil (hardly taxed)? Yeah per year he makes more for the 3 seasons even after taxes that being said do you think that LO will be garnering a 2 year 14 mil deal at the age of 33? Because that’s what it would take to balance the taxes and contracts.

    Even if Buss puts a 3 year 27 mil deal back on the table LO would need a full MLE (seeing as the MLE will be declining sharpley as the cap goes down it might be even less than he would need to make up the difference) just to break even on the deal.

    If Buss puts a 4 year 36 mil deal (fully gaurenteed) on the table I’m sure LO would take it and be happy. But saying he can’t do math because he isn’t jumping on an offer that might make him less over a 5 year deal is short sighted on some people’s parts.

  • yanni c says:

    Let Odom go… hope he enjoys being knocked out in the first round of play- offs each tear with Miami ! Hows this for a L.A. - Minn. trade: Bynum to the Wolves for K. Love, Gomes and the rights to Rubio ( plus a first round pick in 2010) ?

    • thechampishere says:

      Freaking crazy! Ludicrous!! Loco!!

      Read these words carefully:

      GOOD 7 FOOTERS DON’T COME AROUND OFTEN!!

      Only thing that has set back Bynum is his injuries and both weren’t his fault. Give him time.

      He’s only 21. Damn.

  • thanhnugent says:

    Lakerfan#1, I agree with you 100%. Of course I love LO, but at this point in time, I realize the LO is full of LO and just read my lips, people: after the signing (if he signed) LO will join Walton and Vujacic on the pine for not showing up every night while singing all the way to bank.
    So let him go! We can still win it all with Kobe, Andrew, Pau, Artest, Fish, Brown, Powell, Farmar, Morrison and even Mbenga… LO is a luxury, not a necessity.

    • DM says:

      Are you serious??!!

      LO is a necessity if the Lakers have any chance of winning a championship!! All of the top teams are getting better with their signings and as of right now, without LO, the Lakers have actually gotten worse. Artest cannot replace both Ariza and LO.

  • cv says:

    Yahoo sports is not a reputable news outlet.

  • tom says:

    I don’t get all these so called Laker fans who get mad at Odom.Last i remember he is the 3rd best player on the team behind Kobe & Gasol.Odom held the fort down when Big Pay Bynum got hurt again and the starting lineup was better with Odom.Odom makes the second unit better due to his versatility.Odom is taking a paycut no matter what contract he gets and from whom.I think Odom should have been top priority over Ariza, Artest & Brown.Maybe his agent should go to Mars company and get him a supplemental deal for candy advertisements.Somehow Odom should not be making less than Bynum, Walton, Sasha and he we need him to repeat.

    • Niko says:

      What’s there not to get? I’m sure Dr. Buss knows how to negotiate. Do you want the Lakers to turn into the NY Yankees, buying championships every year? It’s very easy to spend other peoples money isn’t it? That’s not the way Buss runs this franchise, so google the “lakers” and see for yourself.

      Lamar is nothing more than a backup power forward who averaged 11 points per game, and couldn’t make it as a starter. Heck, the Heat didn’t even think so, that’s why they traded him 5 years ago in his prime.

      It will not be the end of the world if he joins the Heat, he will not be helping any teams in the western conference, and will not be good enough to compete with the tougher east teams.

      Maybe by the trade deadline, the non-contenders will offer up something good for the Lakers around January, but as for right now, there aren’t enough basketballs to go around to keep Lamar at 10 million per year.

  • ecat124 says:

    The Lakers would not be so concerned about the luxury tax implications of signing Odom to a $9 or $10 million per contract had they not signed Bynum early last season to an extension that will pay him $14 million/yr. for the next 4 years!!!!

    Paying someone who’s been in the league since 2005 and has only played well in two half seasons $14 mil. is a joke. The dude is not worth the money Buss and Lakers threw at him. Lest everyone forget, his agent is Trevor Ariza’s agent, too.

    Bottom line, Lamar Odom is paying the price for the silliness of the Bynum contract. And don’t even get me started on the $5 or so million they are paying Vujacic.

    • #79LakerFan says:

      All comments above are solid.
      If LO goes, he’s not even sniffing a conference finals, let alone another championship for the rest of his career.
      Just like Ariza won’t unless he leaves the Rockets.
      How much is the probability of playing for the championship worth, especailly another 2-3 times in the next 3-4 years???
      If LO’s agent were worth his salt, he’d line up some lucrative endorsements to take advantage of LO’s popularity in LA.

      Who is the better poker player, LO or Dr. Buss? Dr. Buss gets the check mark for the winning hand. LO’s drawing dead. Will LO be stupid and go to Miami? And if so, what’s Mitch Kupchek’s back up plan, cuz you know he’s got one.

    • Kaveh says:

      Bynum’s $14m contract is a STEAL.

      There is a saying in the trading world (stocks/futures) and that’s: hindsight is 20/20. So you must put yourself in the position the laker’s front office was at the time. At the time it was an absolute steal. You cannot assume that the guy will get injured after 1 freak accident.

      Furthermore, even if i knew that Bynum was going to get injured a 2nd time, i would STILL give him the contract. When healthy, Bynum has show himself to be as good as any big man in BASKETBALL. Look at his statistics. He has an effective field goal % of like 60% when healthy. A PER of 23 or so. That’s about the same effectiveness as GASOL. And furthremore, the kid is 21 years old. At 25, this guy has the opportunity to be the best big man in all of basketball (yes, even better than Howard). That’s the potential there for this kid. Remember, this kid only played 2 years of highschool basketball and then came straight to the NBA. And in a short time, has transformed himself into an absolutely GREAT NBA player.

      Hollinger who comes up with the PER statistics had this to say regarding Bynum:
      2007-08 season: Can you imagine how badly they’d be skewered if they’d gone ahead and traded him for Jason Kidd? Bynum was in the midst of a huge breakout year at just 20 years old before a knee injury ended his season after just 35 games; nonetheless, he was so good prior to being hurt that it seems nearly certain that he’ll be one of the game’s top centers within a couple years.

      Pre-injury, Bynum was among the best centers in basketball in nearly every category, but the lead item is how accurate a shooter he was from close range. Bynum shot 62.6 percent overall and 64.3 percent on inside shots (see chart); both figures were good for second in the league. And thanks to his sweet touch and solid foul shooting, he led the league in true shooting percent age at a sizzling 65.9.

      Best TS%, 2007-08
      Player Team TS%
      Andrew Bynum LAL 65.9
      Amare Stoudemire Phx 65.6
      Brent Barry SA 65.5
      Josh Childress Atl 64.7
      Erick Dampier GS 64.5
      Source: NBA.com/hotspots. Min. 100 shots

      In addition, he ranked in the top 10 at his position in both blocks per minute and rebound rate; and he was a good enough passer to finish 12th among centers in pure point rating. About the only quibble was his low usage rate, which is another way of saying that he probably needs to get the ball more.

      Scouting report: Bynum is a huge center with soft hands and a nice touch around the basket, and that combo is a killer in the post. He likes to set up on the left block and shoot a short jump hook with his right hand, and with his size he’s able to get deep position easily. What makes it even more devastating is that he’s a skilled and willing passer out of double teams who should only get better with more experience against doubles.

      As a defender, Bynum is great around the basket because of his size — he can block shots, controls the defensive glass and is difficult to post up against, though one would like to see him throw his weight around a bit more. However, he struggles to defend the screen-and-roll and opponents typically seek to attack him that way.

      But the biggest concern going forward is with his knee and general conditioning. Bynum is listed at 275 pounds and is almost certainly much heavier in real life; it would help both his game and his knee if he was able to shed some of that baby fat. As for the knee, it was supposed to be a minor injury at first but kept him out of action for half a year, though he’s reportedly back to full strength heading into training camp.

      2008-09 outlook: If Bynum is healthy and in shape watch out, because those appear to be the only two things that can keep him from becoming an All-Star center. He’ll have to figure out how to share space down low with Pau Gasol and he may see fewer touches than a year ago, but his rare size-skill combination will inevitably make him a tantalizing option in half-court settings.

  • Jay says:

    Odom’s not on the bench because he’s not good enough to be a starter, but it’s a great decision by Coach Jackson. it so happens, that the Lakers lucked out with getting Pau Gasol, who is definitely a better PF than Odom. But when Pau moves to the center, Odom is a very capable replacement at PF. The Lakers are lucky to have this kind of a luxury.

    It is no different with Manu Ginobli and the Spurs. He can start for any other team or even with the Spurs, and yet he comes off the bench, cuz it’s the best way to use him.

  • Sillyrabbit says:

    Lamar can not be this stupid, but he is looking out for his family and future. When it’s al said and done and his BB days are gone, the only thing he has to fall back on is money, make it while you can. He has a ring now so in that regard, it’s all just cash.

    But, if you’re going to play BB where is to play it than LA? Shaq found out the hard way, oops, open mouth insert buss. Lamar would have to consider that if he were to accept any offer it would mean he would actually have to play every game, we all know that can’t happen. If he goes to the Heat he will be forgotten and once you have a taste for tinsel town it’s hard to play anywhere else.

    Lamar stays, bet on it.

  • blackmamba1020 says:

    You all have your points. It’s sad that the economy ruin everything. Losing LO is a blow for LA. LO is the x factor in the western conference when playoff time. IT time for Dr. Buss and LO to meet in the middle and resolve this poker game. LO please stay with LA!!!

    LA love u as much as all your teammates.

    It is time to build a dynasty.

    It is time to build a legacy.

  • Niko says:

    If Odom leaves, what about looking at restricted free agent Big Baby Davis? He made less than 1 million dollars, 6′9″, he averaged 22 minutes per game while scoring about 8 PPG.

    I know this is a reach……but why not?

    He would be affordable, he has a ring and knows what it takes to win.

    • DM says:

      If the Lakers cant sign LO, they only have the Veterans Exception to use which I think for the Lakers is about $1.3 mil. They are not going to find anybody that will make an impact for that amount

      • Niko says:

        Maybe not now, but throughout the course of the season or maybe by trade deadline. Don’t forget how Pau Gasol fell onto our laps.

        Odom should be paid like a role player, since the Lakers need role players.

        Did the Celtics get better, or did they just get older? How’s KG’s knee going to respond this year? How much left does Rasheed have?

        • DM says:

          Do you want their championship chances to hinge on the possibility of a Gasol type deal falling into their laps?? That was a once in a lifetime situation.

          Cavs are better, Spurs are better, Mavs are better

          At the end of the day, as fans we should just care about them signing LO, not how much he makes!!! Who give a sh** about how much money they will have to pay him!!! If they want to be the Yankees of the NBA, great. The Yankees have won 26 World Series!!!

  • joe says:

    Lamar, no one else is offering you more money per year than the lakers.. we want you back!!!!!!!!

  • Holla Bolla says:

    If Buss throws in some Gummy Worms and JuJu Bees…LO will be back in purple & gold.

    BTW-Wade is relentless. Can somebody kidnap him for 48 hrs please?

  • Niko says:

    DM - Quit panicking, the Lakers can’t just throw money at their problems, that exactly what sinked our economy. I mean, we added Ron Artest to the lineup which will help us out defensively and offensively.

    We’ve added to our starting lineup almost 9 more PPG from Artest, the same amount of steals and rebounds.

    We all would love for Odom to come back to the Lakers, but come on, we’re already over the cap without him and we’ll be way over with him.

    Did you say the Mavs are better than the Lakers? Are you willing to put your checkbook next to that comment? That’s absurd and ridiculous.

    Pau Gasol was a gift from God. I doubt the Lakers will ever get another steal like that again. We don’t need that, we need role players, this isn’t the redeem team. Role players who aren’t asking for 10 million per.

    Good luck with your predictions, I’ll be monitoring them closely throughout the 09-10 season.

    • DM says:

      Niko - Nobody is panicking.
      You are right, the Lakers need role players and the best one available is LO. After him the rest of the free agent market sucks.

      All the teams that I listed are all better on paper than they were last year. I never said they were better than the Lakers!! But right now the Lakers on paper are worse than they were last year.

      At the end of the day, you stating for LO to just go already is a ridiculous statement to make and I’m sure was made out of frustration and not rationally. When emotions get involved, bad decision happen. When you think about it rationally, you need to be patient and let the process work itself out because the Lakers need LO as much as he needs them.

  • Cindy says:

    Dr. Buss is a smart businessman and should keep Odom! Also the Lakers should try and add Carlos Boozer from the Utah Jazz!! Lakers don”t give the Utah Jazz anything good and when the Champion Lakers play the Jazz BEAT THE SHIT out of the Utah Jazz!!!
    Phil Jackson is the best Coach in the NBA!!!
    Beat the Jazz and Jerry Sloan EVERY TIME you play them PLEASE!!!!!! GO LAKERS……….!

    • Cindy says:

      Also Greg Miller is NO match for Dr.Jerry Buss! I am also a USCTrojan alum….. Jerry Buss can outwit Greg Miller and the Jazz anytime, anywhere…

  • bozak says:

    get rid of o’dumb, bynumb and that lump of crud AKA the anti-guard.

    and anyone who reads the orange county register is a honky mofo member of the john birch society!

  • bobbbbbbbbbbb says:

    if they can’t afford odom they surely can’t afford boozer, who will want more than odom