Spurs title changes might increase if

[spectator]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4328376

... two big pieces of the Lakers' championship team likely won't be. The team has pulled its offer to forward Lamar Odom, the Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday night.

Citing a team official who was not authorized to comment publicly on the negotiations, the newspaper reported that owner Jerry Buss was upset that Odom and his representatives had not responded to the team's offer of three years at $9 million per season.

Odom and his agent Jeff Schwartz have reportedly been seeking a five-year deal at $10 million per season. The newspaper reported that Odom has been in negotiations with the Mavericks and Heat, two teams that can only offer their mid-level exceptions of $5.8 million per season for a maximum of five years. Bryant chose to not opt out of his contract this offseason and will likely receive a long-term extension. Key reserve Trevor Ariza bolted the Lakers for the Rockets, however. The Lakers responded by signing former Rocket Ron Artest.

Odom, 29, was expected to take a pay cut from his $14.1 million salary of last season. He has averaged 15.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for his career, but he set career lows in scoring (11.3) and assists (2.6) last season. He did average 12.3 points and 9.1 rebounds in the playoffs to help the Lakers to their 15th championship.

[DAF86]

Odom will settle for less and stay with the Lakers. The only teams that could offer him the money he wants aren't interested in him.

[iilluzioN]

Our chances of winning the title depends if we stay healthy and well rested.

Not what the lakers do in the off season..

[LA24]

Regardless of what the Lakers had done or will do, the Spurs title chances had already increased with the addition of McD and Jeff.

[Ditty]

i would love the east to get stronger and let them tear each other apart in the playoffs :)

go back to heat odom!

[spectator]

Our chances of winning the title depends if we stay healthy and well rested.

Not what the lakers do in the off season..

i agree that the most important factor for the spurs is health; however, one has to agree that our chances are better if competitive teams cannot sign their FAs (especially one as valuable as LO); i am not saying we cannot win vs LAL if LO does end up signing with them, but our odds have just improved

[peskypesky]

Odom will re-sign with the Lakers. Why wouldn't he? Buss just called his bluff.

[HarlemHeat37]

Of course our odds would improve, we would easily be the favorites IMO, if health permits..also depending on LA's replacement for Odom..

if they can't replace him with anybody good..have you guys seen how bad their bench is?..

[HarlemHeat37]

Odom will 99% re-sign with LA btw, he has no other choice..

[peskypesky]

i agree that the most important factor for the spurs is health; however, one has to agree that our chances are better if competitive teams cannot sign their FAs (especially one as valuable as LO); i am not saying we cannot win vs LAL if LO does end up signing with them, but our odds have just improved

exactly. i'd rather Odom returned to the Lakers, so we can beat them down and get revenge. but if he's gone, our chances of winning go up. unless they sign another big who's as good or better. who's available?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

C'mon Utah, match on Millsap and free up Portland to offer him 8mil.

Sounds to me like both sides are pissed at each other, and Odom might jump if he gets a decent offer from Portand.

[montgod]

So he is fighting over a measily 3 million? :) Or is it the number of years he is mad with? I don't get why he is negotiating with teams that can't even sign him for what he wants unless they do a sign-and-trade which Buss probably wouldn't do.

[poeticism707]

Of course our odds would improve, we would easily be the favorites IMO, if health permits..also depending on LA's replacement for Odom..

if they can't replace him with anybody good..have you guys seen how bad their bench is?..

Yep: and not only that, but Odom is MATCH-UP NIGHTMARE for most teams, maybe especially the Spurs.

If LO doesn't resign with the Lakers (which isn't official until he signs with another team), then the Lakers take a huge hit.

If both teams are healthy in the post season, then the Spurs may well be the favorites to beat Lakers minus Odom.

[Spurs16212]

Cant the Spurs get a trade exemption from a team for Bonner and Finley...... And if so cant they use that.... Those two contracts plus the LLE would equal around 8.2 million.... Just a thought.....

[Spurs16212]

Odom can play the three and four

Starting five would be

Parker / Jefferson / Odom / Duncan / McDyess

Second Group

Hill / Mason / Ginobili / Blair / Mahimni

[spectator]

if lamar ends up on another team, i am just wondering who is coming off from the bench at 4 and 5 for the lakers; with most valuable FAs signed to other teams, their only option would be a sign and trade, but who will they trade?

[coyotes_geek]

The lakers and Odom are pissed at each other right now, but they need each other too much to part ways. There's a bunch of posturing going on, and since it's the lakers it will all play out in nationally televised soap opera fashion. But when it's all said and done Odom will re-sign with the lakers.

[HarlemHeat37]

it's good business by the Lakers..I would do the same thing..

Odom seems like a good dude though, which is obvious, since most of us from New Yiddy are(most, not all of course..see: Ron Artest)..he doesn't belong on a team like the Lakers..

[spectator]

it's good business by the Lakers..I would do the same thing..

sure, but risky as well. boozer is not in utah's plans anymore (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4327927) and millsap's offer will most likely be matched. that leaves portland able to offer odom enough to satisfy his demands.

[Spurs16212]

"Lamar, why did you turn down a 9 million dollars a year contract?"

odom: "I've got a family to feed man."


Very funny :lol

[eyeh8u]

chances

[HarlemHeat37]

Portland doesn't make any sense though, that's the thing..the ONLY reason they would offer Odom big $ is just to fuck with the Lakers, which is possible due to Pritchard's style, but I doubt they would fuck with their team like that..

Odom can't play SF, so they'd either have to have plans to play him huge minutes off the bench, or they have plans to trade Pryzbilla..

[Mr. Body]

I'm guessing he wants to take a one year contract (or multi-year with player options) so he can opt out next summer in the big-money 2010 bonanza.

This really, really hurts the Lakers. They were already hurting. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors to this team, and they are weak champions. Their starting crew is solid to extremely good, but their bench is miserable... in 2008 their bench players were better, but they were able to cover it last year.

Fisher is very close to starting to break down. He's already slow.

Without Odom you have very shaky players off the bench. This will increase wear and tear all year.

[Mr. Body]

Odom can't play SF, so they'd either have to have plans to play him huge minutes off the bench, or they have plans to trade Pryzbilla..

You keep saying this but he plays SF quite a bit.

[rayray2k8]

Our chances of winning the title depends if we stay healthy and well rested.

Not what the lakers do in the off season..

You're right....

[spectator]

Portland doesn't make any sense though, that's the thing..the ONLY reason they would offer Odom big $ is just to fuck with the Lakers, which is possible due to Pritchard's style, but I doubt they would fuck with their team like that..

Odom can't play SF, so they'd either have to have plans to play him huge minutes off the bench, or they have plans to trade Pryzbilla..

true, they would only get LO to play PF, but they were gunning for Millsap anyway; signing LO would strengthen their backup PF and weaken one of their main rivals.

[HarlemHeat37]

You keep saying this but he plays SF quite a bit.

According to the numbers, Odom hasn't played SF since his early Miami days..IIRC, he didn't play SF at all this season, and he definitely didn't when they had both Gasol and Bynum on the floor IIRC..

[HarlemHeat37]

true, they would only get LO to play PF, but they were gunning for Millsap anyway; signing LO would strengthen their backup PF and weaken one of their main rivals.

That's another possibility, but a main reason is that Millsap is still a pretty young player..if Odom was younger, this would be a different story..if somebody is throwing 5 years at him, which is what it looks like he wants, he's going to be 34 when that ends..

[LA24]

You keep saying this but he plays SF quite a bit.

True. Odom, like Horry, played a lot of 3 until Phil walked into their lives.

[HarlemHeat37]

BTW, I'm not saying Odom wouldn't make Portland better, he clearly would..I just don't think they would invest all that $ and years on a 29-year old that doesn't really elevate them into an elite team..

[Mr. Body]

According to the numbers, Odom hasn't played SF since his early Miami days..IIRC, he didn't play SF at all this season, and he definitely didn't when they had both Gasol and Bynum on the floor IIRC..

What, you think Bynum was playing SF? What numbers are you talking about. Almost all the major sports media outlets refer to him as a small forward. In the Gasol-Bynum-Odom starting line up HE IS THE SMALL FORWARD.

[Mr. Body]

BTW, I'm not saying Odom wouldn't make Portland better, he clearly would..I just don't think they would invest all that $ and years on a 29-year old that doesn't really elevate them into an elite team..

Portland is in a tough position, which I'm sure gets Pritchard throw hissy fits. They have to spend this cap room this summer or it gets absorbed by players they already have next offseason. They barely have any options yet to spend... and most assuredly they want to spend it.

[HarlemHeat37]

What, you think Bynum was playing SF? What numbers are you talking about. Almost all the major sports media outlets refer to him as a small forward. In the Gasol-Bynum-Odom starting line up HE IS THE SMALL FORWARD.

No..I meant I don't think Jackson ever played a lineup with all 3 of them on the floor at the same time..I remember Laker fans always asking for it, but it never happened IIRC..

I'm talking about numbers of how much they play at every position, particularly on 82games.com..he played 0% of the team's minutes at SF this season according to them..

I'm sure he can still play SF, but I don't think he can do it at a high level at his current age and size..I'd much rather have him coming off the bench as the leader..

[Wombatzu]

Odom will re-sign with the Lakers. Why wouldn't he? Buss just called his bluff.

i don't think Odom has ever liked putting up with Kobe's ego, and that's been made worse by being relegated to a sixth-man role.

throw in Artest now and he is looking at dealing with two of the biggest egos in the league, and he's playing behind both of them. people say that he and Artest are friends, but even if they are, i don't think it changes the dynamic for him very much.

i thought the Artest trade actually made it less likely that he would re-sign with Lakers and i won't be surprised if he goes somewhere else for similar money as what the Lakers were offering. his only problem is that there is such limited cap space around the league.

[HarlemHeat37]

I don't think that's the issue, Odom is pretty unselfish, and doesn't seem to have an ego in that way..

It must be difficult for him to look at other guys making that much $ though..Bynum is making more $ than him either way, and Odom completely outplayed Bynum in every way during the playoffs..he sees what Morrison, Walton, and Vujacic are making..he deserves the $..

[spectator]

I don't think that's the issue, Odom is pretty unselfish, and doesn't seem to have an ego in that way..

It must be difficult for him to look at other guys making that much $ though..Bynum is making more $ than him either way, and Odom completely outplayed Bynum in every way during the playoffs..he sees what Morrison, Walton, and Vujacic are making..he deserves the $..

and still, i always though $14.1 mill or whatever he took last season was ridiculous for his value - especially since he posted career lows in points and rebs

[poeticism707]

I don't think that's the issue, Odom is pretty unselfish, and doesn't seem to have an ego in that way..

It must be difficult for him to look at other guys making that much $ though..Bynum is making more $ than him either way, and Odom completely outplayed Bynum in every way during the playoffs..he sees what Morrison, Walton, and Vujacic are making..he deserves the $..

Most correct. The Lakers own signings have become their own worst enemies.

[HarlemHeat37]

Ya, Odom was definitely over payed before, but that was from Miami..

he still has to look at how over payed Bynum, Vujacic, and Walton are from Lakers management..

[spectator]

btw, since we talk about overpaying big men, should we come up with a new name / chant for the case when a team already in luxury tax makes a dumb move by overpaying a backup center who does not average 5 pts a game? (talking about this http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4324941)

[VivaPopovich]

it will increase if the lakers dont lose odom

hopefully *itch kupchak doesnt respond by picking up another stud for a discount (like nate)

[Man In Black]

LO wanted more years. LA is handicapped by Vujabitch's contract as well as Luke(I can only pass) Walton's deal. My LAL friends told me 3 years 27 Mill but LO wanted the security of 5 years guaranteed.
He could still end up in LA but if this was SA, Duncan(He already had) would have opted out to take a lower salary to help the team get him more talent. Kobe DID NOT!

[GSH]

Heh... Memphis is going to sign and trade him to Cleveland, in exchange for Ilgauskas. Then we can spend the whole season listening to the commentators pimping LeBron.

[Spurs da champs]

You all are overrating Odom!

[mystargtr34]

You keep saying this but he plays SF quite a bit.

He CAN play SF. But he isnt any where near as effective there as he is at PF. Would you want to pay $36M over 4 years for a 30 year old and play him at his weaker position, and probably only get 80% of his full value. Especially with 2 good youngsters to develop in Webster and Batum, assuming they keep them both. I think it would be too big of a risk for Portland, so i wouldnt do it if i were their GM.

But shit, i hope they do.

[howbouthemspurs]

Against the Spurs now?.... the Lakers have no chance!

[Spursmania]

sure, but risky as well. boozer is not in utah's plans anymore (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4327927) and millsap's offer will most likely be matched. that leaves portland able to offer odom enough to satisfy his demands.


Exactly. That's all Odom has been waiting for.:toast
I think he will end up in Portalnd.

[G-Nob]

This is a non-issue. The argument is about contract length. Buss is upset now but it'll blow over and Odom will re-sign in the next few days.

[MoSpur]

I honestly don't understand why Portland hasn't offered Odom the money????

[galvatron3000]

I'm pretty certain Odom will be a Laker, who can the Lakers sign to replace what he brings to them. They know they need him and he knows what is up. Pulling the offer means nothing because they both want each other. Sign and trade is possible but highly unlikely.

[Dex]

Problem being, if the Lakers lose Odom, they'll just swing some ridiculous deal for like James Posey or Batman like they always do.

[The_Game]

Exactly. That's all Odom has been waiting for.:toast
I think he will end up in Portalnd.

problem is portland don't want him

[DaBears]

If it was possible or not what would SPURS have to do to try to snag ODOM up. I know we dont have nine mil or 10 a yr, what could we give! or try a trade involving 2-3 teams. I wouldnt mind giving up Finley, Bonner. To get it down bench could be scrubs for all i care.

[DaBears]

I agree SPURS need to stay healthy to be a prime time player this year. I like are chances even more if we had another talented mobile big in the lineup. I can see it now media coverage all over the country, more media coverage drives up the value of your franchise...

[SA210]

Spurs title chances might increase if


The Spurs resign Bruce Bowen...

[CGD]

So he is fighting over a measily 3 million? :) Or is it the number of years he is mad with? I don't get why he is negotiating with teams that can't even sign him for what he wants unless they do a sign-and-trade which Buss probably wouldn't do.

I read that it was the contract length that was the issue, and not the $27M/3 yrs.

From a leverage point of view, Lamar is probably hoping for the Jazz to match for Millsap. In the event the Jazz do and the Blazers can't complete a trade like the one proposed last week with the Bulls and Jazz, then LO may have a shot at an offer from the Blazers.

[rayray2k8]

The Spurs resign Bruce Bowen...

:rolleyes

[iggypop123]

if duncan and ginobli find time machines to go back to 2002 form

[galvatron3000]

if duncan and ginobli find time machines to go back to 2002 form

Duncan perhaps but if Ginobili goes back that far he will not be on the Spurs team so 2005 is far enough for him, Duncan anytime before 2007 is good, maybe not 2005 when he was really injured throughout the Finals

[wildbill2u]

Is McDyess for Odom on a S&T a possibility?

[Brazil]

Our chances of winning the title depends if we stay healthy and well rested.

Not what the lakers do in the off season..