Free Agent: Lamar Odom

[HarlemHeat37]

Odom would actually be one of the best fits next to Duncan in the NBA IMO..he can stretch the floor, he can play inside, he plays solid defense, he's a good passer, he's tough..Pop would love him..

I don't think he'll be a Laker next year, but we wouldn't be able to afford him anyways..

[Blackjack]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...omariza-090613

The reality is a team that is looking to spend money could use the midlevel exception of approximately $5.6 million in starting annual salary to make an offer to Ariza, although folks in the league expect the Lakers to retain him. Meanwhile, a Western Conference executive believes "if you're in position to use the full midlevel for a couple of years, you'll get [Odom]."

If that's true, the Spurs better be on the phone with Odom a.s.a.p.

I've already seen how well Odom plays off of Tim in '04 and if you can acquire a guy of Odom's talent for nothing more than the MLE, while also weakening your stiffest compe ion in the process?

Well, it's probably too good to be true.

But, damn...

[mountainballer]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...omariza-090613



If that's true, the Spurs better be on the phone with Odom a.s.a.p.

I've already seen how well Odom plays off of Tim in '04 and if you can acquire a guy of Odom's talent for nothing more than the MLE, while also weakening your stiffest compe ion in the process?

Well, it's probably too good to be true.

But, damn...

if he really signs for the MLE, this would be a no brainer. but I don't buy what this executive claims. Lakers wouldn't also give him the MLE? common, he was the 3rd best player on the team that just won the le. other than last year he also didn't choke in the POs. I can see that the Lakers no longer want him to pay more than 10 million per (he got 14 this season), but a bit more than the MLE seems absolutely appropriate. and Kobe and he seems to have a good chemistry lately. Kobe will want Odom re signed and Odom won't want to leave. I bet the end of the day he re signs for something like 3 years and 25-30 million.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...omariza-090613

If that's true, the Spurs better be on the phone with Odom a.s.a.p.

I've already seen how well Odom plays off of Tim in '04 and if you can acquire a guy of Odom's talent for nothing more than the MLE, while also weakening your stiffest compe ion in the process?

Well, it's probably too good to be true.

But, damn...

It's nice to dream...

if he really signs for the MLE, this would be a no brainer. but I don't buy what this executive claims. Lakers wouldn't also give him the MLE? common, he was the 3rd best player on the team that just won the le. other than last year he also didn't choke in the POs. I can see that the Lakers no longer want him to pay more than 10 million per (he got 14 this season), but a bit more than the MLE seems absolutely appropriate. and Kobe and he seems to have a good chemistry lately. Kobe will want Odom re signed and Odom won't want to leave. I bet the end of the day he re signs for something like 3 years and 25-30 million.

I bet he goes elsewhere for 23-35mil. This is his last big contract, and he has been the best guy on bad teams before and seemingly not hated it. I actually hope he's not that kind of guy and instead decides to take a discount to play for trophies - with us would be lovely, but highly unlikely - so it's not inconceivable that he stays with the Lakers for 25mil/3yrs or somesuch. Odom's not your average NBA player, so it's hard to tell whether he's motivated by money or winning at this stage in his career.

[mountainballer]

Odom's not your average NBA player, so it's hard to tell whether he's motivated by money or winning at this stage in his career.

it looked a lot as if he enjoyed last night.
he has already collected more than 80 million in his career, so I guess he will go for some more success. and he wouldn't need to play for totally free.

[loveforthegame]

I think he takes the pay cut and stays with LA.

[Mel_13]

I think he takes the pay cut and stays with LA.

Or goes back to Riley in Miami or back home to NY. I can't see him living in any other NBA city. Look at the teams with cap space. Odom doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would choose to go to Detroit, OKC, or Memphis.

If somebody gets him for the MLE, they are getting a bargain. If it doesn't work with the Lakers, I could see him taking a one-year deal and trying again next summer when many more teams, including Miami and NY, will have cap space.

[Blackjack]

It's nice to dream...

If that's true, the Spurs better be on the phone with Odom a.s.a.p.

I've already seen how well Odom plays off of Tim in '04 and if you can acquire a guy of Odom's talent for nothing more than the MLE, while also weakening your stiffest compe ion in the process?

Well, it's probably too good to be true.

Where in that post do you see me dreaming?

A "Western Conference executive" was reported as saying he felt a MLE offer was enough to land Odom, so I deemed it newsworthy.

I don't think it's all that likely or realistic, and this executive could've just meant that it will only take the MLE to pry him away from the Lakers because of their cap situation.

I'm not sure if you were trying to come off as a condesending d-bag (because that's the way it came off) but I'd caution you on how you choose your words/emoticons.

If somebody gets him for the MLE, they are getting a bargain. If it doesn't work with the Lakers, I could see him taking a one-year deal and trying again next summer when many more teams, including Miami and NY, will have cap space.

[Blackjack]

http://proxy.espn.go.com/sportsnatio...ider-Chad-Ford

Michael (LA)

Are the Lakers going to keep both Odom and Ariza? If not, which teams do you think are most interested in them?

Chad Ford

I don't know how they can. From what my sources are telling me, they are absolutely keeping Trevor Ariza. I think Odom will come down to what he's looking at as far as amount and length of contract. Lots of teams would be interest in Ariza including the Blazers and Pistons ... two teams with cap room. I think Odom may have to do the midlevel thing unless the Pistons come through with more money. There just aren't a lot of teams with lots of cap room this year.

[Mr. Body]

God, if that's all it takes... grab him.

[benefactor]

If it doesn't work with the Lakers, I could see him taking a one-year deal and trying again next summer when many more teams, including Miami and NY, will have cap space.

There is almost no doubt in my mind he will do this. There is zero benefit in him signing any sort of multiple year deal this offseason with all the cash that is going to be on the table in 2010. When all the big names are signed, he will probably find a team that got left out in the cold to make him a nice offer.....

.......like us perhaps?

[Mr. Body]

He'll do a one-year deal with LA to try to repeat, then get money the next summer.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Where in that post do you see me dreaming?

A "Western Conference executive" was reported as saying he felt a MLE offer was enough to land Odom, so I deemed it newsworthy.

I don't think it's all that likely or realistic, and this executive could've just meant that it will only take the MLE to pry him away from the Lakers because of their cap situation.

I'm not sure if you were trying to come off as a condesending d-bag (because that's the way it came off) but I'd caution you on how you choose your words/emoticons.

Getting a bit wound up, are we? I didn't say it wasn't newsworthy, or anything else, I intimated that it is highly unlikely that he'd come to the Spurs for the MLE. If I was trying to be condescending it would have been a



You're dreaming because there is very little logic behind the idea that Odom would take the MLE to come to the Spurs. If he's willing to take the MLE, wouldn't he just stay with the Lakers? And, yes, I am aware that they have to resign both Odom and Ariza, but they always seem to find a way to do these things. They can dump salary and picks and money to clear the space for both if Odom will take a small cheque.

As I've already said, I'd love to see Odom as a Spur, and sure, if he'd come here for the MLE that would be an incredible coup, but it seems highly unlikely to me. He either:
a) takes a big paycut to stay with the Lakers if they can find a way to also keep Ariza,
b) gets 8-10mil/yr over 3 years to stay a Laker because they lost Ariza, or
c) takes 8-12mil/yr from a losing team to become their number one or two guy.

[Marcus Bryant]

http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.co...=rss_blogs_NBA

Despite reports that the Trail Blazers were preparing to make a major bid for Knicks restricted free agent David Lee, a coaching source familiar with the situation said Portland is more interested in the Lakers' Lamar Odom. And the source described the Odom situation with Portland as "lukewarm." The Blazers and Lee's agent, Mark Bartelstein, discussed the situation early in the negotiating period, but Portland was preoccupied at that time with its pursuit of Hedo Turkoglu. Now that Turkoglu has spurned the Blazers and committed to the Raptors, Portland is deliberating what to do with its $9 million in cap space. The Blazers have been exploring point-guard options for some time, but the coaching source said Sixers free agent Andre Miller isn't the answer because of his sub-part shooting ability.

[Mr. Body]

Lakers should match. I see Odom staying for less, anyway.

[venitian navigator]

I'd love to have Odom in our team, but the Portland's chances are a lot more...and nine millions will be hard to match also for the deep pockets of Buss (simply 'cause for him means 18 millions....counting the lux tax).
As for the team, also if I don't like too much Portland (they were nice before the Pritchard era, after they seem to just look against us for stealing all of our goals, see Batum Nicolas) I have to say that the Odom stuff for them looks both like a very smart and good thing to do.
Smart because doing so they actually weaken one of their best rival in the west (Lakers), good because the Odom acquisition gives them a fair advantage in the friont court line up agaist all the other teams in terms of height and strongness of the front line, without limiting their speedness (Line up : Odom, Alridge, Oden/Przybilla instead of Batum, Alridge and Oden/Przybilla).
And one last thing : this will be the last chance for Portland to add to the team via cap space a good player (next year they will be forced to pay their actual young players).

[mosdef17]

strongness of the front line, without limiting their speedness

You mean strength and speed?

[Obstructed_View]

I like Odom for his tallness and his speedness, but he's got too much dumbness for me, and some not-consistentness.

[benefactor]

http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.co...38893/15932169

There has been no movement in contract negotiations between the Lakers and Lamar Odom, according to the Los Angeles Times. So far, L.A. is balking at Odom's request for $10 million a year. Asked if Odom would return for a shot at a second consecutive le, Kobe Bryant said at his annual basketball camp, "He better be."

[Mr. Body]

Hmm... wonder if Odom would go to Portland for $9mil. He's a good pick for them, since they need another offensive facilitator. He could move to the money if LAL is too cheap to pony up.

At the least Pritchard should offer it to him to totally screw with his southern neighbors.

[loveforthegame]

Odom with the Blazers is almost as scary as Odom with the Lakers.

[kbrury]

Odom with the Blazers is almost as scary as Odom with the Lakers.

I think we will be fine against them, if they still don't resolve their PG issues.

[scottspurs]

I think we will be fine against them, if they still don't resolve their PG issues.

Yeah, if they don't resolve their PG problem Tony Parker will eat their lunch.

[loveforthegame]

Didn't we struggle against Portland last year?

[scottspurs]

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar...negotiations/#

I didn't know if this was posted on here yet, but it sounds like the Lakers and Odom are far apart. If they lose him they WILL NOT REPEAT. The spurs will be the for sure top dog in the west.