So Lamar Odom is going to sign with Miami for less money and more years?

[TheMACHINE]

This would be stupid posturing on both sides and a horrible screw up for the front office of the Lakers. The Artest over Ariza is fine, but losing Odom for nothing and having no money to replace him would be foolish.

Everyone keeps saying how bad ass Buss is and that you don't mess with him. You say look where that got Shaq (in Miami with another ring; are we seeing a pattern?). Well sometimes you have to do right by your best players. I thought the first offer was fair from LA, but Odom did not. It would be foolish to put such a big dent in your championship hopes over this. Foolish.

Now it is a pride thing and a guy like Odom seems to be pretty big on the "respect" factor of negotiations. Just like Ariza, he wants to feel wanted. Pulling the offer was a mistake and not offering him at least the same out of some sense of foolish pride would be a bigger mistake.

fck respect. dude wants to get overpayed. Ariza wants to feel wanted...well good luck ariza with the same salary in a crappier team.

[TheMACHINE]

I don't see why Buss just doesn't pony up the cash, if the issue is over 4 more million, I think he should suck it up and pony up the cash.

It's laughable how laker fans are saying Odom is not important and etc... and how he isn't worth 4 more mil, when it's not even their money being talked about here. And when or if the lakers get eliminated in 2nd or in the WCF, their gna be a million buss is an idiot threads for not paying Odom.

And let's be realistic the lakers from last year were good, but with an injury riddled league, they were pushed to the brink by the rockets and could have loss to the nuggets. And how do they answer back to that? by losing ariza and possibly odom, and gaining artest.

And this is the reality of business. Lamar Odom for all his stupidity, can't be so stupid as not to see that players of lesser talent and value as him were getting larger and longer contracts. And his own team is giving him half of what other people are getting.

Truth be told, all laker fans are complaining about lamar not having loyalty and being stupid, how bout some loyalty for him? He was a big part of the laker championship team and he knows it, how do the owners react? by paying him a lot less than what he is worth, it's not like he's 35 and pass his prime.

No one in his right mind in any industry can stomach getting paid less or the same amount as other workers who are doing less work and are less effective and talented.

and idiots like you want to pay him 10 mill when noone else can even pay him 8.

[Baseline]

It's common knowledge that LO grumbled about playing with Bryant for about the frst 1.5 years after arriving witht he Lakers.

So this isn't shocking to me at all. Have you guys ever seen a Laker game in person? Have you seen how Bryant treats his teammates? It's embarrassing.

[NBAfan83]

fck respect. dude wants to get overpayed. Ariza wants to feel wanted...well good luck ariza with the same salary in a crappier team.

last time i checked feeling appreciated and wanted helps a lot with team chemistry.

I think for most players money is everything and they can be professional and play even if they are traded 20 times in 2 years, but some players want to feel like they belong, they are appreciated by the organization and will be a big part of the team, not some guy who kobe passes the ball to whenever he feels like it.

I think to an extent bynum feels that way 2, but he's paid too much money to even bother caring

[FireDavidStern]

Ariza did it.

No the Lakers had decided if they could get Artest for the MLE they would let go of Ariza. Maybe they were right maybe they were wrong but that is what they did. don't blame Ariza for wanting more money than the MLE and having the Lakers decide that getting Artest for the MLE was better than trying to negotiate with Ariza

[NBAfan83]

and idiots like you want to pay him 10 mill when noone else can even pay him 8.

let me ask you this, if the lakers don't repeat, and it's because of a crappy bench, or bynum gets injured and no one decent is there to back him up, will you reconsider paying odom 10 mil?

[TheMACHINE]

No the Lakers had decided if they could get Artest for the MLE they would let go of Ariza. Maybe they were right maybe they were wrong but that is what they did. don't blame Ariza for wanting more money than the MLE and having the Lakers decide that getting Artest for the MLE was better than trying to negotiate with Ariza

wrong. The Lakers decided if the David Lee wants to play hard ball and get more money somewhere else, then the Lakers would let go of Ariza cuz they had Artest in thier back pocket. Ariza was the #1 choice.

[NBAfan83]

No the Lakers had decided if they could get Artest for the MLE they would let go of Ariza. Maybe they were right maybe they were wrong but that is what they did. don't blame Ariza for wanting more money than the MLE and having the Lakers decide that getting Artest for the MLE was better than trying to negotiate with Ariza

the funny part is, for all we know a good reason of artest coming over is cuz odom his buddy is there.

When odom leaves for another team, artest might be grumpy cuz he felt LA organization disrespected odom and might ruin team chemistry.

just throwing that out there.

[TheMACHINE]

let me ask you this, if the lakers don't repeat, and it's because of a crappy bench, or bynum gets injured and no one decent is there to back him up, will you reconsider paying odom 10 mil?

no cuz why would you pay your 4th option 10 million bucks when no other team can even pay him close to that except for Portland. Why the would you bid against yourself. Where exactly would Odom go? Miami for the MLE? Sheesh..

[DrHouse]

I guess some people are wired differently. Its not nearly the same, not by any means, but I had a job where I was making really good money and was practically guaranteed a management position but I just couldnt stand my boss and the general working environment. I packed up and went to a job thats paying me less but I am MUCH happier.

If I where in the same position as Lamar I think I would stick to the same principles. Id rather be making OK money and be happy than be making GOOD money, plus promise of advancement but feel like every day when I have to go to work.

*edit*

by no means am I saying this is the reason he is leaving the Lakers but resentment has to be at least part of it.

How do you know he's not happy playing for the Lakers? How do you know he is resentful for not starting? Stop projecting. You don't know .

From what I'm reading from the LA beat reporters they still think it's more likely Odom resigns with LA than goes elsewhere. Kobe apparently called him up last night FWIW.

[NBAfan83]

no cuz why would you pay your 4th option 10 million bucks when no other team can even pay him close to that except for Portland. Why the would you bid against yourself. Where exactly would Odom go? Miami for the MLE? Sheesh..

so basically the championship isn't worth that kind of money? Because Buss' moves seems contrary.

Why did he overpay Sasha that kind of money? or why luke? it's because they were doing well, and buss felt that paying them that kind of money to stay would be beneficial to a championship.

I think a logical point of view here is that, Buss may feel that Odom's great play will stop once he gets his money similar to how sasha has sucked ever since. So maybe he's only willing to spend on proven players?

But we all know odom is proven and gives them versatility, maybe buss isn't as bball savvy as we all thought.

[rjv]

dallas is out. if any team can reel in odom it would be the heat. especially, if they can also land boozer

[NBAfan83]

How do you know he's not happy playing for the Lakers? How do you know he is resentful for not starting? Stop projecting. You don't know .

From what I'm reading from the LA beat reporters they still think it's more likely Odom resigns with LA than goes elsewhere. Kobe apparently called him up last night FWIW.

Truth be told no one here knows what odom is thinking, much less you or me. Just because you live in LA, doesn't mean you know more about odom then people who live elsewhere.

The poster was just saying, that he has been in a similar situation so he can understand where odom MAY be coming from.

the question is dr. house is you probably have not been in that kind of situation and just go where the money is so what odom MAY do might come as a shock to you.

[Culburn369]

maybe buss isn't as bball savvy as we all thought.

9 NBA Championships during his 30 year ownership withstanding.

[TheMACHINE]

so basically the championship isn't worth that kind of money? Because Buss' moves seems contrary.

Why did he overpay Sasha that kind of money? or why luke? it's because they were doing well, and buss felt that paying them that kind of money to stay would be beneficial to a championship.

I think a logical point of view here is that, Buss may feel that Odom's great play will stop once he gets his money similar to how sasha has sucked ever since. So maybe he's only willing to spend on proven players?

But we all know odom is proven and gives them versatility, maybe buss isn't as bball savvy as we all thought.

Sorry bro...but to say Buss isnt basketball savy is saying Jordan isnt GOAT. The deal isnt even over yet and your saying all this stuff. What happens if Odom does sign with the Lakers...all your assumptions are out the door? Maybe you're right and Buss did learn from Luke and Sasha. Maybe he realized...why the am i overpaying?! I also think you are not considering the fact that the Lakers are over the cap and has to double his pay.

[DrHouse]

It's a damn good thing none of you run businesses.

It makes no sense for the Lakers to pay LO $10 million when nobody else is even coming close to offering that. Let the market dictate where you set your price.

[NBAfan83]

Sorry bro...but to say Buss isnt basketball savy is saying Jordan isnt GOAT. The deal isnt even over yet and your saying all this stuff. What happens if Odom does sign with the Lakers...all your assumptions are out the door? Maybe you're right and Buss did learn from Luke and Sasha. Maybe he realized...why the am i overpaying?! I also think you are not considering the fact that the Lakers are over the cap and has to double his pay.

it's an opinion based on odom not signing.

if odom resigns, then the world is right again

[DrHouse]

You can't argue with results. Buss has been one of the most successful, if not the most, owners in the NBA during his 30 year tenure. He's obviously doing something right.

God damn guy is running around playing poker all day, boinking 20 year old girls, and watching his teams win NBA championships. I don't think he cares what some hick ST poster thinks.

[LakeShow]

Kobe speaks on playing with the lakers and Lamar

http://sports.espn.go.com/stations/player?id=4329479

[LakeShow]

Lamar speaks on Lamar,

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4328486

[TheMACHINE]

it's an opinion based on odom not signing.

if odom resigns, then the world is right again

[ElNono]

Somebody give Lamar a hug...

[DPG21920]

It's a damn good thing none of you run businesses.

It makes no sense for the Lakers to pay LO $10 million when nobody else is even coming close to offering that. Let the market dictate where you set your price.

Generally yes. But that is not how Lamar is looking at it. Just because the market is , Lamar should not bear the full costs of that. It is just bad luck that he is a FA this year and not next year. That does not change his value.

Just because no one has the money this year to pay him what he wants, does not mean his value is currently this low. It is probably somewhere in between. If LO was a FA next year, there would probably be more compe ion and his value could be more accurately gauged.

He is looking at a few things:

1) I am willing to take a pay cut; 14M to 10M is around 30%
2) What are players with my abilities getting paid, no matter what the current market is showing? What are the players in the 10M dollar range getting and am I better (Maggette, Kaman, Okafor....)?
3) What are players on my own team making compared to what they bring with regards to winning a le?
4) Because of the economy, what will I realistically expect to lose from my comparable market worth?

Point is, you cannot say no one will pay him, when there is only limited teams available. Two things have to happen in order for the market to work:

1) Teams have to have the money
2) You must fit in with that team

There were hardly any teams with the money and he only fit a few of them needs wise.

I know you do not want to bid against yourself, but that is kind of a cop out in this situation. I thought the Lakers did a good job with their offers, but who knows?

[Showtime24 LAKERS]

Come on man, make sense, at least.

Money is the issue for Lamar outside of the Lakers. In my above post, I suggested that he wants more money and years from the Lakers because he won't be starting. I'm sure Lamar feels that he will be sacrificing a lot of playing time and personal stats to remain with the Lakers, so he wants to get paid big time for his personal sacrifices. With Miami, I can see Lamar taking 5 years at 34 million because he knows he's almost guaranteed to start, play heavy minutes, and be a critical part of a playoff caliber team. With another piece or two added to the team, he could even be in another position to win a championship in a year or two. Bottom line, he'll having a bigger role in Miami than he'd have with the Lakers.

Lamar is going to Miami because it ain't about the money, its about the playing time and the respect.

[Findog]

Do the Lakers have some of the dumbest free agents or what?

First Trevor leaves to sign with a lotto team for less money. Ok that was understandable, he was trying to play hardball with his agent and the Lakers pulled a fast one on him by getting Ron Ron instead.

Now LO is likely going to jump ship for Miami. NOT for a better offer though, he's getting considerably less money (i.e. MLE) than he would in LA. I just don't get why these athletes are so completely re ed when it comes down to business negotiations.

Someone needs to bring a calculator, pencil, and sheet of paper to LO and spell this out for him.

If the Lakers are serious about not reinstating their original offer of $9 million a year or whatever it was, and the only thing LO can get on the market is the full MLE, what incentive do the Lakers have to increase their offer above what Miami/Dallas/whomever is offering? Unless they're worried LO will be offended at the Lakers negotiating tactics and signs elsewhere for the same $$ the Lakers are offering?