You may recall timvp started a thread called "The Forgotten Free Agent." In it, I switched the focus to Lamar Odom, a free agent that has been flying under the radar. Well, according to ESPN Insider, Odom and Rasho Nesterovic are the Spurs prime alternatives should O'Neal, Kidd and Brand snub them.
Let's take a closer look at Mr. Odom.
www.nba.com/playerfile/la.../?nav=page
Player Profile
Lamar Odom | 7
Position: F
Born: 11/06/79
Height: 6-10 / 2,08
Weight: 221 lbs. / 100,2 kg.
College - Rhode Island '01
               
2002-03 Statistics
                                                                                REBOUNDS PER GAME       
TEAM        G        GS        MPG        FGM-A        FG%        3PM-A        3P%        FTM-A        FT%        OFF        DEF        TOT        APG        SPG        BPG        TO        PF        PPG
LAC        49        47        34.3        268-611        .439        42-129        .326        136-175        .777        1.20        5.40        6.70        3.6        .86        .84        2.86        3.70        14.6
Career Highlights
*        Participated in the 2001 Schick Rookie Challenge during the 2001 All-Star Weekend
*        Scored a career-high 34 points at New Jersey on 2/18/01
*        Named to the 1999-2000 Schick All-Rookie First Team
*        Participated in the Schick Rookie Challenge during the 2000 All-Star Weekend
*        Notched his first career triple-double, tallying 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against the Houston Rockets on 12/30/99
*        Named co-winner of the Schick Rookie of the Month award for November 1999 (along with Adrian Griffin), averaging 18.6 ppg and 7.8 rpg
*        Made his NBA debut, totaling 30 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against the Seattle SuperSoncis on 11/2/99
*        As a sop re, he was named Honorable Mention All-America by AP, First Team All-Atlantic 10 and Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year after averaging 17.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg and 3.8 apg.
*        Odom scored a career-high 28 points against St. Joseph's, with career highs of 15 rebounds against Brown and 11 assists against George Washington.
Personal
*        Full name is Lamar Joseph Odom
*        Born in Jamaica, New York
*        Has one daughter, Destiny
*        Hobbies include listening to music, especially Jay-Z, and shopping
*        Favorite movie is Goodfellas and favorite TV show is Martin
*        Favorite book is Malcolm X by Alex Haley
*        Scored 36 points in the Catholic championship game, breaking the individual scoring record shared by Lew Alcindor, Kenny Anderson and Felipe Lopez
Season Highs / Career Highs
        2002-03 HIGHS        CAREER HIGHS
Points        30 vs. Houston 3/24/03         34 @ New Jersey 2/18/01
Field Goals Made        13 vs. Houston 3/24/03        13 4 Times
Field Goals Attempted        20 3 Times        24 @ New Jersey 2/18/01
Three Point Field Goals Made         3 4 Times        4 2 Times
Three Point Field Goals Attempted        6 3 Times        10 vs. Orlando 12/11/00
Free Throws Made        9 2 Times        14 @ Seattle 4/19/00
Free Throws Attempted        10 3 Times        15 3 Times
Offensive Rebounds        4 2 Times        6 4 Times
Defensive Rebounds        12 vs. Portland 4/16/03        14 @ L.A. Lakers 11/05/00
Total Rebounds        13 vs. Portland 4/16/03        16 vs. Detroit 3/27/01
Assists        9 @ Denver 4/12/03        11 5 Times
Steals        3 4 Times        5 vs. Boston 12/26/99
Blocks        3 4 Times        9 vs. Vancouver 12/23/00
Minutes Played        44 vs. Atlanta 2/22/03        51 vs. Portland 2/24/01
CAREER AVERAGES
                                                                REBOUNDS PER GAME       
YEAR        TEAM        G        GS        MPG        FG%        3P%        FT%        OFF        DEF        RPG        APG        SPG        BPG        TO        PF        PPG
99-00        LAC        76        70        36.4        .438        .360        .719        2.10        5.70        7.80        4.2        1.20        1.25        3.39        3.80        16.6
00-01        LAC        76        74        37.3        .460        .316        .679        1.40        6.30        7.80        5.2        .97        1.61        3.47        3.10        17.2
01-02        LAC        29        25        34.4        .419        .190        .656        1.10        5.00        6.10        5.9        .79        1.24        3.34        3.10        13.1
02-03        LAC        49        47        34.3        .439        .326        .777        1.20        5.40        6.70        3.6        .86        .84        2.86        3.70        14.6
Career                230        216        36.0        .444        .313        .709        1.60        5.80        7.30        4.6        1.00        1.28        3.30        3.50        15.9
My Take:
Odom is versatile enough to play all five positions except center. If the Spurs got him, I’d like to see him put on some more muscle. That way, he could bang with the Western power forwards. Added strength would also help him stay injury-free, a problem he’s had in his career.
The Spurs would also have to hope that he could keep his pot-smoking on the down-low. Veterans will recall that I actually was in a cipher with Odom back in 1997 when he visited my college in CT. He’s good people.
If he gets caught again, it’s an automatic suspension. Odom would supplant Stephen Jackson as the ballin’est Spur on the team.
Odom is a 6’10 forward with the passing skills of an average point guard. He can score and rebound, too. Odom can eve hit the occasional three. Odom went fourth overall in the draft.
Get him if it’s a choice between him and Nesterovic.
Very nice post Ghost.
Odom is an intriguing prospect. My question is, can he play defense? If so, he might be worth spending some of cap space on. How much do you think it would take to sign him.
You were in a "cipher" with him? Is that like Louis Cipher?
Same problems as brand, he's restricted.
I love his game, and I think he and Manu on the smae court would be sick with their court vision.
Not power forward material though, if think if you do tht you take him out of the creative aspect of his game.
About a year ago on the old Forum, I started a thread that many people p1ssed on suggesting that we'd probably be faced with settling on one of the Clippers castoffs like Olowokandi or Odom... but the good news is that one of 'em would come for less than the max.
Many veterans insisted that those guys would get the max elsewhere or that they weren't worth getting.
Well, I think that it's looking like I may have been right about something after all.
Signing Odom to a multiyear deal at around $7 million or so would allow us to retain most of our young championship nucleus.
Could you live with a starting lineup like this?:
PF Odom
SF Bowen
C Duncan
PG Parker
SG Jackson
or:
PF Duncan
SF Odom
C Rose
PG Parker
SG Jackson
or:
PF Odom
SF Jackson
C Duncan
PG Parker
SG Ginobili
and Claxton still backing up Parker?
Question.
If getting Brand and O'Neal are out of the question, my next choice would probably be Odom or Kandi, but only if they would sign for 7 million or less. I'm a little nervous about Kandi having a guaranteed contract at all, but I've got to be realistic. I read somewhere that Robert Parish was considered a semi-bust like Kandi until he was traded to the Celtics.
If we offered Odom 7 million would he take it and would the Clippers try to match?
Pop needs to call cleo and find out about htis matching .
FAs seem to be drying up. If Sterling lets Odom walk and it come down to offers from the Spurs and Miami I think Odom would take Miami.
If it's not Kidd it could be a big, Rash/ PJ, and Maggette.
and hope Maggette explodes?
'Kandi said he'd look at the Nuggets for $6 million, so why not the champs (us) for $7?
I don't see anyone offering anything to Odom, so I think he could be had.
I don't think the Clippers will match on these guys if they re-up Brand for the max.
I don't know why the Spurs aren't offering Brand a deal like the Jazz are, but that's another story.
Last year when I thought about taking advantage of all the Clips' free agents, I just couldn't imagine Sterling retaining all these guys:
E. Brand (max worthy)
A. Miller (semi-max worthy)
M. Olowokandi (under max worthy)
L. Odom (under max worthy)
C. Maggette (under max worthy)
E. Piatkowki (under MLE worthy)
Something's gotta give here.
The worst thing that could happen is the Jazz get Brand or Miller and Sterling matches to retain nearly everyone else.
How could the Spurs offer Brand anything with Kidd and O'Neal in town this week? Anyway, the Clips would have 15 days to match AFTER the earliest possible signing date, taking us completely out of the FA sweepstakes until August.I don't know why the Spurs aren't offering Brand a deal like the Jazz are, but that's another story.
Brand would be my first choice FA for the Spurs, but unless Sterling were willing to talk deal, there is no way to approach Brand without screwing ourselves with the other top tier FA's.
Maggette> Odom
Jim = crackhead
Do you think the Jazz are worried about missing out on A. Miller because they're pursuing Brand?"How could the Spurs offer Brand anything with Kidd and O'Neal in town this week? Anyway, the Clips would have 15 days to match AFTER the earliest possible signing date, taking us completely out of the FA sweepstakes until August." — TS
Won't we look dumb if Brand winds up going to a division rival because we were led on by Kidd or O'Neal?
Where else are Kidd or O'Neal gonna go besides back to their old teams?
This is not a sprint; it's a marathon.
Missing out on Andre Miller is hardly comparable to missing out on O'Neal or Kidd (although I don't favor Kidd)
Sure we could take a chance of missing out on Nesterovic or Kandi to take a chance on getting Brand.
Another well though out post Ghost.
Are you instigating me again, Truthsayer?
I'd rather put in abid for Brand now. We could still entertain O'Neal and Kidd. It would let them know that we're looking into every option.
Kidd and O'Neal aren't going to be turned off by us because we made an initial offer to Brand.
Reports are that Odom is the guy Sterling likes the most- making him the lost likely match target.
I'd like to have him- I think we could throw out some interesting rotations, having him split time at the 3 and 4
Minute Breakdown:
PG: Parker 35, Speedy 13
SG: Jackson 20, Manu 28
SF: Bowen 20, Odom 20, Jackson 8
PF: Odom 20, Rose 28
C : Duncan 38, Willis/FA 10
In this scenario, we'd also leave some cap room on the table, allowing us to go over the MLE to resign Manu next offseason.
Now you're talkin', scott. Even though Sterling likes Odom, is he gonna match if he indeeds re-ups Brand for the max?
The Spurs have to be deft here. If Brand re-signs with the Clippers, they have to jump on Odom.
If Brand goes elsewhere, we have to hope it's to SA, because Sterling will then match offers for his remaining free agents.
I'm not sure which order, but I believe Brand and Odom are the two RFAs most likely to be matched by Sterling. *If* we have to take a gamble on one of them, I'd prefer Brand- especially since its going to be easier for Sterling to match a $7 mil/4 year (for example) deal for Odom than it will be for him to actually put the pen to the paper and match that 6 year max deal.
If Brand does put his name on the bottom line, however, and Odom is still available- I don't see the harm is making the offer. At that point, we will have lost out on the Big 4 (JO, Brand, Kidd, Payton), and I can't think of any other FAs that are worth passing on Odom for.
Of course, I'm not sure if Pop and RC are willing to take a chance on an Uber-balla. Sure, they had success with Jack and Speedy- but those guys don't have Odom's troubled past following them. In fact, aside from the headbands and bling bling- both Jack and Speedy seem fairly non-balla-like, in that they both seem like guys with high character, something Peter Holt has publicly said is as important as a players on the court skills when they evaluate FAs.
But, mabye Pop and RC will be all for Odom and will make a run at him should the top options dissipate.
I know we got into an argument about this the other day, but why don't the Spurs make an offer to Brand like the Jazz did?
It's not like the Spurs can't still woo Kidd and O'Neal while Brand contemplates all the options and sees if Sterling will match.
This summer of free agency is turning into a high stakes game of hot tamale.
P.S.
I would hope that Pop and Co. would have a long talk with Odom before bringing him in. The nice thing is that Odom is 6'10 and can play a PF if need-be.
It's kinda hard to see the Spurs waiting for 2 weeks in free agency waiting on Sterling. My guess that the Spurs could try to lock up a decent big like PJ Brown and then use the remaining cap room to make an offer to Odom.
Manny, you are the dumb if you do not think Maggette is better than Odom. Have you even watched Cory play? WTF do you think Denver is so hot to get him?
If I were the Spurs, I would wait the 2 weeks. We have the money. We have the power. If Kidd or O'Neal are going to go elsewhere, it's back to their original teams. I'm not worried about how they'd react to us pursuing Brand if they couldn't give us an immediate answer up front.
We've waited two years to get a superstar big man, what's two weeks?
There is NO possible way that we can put out an offer to Brand while we have an offer out to Kidd. Putting an offer out to Brand is telling Kidd "you're our second choice, let's see what Brand does and we'll get back to you in a couple of weeks. That contract we just proposed to you only takes effect if Sterling matches."
Best we can hope for is that Kidd gives a firm yes or no soon (today preferably) so we know he's in the bag or we need to move on.
Um, picnroll... that's exactly what I want the Spurs to say to Kidd. Brand should be the first choice!
P.S.
Jimmy, Maggette is in no way, shape or form better than Odom.
YEAR        TEAM        G        GS        MPG        FG%        3P%        FT%        OFF        DEF        RPG        APG        SPG        BPG        TO        PF        PPG
Maggette 02-03        LAC        64        57        31.3        .444        .350        .802        1.20        3.80        5.00        1.9        .86        .25        2.30        3.00        16.8
Odom 02-03        LAC        49        47        34.3        .439        .326        .777        1.20        5.40        6.70        3.6        .86        .84        2.86        3.70        14.6
Odom beats him in every statistical category aside from PPG. And Odom was hurt last year. We need height, not swingmen anyway, sport.
Ghost, have you noticed a trend in Maggette's game???? He has improved in every statistical category since 02, including this past year in Dec and Jan. Everyone who knows anything can see this, and everyone whos knows anything knows that is is a superstar on the rise. Odon has been declining for 2 yrs...check out the stats.
I will bet you $1000 right now, that at the end of next year, Maggette will have surpassed Odom in all stats and in the minds of everyone in here? We can have Kori hold the thousand dollars in escrow and collect a yr from now. Deal???
Jim Jim Jim
You're the only one who thinks maggette is better than odom.
Jim = lonely crackhead
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