Fresh off a championship season, the Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be destined for greatness. With key players Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom set to become free agents, it was thought that the Lakers would keep both players and have a competitive roster for years to come.
Boy, have times changed.
The Lakers are still considered as title contenders, but it seems that the core surrounding Kobe Bryant should see some shuffling. The Lakers swapped out Ariza for former Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, a move that would garner a lot more return than if keeping Ariza. However, the current stand-off between Odom and Lakers is much more significant.
Odom is a player invaluable to the Lakers: not only is he a viable scoring threat, but he is a player perfect for the Triangle Offense. He may not display his immense talent all the time nor may never tap into his limitless potential, but he helps the team much more than he hurts it. His size and athleticism cause him to be a mismatch on both ends of the floor and his ball handling is on par with most guards.
After winning the championship, Odom expressed his desire to remain in LA numerous times. He even suggested that he would take a ‘hometown’ discount. Don’t make me laugh. If you’re willing to come back in order to make less, at least come through on your word. The Lakers offered Odom deals of $30M for three years and $36M for four years. I am not a mathematician, but I think an average of in between 9 and 10 million dollars annually is way more than a hometown discount. There have been concerns about the length of the contract (four years versus five), but even that is a weak excuse for not re-signing.
Okay, you just won a championship, is your career done? No, you should want to defend it. If you are having problems with the length of the contract, work out a one-year deal. If you say that you want to stay, work out a solution. Do NOT take the money and run. I am sick of players who do not act on their words. Because of this minor mishap, you risk not returning and possibly not ever coming close to winning another championship. It is also clear that the Lakers cannot win another year without him. It’s a lose-lose situation.
Usually considered the X-factor for the Lakers on the floor, Lamar Odom is now the X-factor for the upcoming NBA season.
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