The Lakers’ pursuit of unrestricted free agent Lamar Odom has ground
to a halt, an NBA source said Tuesday afternoon. After raising their
offer to Odom to more than $9 million per season, the Lakers have
pulled the offer from the table because they failed to receive a
response from Odom’s agent, Jeff Schwartz.
Jerry Buss, the Lakers’ team owner, gave the OK to raise the ante to
more than $9 million from more than $8 million last week. Buss became
upset that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak did not get a yea or
a nay from Schwartz, the source said.
Plus, Buss was said to be miffed that Odom’s representative has
started negotiations with the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat,
neither of whom can offer the versatile forward more than the
mid-level exception ($5.8 million for next season).
It’s been reported that Odom seeks a deal that averages $10 million
per season.
Dallas owner Mark Cuban told a reporter from NBA-TV that he spoke
with Schwartz on Monday. There also have been persistent rumors that
the Heat is interested in Odom, who signed a six-season, $65-million
deal with Miami in 2003.
The Heat dealt Odom to the Lakers in the Shaquille O’Neal trade in
2004.

–Elliott Teaford