By Ramona Shelburne
Staff Writer

The Lakers and free agent forward Lamar Odom have agreed on a four-year deal, a source with knowledge of the negotiations said Thursday afternoon.

The fourth year of the contract is the team’s option. ESPN.com reported that the contract is worth $33 million over four years. However the source said that figure is a bit high.

Odom’s agent Jeff Schwartz did not return messages left on his cell phone. Lakers officials refused to comment on the matter.

The 6-foot-10 power forward was a key part of the team’s championship run. He averaged 12.3 points and 9.1 rebounds in the playoffs, while coming off the bench.

Odom made $11.4 million last season, but was quoted as saying he was willing to take a pay cut. Still, negotiations between the team and Odom did not go smoothly. Two weeks ago, he did not respond to the team’s offers of three years and $30 million or four years and $36 million.

Another source close to Odom said that Schwartz had advised his client to accept one of those offers. Instead he spent two weeks negotiating with the Miami Heat, who could offer no more than a five-year, $34 million contract, because of salary cap restrictions.

The Lakers and Odom’s representatives stayed in contact throughout the process, but it became clear the team’s offer would decrease, not increase the longer the process went on.