Odom to Miami?
It seems likely that Lamar Odom could sign a five-season deal with the Miami Heat at the mid-level exception ($5.8 million for next season and $34 million or so for the length of the contract) by the end of the week. The Dallas Mavericks also are interested in giving Odom the same deal, but he seems less likely to land in Dallas. Reports out of Miami indicate the Heat are trying to sign Odom and trade for Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz in an attempt to satisfy Dwyane Wade's demands for a beefed up roster next season.
Odom wants a five-season deal somewhere north of $45 million, which so far the Lakers haven't offered to him. Talks have ceased for now after owner Jerry Buss took the Lakers' offers of four years, $36 million or three years, $30 million off the table Monday. It's certainly possible the Lakers could resume talks with Odom and his agent, but it seems just as possible that Odom could be headed to South Florida soon.
What happens next depends on whether the Jazz decide to match the Portland Trail Blazers' $32 million offer sheet to forward Paul Millsap, a restricted free agent. Nearly everyone around the league believes Utah will match and keep Millsap by the deadline at week's end, which could trigger a frantic final round of negotations for Odom's services..
Tell the Lakers you've had enough coming off the bench
as a hatchet man. Sign with Miami as a starter with
Boozer and shock the world by takeing it all.
The lakers should restart negotiations. If they get Odom back, its a sure championship next year. How can you argue a team that has Odom, Kobe, Bynum, Gasol, and Artest.. ahh the sky is the limit.
Lamar is a genius. He walked away from 4 years at $36M from the defending champions for 5 years at $35M for a middle of the pack team.
He's making Trevor Ariza look like a brain surgeon.
Except state taxes make him earn more in Miami, and anyways he would have a more prominent role in Miami.
The lakers are not a smart organization, if they dont sign Lamar Odem they can kiss the Championships goodbye.They need to give him a 5 year contract and let him end his career with the Lakers. If they are dumb enough to sign Odem they could possibly win 3 or 4 championships over the next 5 years.Losing Ariza was 1 thing, losing Lamar is another...