Odom more valuable than Bynum? <RealGM article>

[Dexmor]

Lakers should see if they could trade Odom for Howard or if Bynum is gonna be a problem trade him for a solid 3 but I think he will be back.

[bruno sundov]

The perfect sf for this team would be RJ but he is owed to much money. They should stop starting Radman though. He is not the answer either. The real answer is to trade Odom for Artest.

Now that trade makes sense for both teams. NJ needs a PF who is versatile on offense. He might only have to be the 3 option. He seems to prefer that, even thrive in it. Signing VC was a bad move for the NJN.

[LLcoleJ]

^^^]
Just making a point. yeah sweeping the Lakers this year is really something to cry about?

You made your joke. Now move on

[TonyMontana]

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You made your joke. Now move on

Come on, mang. Let's keep it squeaky clean.

EE

My apologies Mang .........

[Thugmelo]

Anyone who understands the game of baskeball knows that Bynum is more valuable than Lamar. 7-1, 20 year old 280+ Big's with great athleticism, great fundamentals and great work ethic do not grow on trees. Bynum was showing this season that he can be an elite anchor which is infinently more important than anything Lamar Odom brings.

When we play the Spurs, or Jazz or Hornets people will realize what were missing.

[Erik Eleven]

Anyone who understands the game of baskeball knows that Bynum is more valuable than Lamar. 7-1, 20 year old 280+ Big's with great athleticism, great fundamentals and great work ethic do not grow on trees. Bynum was showing this season that he can be an elite anchor which is infinently more important than anything Lamar Odom brings.

When we play the Spurs, or Jazz or Hornets people will realize what were missing.

I agree with that, but Lakers fans tend to under rate both Bynum and Odom.

Welcome to the board, man.

[Thugmelo]

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I agree with that, but Lakers fans tend to under rate both Bynum and Odom.

Welcome to the board, man.

Thanks. I registered quite a while ago under "melo061" but it wasn't activated as i registered with a free email account.

Lamar only recently has become underrated. Having watched him since he came to LA, Lamar has never played consistent impact ball untill this season. Bynum i think is rated perfectly by LA fans. We don't go off comparing him to Tim Duncan but we understand that his impact on the game is at elite level.

[Trifecta7]

Anyone who understands the game of baskeball knows that Bynum is more valuable than Lamar. 7-1, 20 year old 280+ Big's with great athleticism, great fundamentals and great work ethic do not grow on trees. Bynum was showing this season that he can be an elite anchor which is infinently more important than anything Lamar Odom brings.

When we play the Spurs, or Jazz or Hornets people will realize what were missing.

I'm a fan of LO but I do agree with this statement. Players like Bynum are the ones who are the base of a team. I hope he gets back healthy and ready whenever he can be. I most definitely want to keep both. I'll be mad if they make a mistake like the Suns who tried to save $ over keeping talent.

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Thanks. I registered quite a while ago under "melo061" but it wasn't activated as i registered with a free email account.

Lamar only recently has become underrated. Having watched him since he came to LA, Lamar has never played consistent impact ball untill this season. Bynum i think is rated perfectly by LA fans. We don't go off comparing him to Tim Duncan but we understand that his impact on the game is at elite level.

Besides this season, I think he played some quality consistent ball in the second part of the 05-06 season after the trade deadline.

Lamar is an emotional guy. The effectiveness of his play is largely based around it. I think it's no coincidence that he said he was at ease from any trade rumors or major health issues at all-star break when Gasol came aboard. He said it was the first true "rest" he has had in a long time. He was already playing confidently in the two games before Gasol played. Prior to that he was playing terrible basketball.

Last season he played through a shoulder that needed surgery and put effort into the playoff games with the Suns. I remember after one of the losses he looked like he was going to let out some tears. So he's committed and cares unlike say, Smush Parker.

Although I understand frustrations when he has these long inconsistent streaks, but I think he's underrated as a person who never complains or demands anything and still does all the work he does. It has been a double-edged sword for almost four years because fans wanted him to be more selfish as a 2nd option, but it worked out for the best now that the load has been lessened for him to be comfortable enough to play well.

He hasn't gotten a real off-season yet to work too. He had to deal with surgeries and and unfortunate event with his son. Luke improved his jump shot just from working out in the off-season (when healthy). I think he could improve it too if he was allowed to put in the work. Lamar shoots well when he's confident and badly when he isn't (just like Luke). If he practices it well in the off-season I'm sure it would be a boost to his confidence in shooting. I don't think he'll make any drastic upgrades to his game at this stage of his career, but I would be disappointed if he didn't try to improve this area if he has the chance.

I also think the criticism of his contract is misleading. He was signed to a 6-year contract totaling $64 million. That's about 10.67 million per year. I think for what he provides in the current NBA with how high players get paid now is pretty fair. That's also the price range I see some Laker fans would like him to take if he were to get extended. He's just at the high end of his contract currently.

[Verbal]

I saw the s/n ThugMelo, and I had to come in and say Hi.

Hi.

[Erik Eleven]

Well, in my opinion, the dirty work that Odom has done for this team while injured has not been appreciated enough by Lakers fans. I've been trying to preach patience around here but to no avail. I've been saying that he too, just like Kobe, needs better pieces around him before we will see the fruits of all of his abilities. He also needed to get healthy.

Now when he finally IS fully healthy for the first time in three seasons and has Gasol and an all around improved team to complement him, we're indeed seeing the Odom that we've been waiting for. What beats me is that everyone seems so surprised that Odom is playing so well.

I've always maintained that Odom has been digging in the trenches because nobody else was willing to do it. Now when he doesn't have to do all the un-noticed dirty work himself anymore, we can enjoy watching the Odom that they originally traded for. Just because he hasn't scored consistently, people seem to think that he's been inconsistent. But they fail to recognize that he hasn't been inconsistent in rebounding, diving for lose balls, running the break, taking hard fouls, defensive intensity and much more.

In my opinion, Bynum has also been under rated since the day they drafted him. That too, will come to light when he gets back, I think. He's a dominant beast with true potential to become one of the greatest centers ever, as long as he remains healthy. I just don't think Lakers fans realize yet just how dominant he will become.

[dockingsched]

Now when he finally IS fully healthy for the first time in three seasons and has Gasol and an all around improved team to complement him, we're indeed seeing the Odom that we've been waiting for. What beats me is that everyone seems so surprised that Odom is playing so well.

the thing that gets me is that now that odom has a great player to play off of in gasol, they discredit odom. i've seen comments like "well, without gasol he's not doing anything". these are the same people that defend kobe's lack of playoff wins the past few years by citing lack of help. the double standard sucks, but luckily its now very rare.

[Erik Eleven]

^ Yup. +1

Kobe has always been defended with the argument "he has no help", but rarely has that argument been applied to Odom's situation. So much for objectivity.

In the name of objectivity, one could even make the argument that if Kobe the last two years would have shared the ball as wisely as Gasol does, he would have made Odom a much better player during the last two years, just like he is now.

It's all good, though. The boys are gelling and peaking at the right time. Kobe is playing the best ball of his career, so is Odom, so is Gasol and Bynum will be too at his return. This team will be one entertaining bunch once fully healthy. I can't wait to see the occasional shut-down line-up of:

Kobe
Ariza
Odom
Gasol
Bynum

Lock down defense and showtime fast-breaks.

When healthy, this team is a true contender.

[slickgreek]

just hope lamar doesnt go back to plays like these...lol

http://youtube.com/watch?v=71SMu8A3VU4


http://youtube.com/watch?v=NQtRXQpZHHg

[Thugmelo]

]Besides this season, I think he played some quality consistent ball in the second part of the 05-06 season after the trade deadline.

Really, the consistant ball from Lamar began in early March. I remember because Lamar was getting a lot of flack for a few single digit no impact games right after the all star break. Also, Lamar Odom's stats are never the best thing to judge him. Naturally, because of Lamar's talents, he will always fill the box score. However, the impact isn't always there. This year, he is making the right decisions, cutting to the hoop, isn't getting confused in the offense and is making his midrange jumper. He didn't do that untill probably mid to later march and into April where he was rolling. That's impact as it frees up Kobe and the rest of the team. Moving bodies and hitting jumpers is always dangerous as it spaces the floor. Lamar's learned to do that consistently during the second half of this season.

Also, his defense is much better than it has ever been with his time in LA. The numbers in this case do show this and we've seen Lamar be our most versatile defender and maybe our best defender down the stretch of the season.

He also has learned to get rid of the passive play. Back in the day, even after the all star break of the 06 season, Lamar would revert at times back to his passive ways. That his sleepwalking on the perimeter and not keeping teams honest. That's gone completely. When's the last time Lamar odom has played like that? I surely don't remember. But it was a constant for most of his time in LA.

Although I understand frustrations when he has these long inconsistent streaks, but I think he's underrated as a person who never complains or demands anything and still does all the work he does. It has been a double-edged sword for almost four years because fans wanted him to be more selfish as a 2nd option, but it worked out for the best now that the load has been lessened for him to be comfortable enough to play well.

Yeh but he was hurting the team. Kobe needed him, he knew that he couldn't carry the team on his own back. Lamar was the only guy on the team that could legitimately help him carry the load. He had all the talent and versatility, yet he wasted it by sitting on the perimeter taking dumb shots and simply not making the defense honest. Many Laker fans were calling for yeaaaaaaaaaars for LO to simply cut and move and Kobe would find him. Rony turiaf this season began the trend this season and would cut every time and Kobe would find him. Lamar followed suit and he in the second half got many easy baskets by cutting and moving off the ball. H What happened if he did that back in the day when it was only he and Kobe?

Lamar was being selfish by depriving the Lakers with a weapon like that.

[KobeFarmarEra]

Once Bynum comes back healthy the Lakers won't miss Lamar when some team overpays him. Luke/Ariza/Vlad is a solid SF rotation. Pau > Lamar at the 4. Bynum at the 5, starting, where he belongs.

[Gerald3Wallace]

kobe, odom, gasol, bynum as a 4 > any team in the league..

people need to stop making this a lamar vs this vs that, yeah...bynum is much more valuable than odom..but i just hope the lakers dont overpay bynum, who knows...he might not even perform well again.

people dont understand how its an advantage to have a 6'10 guy with long arms who can run the break like a guard and set up his teammates...not to mention his D is decent as well..

if we have all 4 at once...how many teams can say "damm..we got 4 guys in the lineup that can change a game"...i believe we're the only one..;