Kobe Preparing To Recruit Fisher, Odom?

[WCDYNASTY]

Kobe Preparing To Recruit Fisher, Odom?

By Luke Adams

March 28 at 1:53pm CST

Kobe Bryant is "planning a hard push" to try to bring Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom back to the Lakers this summer, a source tells Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Fisher and Odom were both traded by the Lakers over the last few months, but could become free agents in the offseason.

Fisher, who was traded to and then bought him by Houston, signed with the Thunder on a rest-of-season contract. Odom, meanwhile, was dealt to the Mavericks in December and has one more season left on his deal. His final year is only partially guaranteed though, and his play this season makes it unlikely the Mavs would want to pay him $8.9MM to return.

It's unclear whether returning to the Lakers is something either player wants, and team management would have to be on board as well. However, Howard-Cooper hears that Bryant will use his friendship with both players to try to convince them a return is in everyone's best interests. Asked about a potential reunion, Bryant remained fairly noncommittal.

"I don’t know," Bryant told NBA.com. "I would hope so. But I don’t know. When Fish and I talk, it’s about personal things because we’ve known each other for so long. Lamar too. We keep that other stuff out of it. It’s family, how are you doing, stuff like that."

SOURCE:
http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2012/03/kobe-preparing-to-recruit-fisher-odom.html

[Jetset]

I believe you have to wait a year to re-acquire a player that you've traded away, so I think that rules Fisher out of the equation and the earliest we could get Odom would be in December.

[snaquille oatmeal]

Sounds a lot like a ratings grabber. Kobe was asked and said I don't know then the reporter is making it a story. The GB will eat this up like fat kid at a hot dog stand.

[stunnar0b]

Odom maybe but i doubt fisher returns..

The only way i would not want him back(odom) is if it cost us beasley in the process

[Jetset]

Sounds a lot like a ratings grabber. Kobe was asked and said I don't know then the reporter is making it a story. The GB will eat this up like a fat kid love cake.

Fixed for 50 Cent purposes

[Vertical Limit]

You're all better off with Beasley at this point... but only if it means Phil is back or a guy like Sloan. Beasley needs discipline, he is mentally weak and a guy like Brown won't change that. But maybe Kobe can change that.

[KingLakers]

FIsher can't comeback to the Lakers in 2012 I dont know what Odom's situation is.I would look at Odom only as a fallback move if the Lakers can't find another player if they amnesty Artest. Like a Beasley or someone.

[VIPER8382]

I believe you have to wait a year to re-acquire a player that you've traded away, so I think that rules Fisher out of the equation and the earliest we could get Odom would be in December.

The restriction ends at the beginning of the new league year, so we could sign either as soon as they become free agents.

[Biohazard]

Fisher has nothing to offer on court and Odom is a long shot at best. His return doesn't excite me in the least.

[Draper]

I believe you have to wait a year to re-acquire a player that you've traded away, so I think that rules Fisher out of the equation and the earliest we could get Odom would be in December.

The restriction ends at the beginning of the new league year, so we could sign either as soon as they become free agents.

Do you have a source? Not that I don't believe it but I thought we had to wait a year (December) to sign LO and Fish was eligible to return in July.

[ennui]

This is just sensationalist journalism. None of this is happening.

[dockingsched]

• 2011 CBA: If a player is traded and subsequently waived by his new team, he cannot re-sign with his original team for one year following the trade or until July 1 after the last season of the player's contract, whichever is earlier.

For fisher, that means he can sign with the lakers july 1st because he waived his player option, making this season the last on his contract.

For odom, that means he can't sign until december because his contract still runs into next season, and december would be the 1 yr waiting period needed.

[semi-sentient]

Damn, that sucks (regarding Odom).

So we can only get back him via S&T or hope he waits it out until December?

[dockingsched]

Damn, that sucks (regarding Odom).

So we can only get back him via S&T or hope he waits it out until December?

s&t won't be an option, and yeah, hoping he waits it out after getting released is the only option.

[crazyeights]

Doesn't Odom just have a team option next year which Dallas will probably neglect to take? Wouldn't that make him a FA?

[dockingsched]

Doesn't Odom just have a team option next year which Dallas will probably neglect to take? Wouldn't that make him a FA?

its not an option, its a regular contract yr that happens to have most of the salary unguaranteed (only 2.4 mil of the 8.2 is guaranteed). basically he still has a on the books for next yr, though most of the salary is unguaranteed and thus makes it likely he'll get waived to create more cap space.

[miggs]

Doesn't Odom just have a team option next year which Dallas will probably neglect to take? Wouldn't that make him a FA?

its not an option, its a regular contract yr that happens to have most of the salary unguaranteed (only 2.4 mil of the 8.2 is guaranteed). basically he still has a on the books for next yr, though most of the salary is unguaranteed and thus makes it likely he'll get waived to create more cap space.

Doc your avi confirms it, you beat the truth into us. Although you're a lot smart than that fellow, Popeye did numbers on him just like Jerry to Tom

[kblo247]

I wonder if the league makes an exception since the offseason started in December. Hopefully they translate that to be a normal July

[Kilroy]

Kobe doesn't recruit...
Ask Howard how that worked for him.

[semi-sentient]

I wonder if the league makes an exception since the offseason started in December. Hopefully they translate that to be a normal July

I was wondering the same thing.