LA TIMES: Odom doesn't want sixth-man role

[WCDYNASTY]

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said recently that he is considering making Lamar Odom the team's sixth man this season. The Lakers convened this afternoon for a media session before the start of training camp Tuesday and Odom voiced his disdain for Jackson's idea. "He must have woke up and bumped his head. He probably hit his head on something -- boom," Odom said about Jackson. "To start off like that, you've got to be out of your . . . mind." Odom, from his grade school days in New York City to high school to college and during his nine years in the NBA, always has been a starter.Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said recently that he is considering making Lamar Odom the team's sixth man this season.


LOS ANGELES TIMES

[hermes]

well should have seen that coming

now luke/vlad/ariza won't be starting i guess

[Erik Eleven]

Classic Phil.

Phil's comment about Odom coming off the bench was in direct response to a leading question. Didn't he answer something like, "If it doesn't work out the way I envision it, then I'll have to consider inserting Trevor to the starting five and convince Odom to come off the bench".

In other words, he's determined to try out the biggest frontline in the NBA. If it doesn't work out...

The media and Odom took that, hook line and sinker, and ran with it. Good going, Phil.

[Danny Darko]

A little zen motivation eh? Maybe he's working on his jumpshot right now. cuz if not, who gives a damn if he wants to start he's gone with his contract. Either way... good. I'd love to boast a huge front line, but only if it works for us.

[CITYOFANGELSX3]

Odom already crying, making way for his departure.

[RASMARX]

Eliminate him.

[semi-sentient]

Work on that 3-point shot, Odom.

Otherwise, you're all up outta' here.

[hermes]

Odom already crying, making way for his departure.

Eliminate him.

Work on that 3-point shot, Odom.

Otherwise, you're all up outta' here.

good to see Odom's fans are still out there

[Lost Angel]

forget three point shooting, let D Fisher and Kobe do that.


Odom better be slashing to the damn hoop for those lefty loopy dunks/layups that he can actually make.

Bynum on the low block, Gasol MOVING around WITHOUT the ball, setting screens and being ready to score. Odom better take advantage of that. How could you not be excited? Odom will flourish in this lineup

[That Nicka]

I highly doubt he gets traded.. But I doubt he gets re-signed as well

[Sedale Threatt]

Odom will flourish in this lineup

We shall see. I can envision scenarios where he's successful and those where he isn't. Considering it took him the better part of four seasons to digest the triangle, I don't have any confidence that he's suddenly going to thrive at a new position.

And I don't think that has to be a big problem. Personally, I'd like to see him getting token minutes at the 3, to keep him in the starting lineup, before shoring up the bulk of the backup minutes behind Gasol at the 4.

C - Bynum 36, Gasol 12
PF - Gasol 24, Odom 24
SF - Odom 12, the spare parts posse 36

That's 36 minutes for the big names involved -- plenty, yet not enough to wear anybody out -- and we shouldn't ever have a stiff on the floor at the 5 or 4 (excluding injuries and foul trouble, of course). That's a salty rotation.

[Mamba Venom]

Well Odom probably has 2 and a half months to prove he can play the 3 well or the Lakers may cash out and if they do I hope that another good player is brought in. I don't like how people assume the Lakers can win it all w/o Odoms talent. Having a really good 4th option sure makes things easier and I want to see the Lakers and Kobe tear up the NBA for a 3 peat maybe 4

[Danny Darko]

forget three point shooting, let D Fisher and Kobe do that.


Odom better be slashing to the damn hoop for those lefty loopy dunks/layups that he can actually make.

Bynum on the low block, Gasol MOVING around WITHOUT the ball, setting screens and being ready to score. Odom better take advantage of that. How could you not be excited? Odom will flourish in this lineup

Here's how:

The defense will mimick Boston's strategy of loading up in the pain and clogging lanes. Slashers are useless without lanes and without a SF who can hit jump shots we're totally screwed unless we are just that big and nasty that we can jump over crowds of hards fouls. But basically if he does what he has been for years, we're screwed.

[Danny Darko]

Well Odom probably has 2 and a half months to prove he can play the 3 well or the Lakers may cash out and if they do I hope that another good player is brought in. I don't like how people assume the Lakers can win it all w/o Odoms talent. Having a really good 4th option sure makes things easier and I want to see the Lakers and Kobe tear up the NBA for a 3 peat maybe 4

Actually the deal is, he's an expiring so we can get value for him in the way of a jump shooting defensive minded SF, so while we do need another guy with talent... why not someone who spreads the offense and plays D on athletic guys with range?

I like him and it seems a shame how hard he worked last year, but this year is about fit and titles. Not sentimentality.

[dockingsched]

don't have a problem with the message odom sent. phil doesn't want to bench him he doesn't have to, odom doesn't want to be benched. so, as far as that is concerned, its a non-issue.

the way he said it though, dumb. not funny, kinda disrespectful. if i wasn't such an odom homer i'd probably rip into him a bit.

[DubaLakers]

I love Trevor starting at the three, Bruce Bowen esque.

One thing PJax said the other day is his concern with Lamar coming off the bench is he has tendinitis in his knees, so coming off the bench might be a problem as far as being a spark, getting within' the flow, etc. I couldn't agree with him more, we've all seen it. It's not a good time for us to trade him, we've should have already done it, because we will be taking home the LOB, we want everything to run like a machine this year...Training camp's in El Segundo, not europe or hawaii, the guys and coaches love it, no issues in camp, healthy bodies, smooth and easy start to a championship season. Green Jerseys will be bloodied, titles will change coastlines, and Punky Pierce and Bitter Ray will be humbled in the precense of a team that unresembles last years model.

Go Lakers

[djericho]

Odom is good insurance since if either Bynum or Gasol go down, he becomes the 3rd option @ PF.

I would worry about his jumper if he had to shoot it every time he touched. since he's unselfish, I"d use him to set picks. Coaching staff will figure something. At the very least he'll be excellent trade bait.

[Kirk Moon]

bye bye Lamar.

[iamworthy]

Check this out.

http://www.nba.com/lakers/multimedia/0708video.html

Click on Lamar Odom's video.

Its like LO knows or thinks he's getting traded or something. I hope everything works out. The drama starts

[dockingsched]

I love Trevor starting at the three, Bruce Bowen esque.

i don't see anything between the two other than being a sf. bowen is actually a good 3 pt shooter, ariza is terrible. bowen camps out waiting for the kick out, ariza can slash and finish strong. bowen has, or at least had, elite man to man defense, ariza can play the passing lanes.