OT: Lakers pull offer off table to Odom

[campybatman]

"Yes, we have taken the deal off the table," Lakers spokesman John Black said Tuesday. "Talks have broken down for the time being."

Asked if talks could resume, Blacks said, "That's within the realm of possibility."

Lakers owner Jerry Buss is upset that Odom and his representative, agent Jeff Schwartz, haven't made contact with the organization regarding its $9-million-per season offer for three years.

Odom and his agent have been seeking $10 million for five years.

Neither Schwartz nor Odom could be reached for comment.

The source also said Buss was not happy that Odom and Schwartz have been having talks with the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat about a deal, but have refused to talk to the Lakers.

The Heat and Mavericks can offer Odom only the mid-level exception of $5.8 million, but can give him a five-year deal up to $34 million.

It was widely known that Odom, who will be 30 in November, would have to take a pay cut because of his age, the declining economy and the small number of teams that were far enough under the NBA salary cap to make a legitimate offer to him. He was on the Lakers' books for $14.1 million last season, the final year of a six-year, $63-million contract he signed with Miami in 2003.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lak ... 3043.story

[cfan79]

I'd like to see him go to Dallas because it might cost LA more grief if he's in the west. Miami could use him at power forward alongside Beasley.

[realfung]

Odom will be a good fit there but I doubt Odom wants to go there.

It is either money or championship, Heats has neither of them.

[Darth Celtic]

as long as he leaves the lakers it helps us.

[campybatman]

Sounds as if the Lakers must resign Odom, it's imperative that they do. The Artest angle makes sense. I think Kobe would still resign since Jackson's coming back.

The only team I believe would make an earnest attempt to sign him away from the Lakers is Dallas. That is, if they can move first Dampier's contract.

The Phoenix Suns are yet another Western Conference rival that would happily volunteer to furnish Odom with a new home via sign-and-trade if they (A) had the pieces or payroll flexibility like Dallas to make a realistic proposal or (B) really thought the Lakers were prepared to part with him and reunite Odom with longtime admirer Alvin Gentry.

But they don't. The prevailing view in Vegas remains that Odom will wind up staying with the Lakers because the newly crowned champions surely recognize that what makes them such a monster -- apart from the guy wearing No. 24 -- is the long-limbed trio of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Odom.

I keep hearing that Odom doesn't have the leverage to hold out for the $10 million annual salary he wants, given that only Oklahoma City and Portland (if Utah matches the Blazers' offer sheet to Paul Millsap) have the salary-cap space to sign him outright in that range, but I would dispute that. For a couple of reasons.

Odom didn't just move to the bench last season (mostly) without complaint in a contract year. Of even greater consequence, Odom grew up with Ron Artest and is as close to Artest as anyone in the game, which suggests he'd be a useful aide to Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant in keeping Artest plugged into the Lakers' team objectives.

The Lakers still hope to sign ol' No. 24 to a contract extension this summer. Does Kobe even consider that now if Odom isn't re-signed?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/s ... AHeadlines

[bc legends]

hoping the mavs can find a way to sign him, im sure money won't be a problem for cuban.

[CelticFaninLBC]

Dallas should sign him for 1 year and give him a big deal next year... LA doesn't want to pay him.

[Slartibartfast]

Nobody's got cap space. He'll probably end up with the Lakers for 7 or 8 mil, which would be a darn good bargain. That's a dangerous team the Lakers got.

[Joekickass2008]

No way we could get Odom? S and T ???

[JordansBulls]

Odom should go to San Antonio or Portland.

[campybatman]

I still don't understand why Portland would go after Millsap and consider Odom when they've Aldridge. And I believe I'd read that Portland's intention is to bring Millsap off the bench. If you're Millsap, are you thrilled about that? That doesn't make any sense. Utah likely wants to start Millsap, and trade Boozer.

In general, the problem is, Odom wants to be paid as a star and he isn't one. He's a nice number two, a better number three.

[Fencer reregistered]

LA can and surely will give him better than MLE money, in a city he presumably enjoys living in, on a championship-contending team.

[bc legends]

from what i've seen the offer to LO has been taken off the table:

Monday Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said that he wasn't sure the organization and Lamar Odom's representative were ``on the same page.''

Now it looks as if the Lakers offer to the free agent forward has been taken off the table, according to our Elliott Teaford, who is attending the Lakers summer league game in Las Vegas.

http://www.insidesocal.com/lakers/2009/ ... table.html

[CelticFaninLBC]

I live in LA and was flipping the dial tonight and caught the tailend of a conversation re: Odom and Atlanta. Atlanta has cap space and could get into the mix..

[DEEP3CL]

I still don't understand why Portland would go after Millsap and consider Odom when they've Aldridge. And I believe I'd read that Portland's intention is to bring Millsap off the bench. If you're Millsap, are you thrilled about that? That doesn't make any sense. Utah likely wants to start Millsap, and trade Boozer.

Yeah I can't understand that either bons, simple logic says they would've went after him the first chance they got if he was really their target. And if they were to sign him that means Aldridge is most likely on the move.

In general, the problem is, Odom wants to be paid as a star and he isn't one. He's a nice number two, a better number three.

Yes this is very true, and like I've stated on our board and the GB, the Heat may be responsible for his over value anyway. They were the ones who desperately over paid for him 6 years ago when they didn't have to. The Clipper basically threw him out like trash.

[shortodom]

I live in LA and was flipping the dial tonight and caught the tailend of a conversation re: Odom and Atlanta. Atlanta has cap space and could get into the mix..

S&T Odom or Josh Smith?? hey if you guys think Big Baby is worth Josh then we could think LO is not really

[LongTimeFan]

If you look at the stats, then Odom is second only to Bryant on positive impact.

http://www.82games.com/0809/0809LAL.HTM

I'm hoping they do not sign him, but it really seems like a negotiating ploy. Maybe this will tick Odom off.

[campybatman]

I've to wonder is it about the number of years in the contract for Odom. Because what's really the difference between $10M a season versus $9M a season other than a distinction in the contract's worth based on total years.

[ParticleMan]

all a bunch of posturing imo.

they will settle on 4 yr, 40 mil or something. he doesn't want to leave LA and they don't want him to go.

the only real wildcard is POR, if they don't get Millsap they might throw that deal at Odom.

[dingodile]

He's going to resign. Where else is he going to go? To another lesser team for less money? Please. He has zero leverage here and "pulling the offer" is simply the Lakers way of reminding him. I applaud them for that.