Suns have talked to Lakers about Odom ?

[J Rob]

The one thing that bothers me if we get Marrion is if we ever face the Sun's Odom would school Marion all game long

We Laker fans are living in 2 years ago: look at Marion's stats in last years 5 playoff games vs. Odom's.

They're pretty even...if there's a winner it was Marion, not Odom.

Not to mention, like semi-sentient said, we'd be taking the Suns best defender/rebounder, and throwing him into our already superior defensive lineup.

Conclusion: Stats don't tell everything. And totally basing stats as a means to compare players in not concrete. But in this case, since the both play SF/PF and have been in the league the same amount of seasons, stats is a great way to determine what player is a better fit, especially since this is Odom's 4th year as a Laker.

The only thing Odom has on Marion stat-wise is APG. But with Fisher and Walton as main facilitators and Kobe dishing it to the open man after being double/triple teamed, we don't need more passers. We need more aggressive offense and defense and CONSISTANCY.

Awesome breakdown. I don't understand why people care that 2 years ago Odom had a big series against Marion.

It only matters what they do against the rest of the league and Marion is winning that battle by a landslide.

[idf469]

i have to say the team looks really good when Kobe and Ariza are in the floor, imagine having a player that is twice as good in every single aspect than Ariza.....hmmmmmm

[Tommy Trojan]

Alright alright I conclude with you guys, Bring in Marion Mitch.

You have my approval.

Signed... Dr. Buss

[Joe Kleazy]

It just kills me how we BEG odom to be more aggresive offensively and he cant do it with his " talent '. ANY court in america, if you tell a guy to shoot more they would be estatic. 6'10........you kiddin me?

[hermes]

How can anybody think Odom is better then Marion.
Lets see

1. Health- Marion
2. Scoring- Marion
3. Rebounding- Tied
4. Shot blocking- Marion
5. Defense- Marion
6. Steals- Marion
7. Ball handling- Odom
8. Passing- Odom

Seriously Marion is a pereniol allstar and an Ironman who is consistant. Odom is none of those things. You guys know if Odom was on the Heat and Marion was on the Suns and you were asked who is better Marion would be your answer. It's total Bias to think Odom is the better player. No expert not living in LA would take Odom. None.

ya but odom has a star on his head

[J Rob]

One more thing I like about Marion is the way he finishes around the basket.

Odom gets a lot of opportunities to take the ball to the basket but he struggles to finish at times.

Marion on the other hand, dunks just about everything hard.

He also has the best floater I've seen from anybody not listed as a guard.

Also, he shoots pretty well from the corner where guys like Ariza get wide-open looks all the tme.

P.S. Damn Hermes, I thought you were a scout like a month ago?

[ock]

odom is just a player with potential who will never reach it.

i like the guy's personality, but he needs a switch to go on in his head.

[semi-sentient]

ya but odom has a star on his head

Good point. I changed my mind... let's keep Odom.

That star goes a long way towards distracting other players.

[ock]

that star is a little depressing. another symbol of something he will never reach.

[Sedale Threatt]

odom is just a player with potential who will never reach it.

i like the guy's personality, but he needs a switch to go on in his head.

That switch doesn't exist. He simply doesn't have the game or the mentality to be a consistently aggressive scorer. It's not in his nature.

That said, when others step up and we don't need his scoring, Odom suddenly becomes pretty damn valuable.

I'm surprised that nobody's mentioned any mental issues when it comes to Marion. Specifically, this guy apparently struggles to play next to Steve Nash; i.e., he feels he doesn't get enough attention/credit.

If that's the case, and he does indeed chafe next to arguably the most unselfish player in basketball, how would he react playing next to Kobe?

Plus, one of his bigger knocks on Marion is that he also tends to fade in the clutch. Isn't that basically the main reason everyone wants to dump Odom?

[DEEP3CL]

I'll take Marion in a heart beat. Another energy guy who will give it his all night in and night out.

[-G-]

[quote="Sedale Threatt"][/quote]

I don't think he has a problem with Nash. It's Amare.

[Sedale Threatt]

Hmmm...I'm not sure about that.

From Jack McCallum's "Seven Seconds or Less" :

A graver concern is that Marion has gone into the tank, or at least stuck one foot into it, partly because news has leaked out that Nash has won his second straight Most Valuable Player award. Marion legitimately likes Nash, and, at some level, recognizes his greatness.

Still, Marion sees himself as every bit as valuable to the Suns as Nash, and, further, his people around him, in particular his agent, Dan Fegan, see him the same way. During the regular season, Fegan has lobbied with D'Antoni to include Marion in any MVP conversations with the press.

So, even though he seems to like Nash, he still has a problem playing with him because of the abundance of attention Nash gets.

I seem to remember another anecdote about Nash winning his first MVP on Marion's birthday. The team bent over backwards to get him a cake and have a big ceremony so he wouldn't feel left out. Sounds more like a teenage girl than a grown man.

Marion just seems to me like a sensitive, whiny head case with all the bitching he does about not being respected. He's making, what, $16 million a year, he plays on a great team, in a great city, with probably the best teammate in the leage....and he wants to be traded?

Another passage:

His delicate psyche is never far from the coaching staff's collective mind. . . Marion lives in a perpetual state of fear that he is being overlooked, underrespected, ignored, dissed, persecuted, singled out, patronized, whatever.

Plus, year in and year out his tendency to disappear is usually a big reason why the Suns get beat in the playoffs.

So, all things considered, would he really be much of an improvement over Odom? Perhaps, but it's worth thinking about the entire package, not just the gaudy stats.

[trippy]

How can anybody think Odom is better then Marion.
Lets see

1. Health- Marion
2. Scoring- Marion
3. Rebounding- Tied
4. Shot blocking- Marion
5. Defense- Marion
6. Steals- Marion
7. Ball handling- Odom
8. Passing- Odom

Seriously Marion is a pereniol allstar and an Ironman who is consistant. Odom is none of those things. You guys know if Odom was on the Heat and Marion was on the Suns and you were asked who is better Marion would be your answer. It's total Bias to think Odom is the better player. No expert not living in LA would take Odom. None.

We're all praising Ariza for his D, hustle, and slashing, imagine if we had Marion LOL.

[Sedale Threatt]

Pereniol? Debute? I always feel like I'm reading a foreign language when I read Star's posts.

[trippy]

2nd chance opportunities and points over turnovers are pretty underrated. How do teams go on runs? Forcing tough shots and/or turnovers. Defense is so underrated in terms opinions and perspectives, but yet it's magnified during the real games.

[kobe#8]

Marion to LA

[The Laker Kid]

Tough decision.. let me try

Odom = has a star on his head
Marion = shoots like a girl

hmmmm....

[LAKESHOW]

DUMP LAMAR IMMEDIATELY!

[idf469]

we should add a poll Lamar vs Marion (if we dont have one already)