How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shHgs0RDpds[/youtube]
Good morning Fam, I wanted to start a different discussion about Lamar Odom on a lighter note. Especially that merge post that we have discussion Lamar condition title throws some people off. But I think as time goes by, many of the younger poster do not know how big of an addition Lamar Odom was when we signed him. And many who have been around my have forgotten how good he was as a Heat player, most of that talk now revolves around Wade (understandingly because of the impact he has had on the franchise since then).
In 2003 Odom, was the best player on the team. The Heat were at its best when the offense ran through him. The year started off slow, because a new culture, young players and at that time an unconventional roster and system. Which became the system that Lebron James excelled in here.
I remember when Odom was in the draft, and how Riley was fascinated in Odom. (He had the look of Magic Johnson). Riley executed the perfect scheme to get Odom as a free agent, by forcing the Clippers hand to resigned Brand to a enormous contract. All along Odom was Riley target. But lets cut short on that history.
In 2003 Odom average 17.1 pts, 9.7 rbs and 4.1 assist a game. In a Pat spin off system that was built for him, to be the point fwd, the team would go as he would go. As the season went, you would see Odom getting better and better. Thou most remember Wade rise in the playoffs, it was Odom who was carrying the load night in and night out. As well he was becoming a hellava of a defender, in a defense that emphasized being disruptive with length and speed more so than height. He was becoming that star that everyone thought he would become. Coming in big games like the huge Dallas when that helped surge us as a playoff team with 26pts, 18rbs and 4 assist.
I never disagreed trading him for Shaquille Oneal. Early in his Laker tenure, Odom struggle to play in the triangle, which was not built for his type of game and found himself many times as a spot up shooter. Almost decided to return to Miami once he became a free agent, but Miami ultimately didn't have the money. He settle in LA in a 6th man role, that allowed him to play out of the triangle system and freelance and become the sixth man of the year.
But I always wondered if he stayed in the Miami system that built around him. How good would of Odom have become? IMO, I believe he would of become a Hall of Famer (yet he still may). I could have forseen a year where he average 21 pts, 12 rb and 6 assist.
Those that do remember early Lamar Odom and his time in Miami. How good do you think he would have become?
Good morning Fam, I wanted to start a different discussion about Lamar Odom on a lighter note. Especially that merge post that we have discussion Lamar condition title throws some people off. But I think as time goes by, many of the younger poster do not know how big of an addition Lamar Odom was when we signed him. And many who have been around my have forgotten how good he was as a Heat player, most of that talk now revolves around Wade (understandingly because of the impact he has had on the franchise since then).
In 2003 Odom, was the best player on the team. The Heat were at its best when the offense ran through him. The year started off slow, because a new culture, young players and at that time an unconventional roster and system. Which became the system that Lebron James excelled in here.
I remember when Odom was in the draft, and how Riley was fascinated in Odom. (He had the look of Magic Johnson). Riley executed the perfect scheme to get Odom as a free agent, by forcing the Clippers hand to resigned Brand to a enormous contract. All along Odom was Riley target. But lets cut short on that history.
In 2003 Odom average 17.1 pts, 9.7 rbs and 4.1 assist a game. In a Pat spin off system that was built for him, to be the point fwd, the team would go as he would go. As the season went, you would see Odom getting better and better. Thou most remember Wade rise in the playoffs, it was Odom who was carrying the load night in and night out. As well he was becoming a hellava of a defender, in a defense that emphasized being disruptive with length and speed more so than height. He was becoming that star that everyone thought he would become. Coming in big games like the huge Dallas when that helped surge us as a playoff team with 26pts, 18rbs and 4 assist.
I never disagreed trading him for Shaquille Oneal. Early in his Laker tenure, Odom struggle to play in the triangle, which was not built for his type of game and found himself many times as a spot up shooter. Almost decided to return to Miami once he became a free agent, but Miami ultimately didn't have the money. He settle in LA in a 6th man role, that allowed him to play out of the triangle system and freelance and become the sixth man of the year.
But I always wondered if he stayed in the Miami system that built around him. How good would of Odom have become? IMO, I believe he would of become a Hall of Famer (yet he still may). I could have forseen a year where he average 21 pts, 12 rb and 6 assist.
Those that do remember early Lamar Odom and his time in Miami. How good do you think he would have become?
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
If we had money to sign him back, he never would have been associated with the Kardashians.


Bright
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
I was stuck in the middle back when it was a chance for him to comeback during '09 offseason as well as the possibility of us getting Booz from Utah because of it ruining our capspace for 2010. I remember Wade was lobbying for LO to comeback on Twitter.
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
He could have had a borderline HOF career like Webber.
Imagine rookie Wade at that point blossoming into a superstar along side Odom.
I was against trading for Shaq. Still think about what could 've been.
I am happy Heat got the first championship and Riley first since the Lakers years, but
we could have been a contender year in and year out for next 10 years, playing an exciting bball.
It was like selling a nice real estate for a short term gain.
We just needed a tall defensive-minded center who couldve anchored the paint.
I loved Grant. A warrior, but too undersized to be a true anchor.
Who is the better player? Odom or Bosh?
Odom is much better player in my mind, but Bosh is the one who will end up as a Hall-of-Famer.
Shows you that players have to be lucky to fall into a good place to blossom.
Imagine rookie Wade at that point blossoming into a superstar along side Odom.
I was against trading for Shaq. Still think about what could 've been.
I am happy Heat got the first championship and Riley first since the Lakers years, but
we could have been a contender year in and year out for next 10 years, playing an exciting bball.
It was like selling a nice real estate for a short term gain.
We just needed a tall defensive-minded center who couldve anchored the paint.
I loved Grant. A warrior, but too undersized to be a true anchor.
Who is the better player? Odom or Bosh?
Odom is much better player in my mind, but Bosh is the one who will end up as a Hall-of-Famer.
Shows you that players have to be lucky to fall into a good place to blossom.
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
I think we may be remembering this with a bit of rose colored glasses. Also, we may be forgetting how good of a player CWeb was during the early 2000's when Sac and LAL regularly squared off.
"To do what others can't you must do what others won't"
"People don't lack strength... They lack will"
"People don't lack strength... They lack will"
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
he probly would still be using drugs but being more discrete about it because of the godfather's influence
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
Heat11114 wrote:I think we may be remembering this with a bit of rose colored glasses. Also, we may be forgetting how good of a player CWeb was during the early 2000's when Sac and LAL regularly squared off.
I certainly do agree here, in particular on Odom. He never had the mindset to be "The Guy." As much as I loved that team, trading him for Shaq was easily the right decision.
Now, I do think he would have been better playing here, as Wade's second option, but numbers aside, he did become a better player in LA. He learned a lot from Phil Jackson, and Phil really did get the most out of him from an intangibles standpoint. The only criticism I can add to their handling of Odom as a player is the fact that they didn't start him next to Gasol and Bynum, but honestly he was probably going to get more opportunity as a 6th man. They were too loaded with talent to allow him to explode, numbers wise. Kobe, Gasol, and Bynum were clearly better/more important. Now, honestly, I can see him being better, numbers-wise, here. I could see him topping out at 19 and 11 with 5 or 6 assists. He was a very under appreciated player, but he was what he was...
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
ZoStrong wrote:He could have had a borderline HOF career like Webber.
Imagine rookie Wade at that point blossoming into a superstar along side Odom.
I was against trading for Shaq. Still think about what could 've been.
I am happy Heat got the first championship and Riley first since the Lakers years, but
we could have been a contender year in and year out for next 10 years, playing an exciting bball.
It was like selling a nice real estate for a short term gain.
We just needed a tall defensive-minded center who couldve anchored the paint.
I loved Grant. A warrior, but too undersized to be a true anchor.
Who is the better player? Odom or Bosh?
Odom is much better player in my mind, but Bosh is the one who will end up as a Hall-of-Famer.
Shows you that players have to be lucky to fall into a good place to blossom.
I remember Odom being very inconsistent. Among the betting community he had so many bizarre moments on the court that they thought he worked for the mob

If u don't want 2b here, the way things work, u don't like it, then don't b here. U have 2 stand on something. If Miami ain't standing on something, they become alot of these organizations trying 2 find their identity. This is the culture, bro -Wade
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
Heat11114 wrote:I think we may be remembering this with a bit of rose colored glasses. Also, we may be forgetting how good of a player CWeb was during the early 2000's when Sac and LAL regularly squared off.
Yep, CWeb improved what ever team he played for, the guy was an outstanding talent......i would never compare Odom w/ him.
If u don't want 2b here, the way things work, u don't like it, then don't b here. U have 2 stand on something. If Miami ain't standing on something, they become alot of these organizations trying 2 find their identity. This is the culture, bro -Wade
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
ZoStrong wrote:He could have had a borderline HOF career like Webber.
Imagine rookie Wade at that point blossoming into a superstar along side Odom.
I was against trading for Shaq. Still think about what could 've been.
I am happy Heat got the first championship and Riley first since the Lakers years, but
we could have been a contender year in and year out for next 10 years, playing an exciting bball.
It was like selling a nice real estate for a short term gain.
We just needed a tall defensive-minded center who couldve anchored the paint.
I loved Grant. A warrior, but too undersized to be a true anchor.
Who is the better player? Odom or Bosh?
Odom is much better player in my mind, but Bosh is the one who will end up as a Hall-of-Famer.
Shows you that players have to be lucky to fall into a good place to blossom.
Bright
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
HeatWillRise wrote:ZoStrong wrote:He could have had a borderline HOF career like Webber.
Imagine rookie Wade at that point blossoming into a superstar along side Odom.
I was against trading for Shaq. Still think about what could 've been.
I am happy Heat got the first championship and Riley first since the Lakers years, but
we could have been a contender year in and year out for next 10 years, playing an exciting bball.
It was like selling a nice real estate for a short term gain.
We just needed a tall defensive-minded center who couldve anchored the paint.
I loved Grant. A warrior, but too undersized to be a true anchor.
Who is the better player? Odom or Bosh?
Odom is much better player in my mind, but Bosh is the one who will end up as a Hall-of-Famer.
Shows you that players have to be lucky to fall into a good place to blossom.

Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
3ballbomber wrote:Heat11114 wrote:I think we may be remembering this with a bit of rose colored glasses. Also, we may be forgetting how good of a player CWeb was during the early 2000's when Sac and LAL regularly squared off.
Yep, CWeb improved what ever team he played for, the guy was an outstanding talent......i would never compare Odom w/ him.
I think people are taking things out of context.
The thread asked "How good Lamar Odom would have been IF HE STAYED WITH HEAT?"
CWebb, I would put him above Odom, Bosh, Griffin, LA, etc... in terms of pure talents.
But he still ended his career as a borderline HOF. My argument was that IF Odom stayed with us, he might have ended his career as a borderline HOF as well.
Odom in that one year with us really shined as the best players for us, in part because Riley built that team around Odom's talents. Wade would have surpassed him in following years as the best player (again IF he stayed with us) but they would been a great tandem with Tough Juice, Eddie Jones, Grant, UD, and whoever Riley would have brought for the supporting roles.
Odom had a hard time fitting in LA's triangle system first 2~3 years with Kobe dominating the ball. Missed the playoff the first season finishing below .500. (That one year with us, he made it to the second round in the EC) Next two years the Lakers bowed out in the first round. So, what happened after three years in LA that made that team so successful winning back to back championships after losing the first one? Yup, Pau Gasol showed up. Yup, Odom finally found the role (the 6th man) and found the success. He was miserable the first three years there after being the man in Miami (I am quoting that miserable part from Bill Simmons. As much as I don't like him, he was in LA and regularly attended the Lakers games during that Phil Jackson years. He does have a pretty good insight in those Phil Jackson Laker teams)
CWebb improved whatever team he played for? Really?
Him teaming up with AI in Philly was not quite a success, making one playoff(first round exit) out of three seasons there. He had a amazing run in SAC, but his early years with Bullets was a bit disfunctional as well, making one playoff(first round exit) out of four years. Yes, those Sacramento teams were phenomenal and they should have won at least one ring. They were robbed in the playoff against Shaq's Lakers at least one time.
Who knows, even if Odom stayed with us, he still might have been distracted by off-court stuff. You never know.. But I bet Riley who loved him even before Odom was drafted, would have guided him better IF he stayed with us 7,8,9 years after that first season.
Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
I never fully believed the sex party rumor's back then with some of the Heat players, but I suppose I do now.
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
That is a great question, but we have to think of our team with him, we have to add caron back as well (ironically both have rings with lakers and Mavericks)... Could we have won championships with that trio. also do we keep eddie jones. Odom could have been good, but I am not sure he would be as great being the alpha... Wade was still developing.
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
things worked out great for both parties basketball wise. not sure he could have been better here. maybe more responsibilities but i doubt we win 2 rings like the lakers did.
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Re: How good would Lamar Odom would of been if he stayed with the Heat?
ZoStrong wrote:3ballbomber wrote:Heat11114 wrote:I think we may be remembering this with a bit of rose colored glasses. Also, we may be forgetting how good of a player CWeb was during the early 2000's when Sac and LAL regularly squared off.
Yep, CWeb improved what ever team he played for, the guy was an outstanding talent......i would never compare Odom w/ him.
I think people are taking things out of context.
The thread asked "How good Lamar Odom would have been IF HE STAYED WITH HEAT?"
CWebb, I would put him above Odom, Bosh, Griffin, LA, etc... in terms of pure talents.
But he still ended his career as a borderline HOF. My argument was that IF Odom stayed with us, he might have ended his career as a borderline HOF as well.
Odom in that one year with us really shined as the best players for us, in part because Riley built that team around Odom's talents. Wade would have surpassed him in following years as the best player (again IF he stayed with us) but they would been a great tandem with Tough Juice, Eddie Jones, Grant, UD, and whoever Riley would have brought for the supporting roles.
Odom had a hard time fitting in LA's triangle system first 2~3 years with Kobe dominating the ball. Missed the playoff the first season finishing below .500. (That one year with us, he made it to the second round in the EC) Next two years the Lakers bowed out in the first round. So, what happened after three years in LA that made that team so successful winning back to back championships after losing the first one? Yup, Pau Gasol showed up. Yup, Odom finally found the role (the 6th man) and found the success. He was miserable the first three years there after being the man in Miami (I am quoting that miserable part from Bill Simmons. As much as I don't like him, he was in LA and regularly attended the Lakers games during that Phil Jackson years. He does have a pretty good insight in those Phil Jackson Laker teams)
CWebb improved whatever team he played for? Really?
Him teaming up with AI in Philly was not quite a success, making one playoff(first round exit) out of three seasons there. He had a amazing run in SAC, but his early years with Bullets was a bit disfunctional as well, making one playoff(first round exit) out of four years. Yes, those Sacramento teams were phenomenal and they should have won at least one ring. They were robbed in the playoff against Shaq's Lakers at least one time.
Who knows, even if Odom stayed with us, he still might have been distracted by off-court stuff. You never know.. But I bet Riley who loved him even before Odom was drafted, would have guided him better IF he stayed with us 7,8,9 years after that first season.
Yeah i think most in here have been mislead Odom success in LA because of the titles they won. Odom struggle and the Lakers did not get the most out of Odom. Odom had to be demoted to sixth man, and change his game to help the Lakers. Odom was much more than he was in LA. He could have been the man, and was flourishing in that role here. His struggles in LA was the reason he thought about coming back to Miami. I honestly believe Odom would of become a 22, 12 and 6 player here. It would of been interesting to see what moves the Heat would of made to build around Odom and Wade.