This is what I wrote for RealGM:
The L.A. Lakers have retracted an offer to Lamar Odom. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers offered Odom a deal for $9 million a season for four years at $36 million, or $10 million a season over three years for a total of $30 million, but Odom and his agent, Jeff Schwartz, have been unresponsive. Upset at the stalemate, Lakers owner Jerry Buss broke off all negotiations. Schwartz is reportedly seeking a five-year, $50 million deal.
I think Buss is taking the negotiations too personally. It’s one thing to trade Shaquille O’Neal to the Heat a year after he screams “Pay me!” during a preseason game, or lay down the hammer on Trevor Ariza’s agent when Ron Artest is waiting in the wings, but as Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak noted just five days ago, there’s “no replacement for Lamar Odom.”
The Lakers have committed $83.8 million in salary for the upcoming season, so finding equal value for Odom through free agency is impossible. A sign-and-trade is almost certainly out of the question as well since the Lakers would have to take back comparable salary, and the chances of them receiving equal talent in return are just as slim.
All that said, neither side is negotiating from a position of strength. Odom hasn’t received a better offer elsewhere. Miami and Dallas have expressed interest, but the most they can tender is the mid-level exception ($5.8 million). It looks like Schwartz is trying to leverage the Lakers into offering a five-year extension, but until Utah matches Portland’s offer for Paul Millsap, the Lakers can sit back and call Odom’s bluff, even though their hand is weak.
However, if Utah matches Portland’s offer, as expected, the pendulum will swing in Odom’s favor since the Blazers could offer him the five-year, $50 million contract he’s seeking. In fact, I’m surprised Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard hasn’t turned his attention to Odom.
To read the full column, click here.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:04 am
If Miami nabs him for the MLE, I may throw up.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Scott:
That makes two of us. In all seriousness though, I don’t know why Odom’s camp is even considering signing with the Heat. The per year salary is less than the Lakers are offering, and the state-tax benefits have been overstated.
The most the Heat can offer is a five-year, $34 million contract at the mid-level exception. The Lakers are offering four years and $36 million.
July 17th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Great read, Brandon.
I guess I’ve always felt that Odom has been overpaid pretty much his entire career.
Specifically, Odom has been paid (I won’t write “earned”) over $69 million 9 seasons playing in the NBA, for a yearly average of $7.7 million per year.
Odom’s 1999 draft classmate Manu Ginobli has averaged $5.6 million per year.
Manu has been a CRITICAL component of 3 NBA championships for the Spurs, and shows his team first mentality by coming of the bench or starting — whatever Pop wants — without a peep.
Odom has been a flake his entire career (to put it kindly) and has been paid primarily on potential, not production.
If Odom really feels like $9 million a year for 4 years is beneath him, then perhaps he ought to refund the Clippers, Heat and Lakers the money he didn’t actually EARN in previous years, THEN from a position of equal footing, start making his demands of the Lakers.
Odom is a greedy head case, and is wanted by the Lakers not because he’s earned everyone’s respect over the years, but because there is no one else available with that skill set at his height.
I’m with Buss on this one.
Odom can eat some humble pie and redeem himself by “settling” for $36 million, or he can walk and prove himself the donkey we’ve so often seen from him in his checkered NBA career.
The “he’s alright because my team needs him” mentality isn’t a healthy one for sports fans to foster.
Odom is not alright.
July 17th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Basketballogy:
It’s worth noting that Miami signed Odom back in 2004, so the Lakers had nothing to do with his last deal.
I disagree with your opinion of Lamar. I think he’s highly valued by the Lakers, and rightfully so. The Lakers WOULD NOT have won the championship last season without Odom.
He hedged at the prospect of coming off the bench initially, but he accepted the role without complaint shortly after the season began, despite the fact that he would start for just about every other team in the league.
Also, I think he’s earned everyone’s respect — on and off the court. His teammates love him, the coaching staff speaks highly of him, and he has a great relationship with the media. I’ve covered three or four Laker games thus far, and the LA media almost always converges around Odom’s locker before and after games to shoot the breeze. Odom has his quirks of course, but he’s a very likable guy.
Check this out:
http://ballerblogger.com/2009/03/18/lamar-odoms-story/