No Progress on Lamar Odom Talks

LAS VEGAS -- Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak was sitting courtside watching the Clippers' future franchise player, Blake Griffin, drop 17 first-half points on his Lakers. And the person who may defend Griffin in the paint during the regular season doesn't look any more closer to returning to the Lakers than last week.

Lamar Odom remains an unrestricted free agent and Kupchak said progress has come to a halt, despite Trevor Ariza leaving L.A. for the Houston Rockets last week. Odom is free to sign with any team and may be the league's most attractive free agent on the market. Still, Kupchak appeared bleak when asked about the prospects of bringing Odom back, which could be critical to the Lakers' chances of defending their NBA title.

"The word I used last week was 'hopeful' so let's take it from there," he said Monday at the Thomas & Mack Center. "I am really not sure where we are right now. We have made no plans to talk [with his representatives]."

It appeared imminent that the Lakers would sign Odom once two things occurred: Ariza signed with Houston, and the Lakers used their mid-level exception to sign Ron Artest, meaning money was available to sign Odom. But it is believed the mercurial Odom is seeking $10 million per season while the Lakers would like to pay him $8 million per.

The Portland Trail Blazers, who want to add another post player, may make an offer if Utah matches their offer sheet for forward Paul Millsap as expected.

"I am surprised it has taken us this long to get where we are," Kupchak said. "[Portland's situation] should really have no effect on anything."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-14-2009 @ 12:25AM

Robert said...

At what point do we tell him to find better elsewhere? This is a joke. He and Ariza were both saying after the season ended, that they wanted to come back. Then Ariza's agent tells him the grass is greener on the other side. Odom must have been looking at that same yard. Enough of the game playing with him. He wants a salary the Laker's cannot afford to pay him. Let him try his luck with Portland! Oh, that's right, they are not interested.

7-14-2009 @ 1:14AM

Giles said...

The Lakers were better with Odom starting than with Bynum starting. If the Lakers don`t sign Odom, who are they going to start at power forward? Artest? The who starts at wing forward? Bryant? Then who plays either guard spot? Brown and Farmer? Are the Lakers going to start Powell and Morisson up front? Odom could start at center for the Knicks or Suns. A lot of teams need quality up front, and Odom isn`t an all star, but he is a champion.

7-14-2009 @ 2:00PM

Bryan said...

but nobody is willing or able to pay the money he is asking

7-14-2009 @ 1:28AM

markjsunz said...

It is always about the money, the players and the owners.

7-14-2009 @ 11:38AM

321funky said...

If a deal isn't made within the next week, I think it's fair to say that Odom is gone. This surely hurts the Lakers a bit, but not as much as everyone is exagerating. Although he is undoubtedly one of the most versatile players in the league the Lakers are still a three-headed monster with Kobe, Gasol, and Artest and who knows, maybe Bynum we'll meet the hype this season.

7-14-2009 @ 1:06PM

Martin said...

The Lakers are between a rock and a hard place. Odom was great in the playoffs, particularly because he was shooting 3's at a rate of in excess of 50% (and Fisher, Farmar and Sasha were having a tough time shooting). However, in the regular season, Odom only shot 3's at a rate of 32% and last year, in both the regular season and playoffs, he only shot them at a rate of 27%. Thus, assuming his shooting in this year's playoffs was an aberration, he really isn't worth more than what the Lakers have offered.

However, as Portland will be one of the primary contenders for the championship next year, they have the opportunity to weaken the Lakers while improving themselves by going after Odom. If Portland adds Odom to their team, the Lakers likely will not get out of the Western Conference, let alone to the finals, unless they can pick up another top free agent. Thus, the Lakers may have to overpay Odom to keep their championship hopes alive.

7-14-2009 @ 1:15PM

5thStFreddie said...

The people who stated that Ron Artest is a big upgrade from Trevor Ariza should reconsider their credentials. In one season, Trevor Ariza became the breakthrough player of the year, a guy who could do it all. He averaged more steals per minute than anyone in the NBA, developed a great shot, hustled non-stop, and is quicker and longer than Artest. The punchline??? Anyone who thinks the Lakers can afford to lost Odom is delusional. Odom and Ariza are the perfect teammates: the filled in all the gaps and made plays, on offense and defense, where no one expected them to make them. Yes, Lakers fans are praying that Bynum rsumes his march toward greatness: his performance in the playoffs was bafflin. Odom is a must: his work in the low post with Paul Gasol was the best tandem of any two big men in the NBA, and ultimately the secret to the Laker's season. Mitch Kupchak is an inch from his personal Waterloo if he can't find a way to make this deal: trade Walton and that cross-eyed gunner, Vujacic, for an old stiff with a big contract, and then cut him. The loss of Odom, a 6'10" big man with enormous athletic skils, and one of the best rebounders in the game, would ruin everything they have built...

7-14-2009 @ 4:39PM

Summer isn`t over yet, and Odom has already temporarily come down 2 million a year from what he was making, if the Lakers don`t up their offer 2 million to match, someone else WILL. That may be for the best. But if the Lakers let Odom go, they`ll need at least one or two replacements for him. And not everyone is sold on Artest, yet. I wish Odom and the Lakers well, together or apart.

7-14-2009 @ 5:58PM

chris said...

lets get odom lakers have plenty of money so pay the man what he wants. lakers charge enough for there tickets and parking and jerry buss spends enough money in the casino and women. and didnt have to pay for a parade...