Before this shortened NBA season began on Christmas Day, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom was looking forward to a season of redemption for the Los Angeles Lakers after being swept in four games by the eventual NBA champion Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs. Despite Odom coming off arguably his best season in the league, the Lakers had other plans for the versatile forward.
As one of the key pieces to a blockbuster trade for perennial All-Star point guard Chris Paul, Lamar Odom was crushed by the prospect of playing for another team and starting all over once again. Even though the trade for Paul was vetoed by the league, the damage was already done in Odom’s opinion, and as a result the forward request to be dealt elsewhere.
Shortly after Odom’s request, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak reached out to the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs just a few months earlier, the Dallas Mavericks. The trade sent Lamar Odom to the Mavs in exchange for a trade exception ($8.9 million) and a first-round draft pick. In many people’s eyes, this trade was a steal by the defending NBA champions and a devastating loss by the Lakers.
Unfortunately for Dallas, the trade hasn’t exactly worked out in their favor with Lamar Odom being a shell of his former self averaging just 7.7 points and 4.5 rebounds off the bench for the Mavericks. As if his numbers weren’t a big enough disappointment for Dallas this season, the veteran forward could be considering retirement after tending to his gravely ill father.
According to Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com, Lamar Odom will be out at least two more games for the Dallas Mavericks. Head coach Rick Carlisle commented on Odom’s status.
“Lamar is going to not be with us these two games and then we’ll update everybody Thursday as to where we’re at,” Carlisle said. “But he’s got a tough situation he’s going through. We’re very supportive as a franchise and we’ll let you know Thursday where we are.”
Even though Lamar Odom could be back on the floor for the Dallas Mavericks after missing two more games, the future of the versatile forward is still very much up in the air. There has been talk of the Mavs buying out Odom’s contract, but it is unclear how serious the team would be about making this move at this point.