Dallas Mavericks: Is Lamar Odom Still Mentally a Laker?

Lamar Odom's attachment to Los Angeles is killing him in Dallas. The former Laker seems to be struggling big time with adjusting to his new digs.

Odom is currently averaging career lows in every major statistical category. Others have taken notice, as former NBA great and TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley weighed in:

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Lamar Odom is just mentally out of it. It's like he was so offended that the Lakers wanted to trade him—it's like he's not there right now. He's a real good player. But it seems like he went through a divorce...and he's just out of it. He's not even close to being the same guy. And he's a heck of a guy. But it seems like he was so shook up and he hasn't snapped out of it.

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When asked if he could see Odom snapping out of it, he said, "I thought he'd snap out of it by now. It's frustrating to watch, because guys get traded all the time. We're all pieces of meat—it's nothing personal."

Odom has undergone plenty of turmoil over the past season with family tragedies, accidents, the lockout and ultimately the trade. Still, Odom's biggest issue seems to be an inability to deal with what he perceives as rejection.

He had found a home in Los Angeles, figuratively and literally, and that was where he was comfortable. Still, this is a business, and Odom must realize that.

It's troubling that when asked if he watches Lakers games, he said, "I can't allow myself to."

It is unhealthy for a player to be that attached to a franchise. It will hardly ever end in their favor. What is even more detrimental is to allow his disappointment to show, almost without discretion.

"When you have relationships with people and there are hard times, you know how to deal with one another," Odom said. "When you don't, it's obvious."

It is time for Odom to let go of his emotional attachment to the Lakers. He can come back to the Purple and Gold as a free agent or as an assistant when he retires. For now, it's time to be a professional, and that means committing physically and mentally to the Dallas Mavericks.