Lamar Odom: Veteran Sent to D-League for Rehab Stint by Dallas Mavericks

Update: Friday, March 2 at 7:35 p.m. EST by Ryan Rudnansky

Apparently not everything is peachy between Lamar Odom and the Dallas Mavericks.

While Odom has been away from the team the past week, coach Rick Carlisle and owner Mark Cuban have been adamant that they would like to work things out with the struggling forward.

But Carlisle is growing increasingly frustrated.

Carlisle told ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM's "Galloway & Co." on Friday, per ESPN:

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"It's got to be few words and strong action and it's got to go from there, and I'm sure he'll address the team. But, from this point going forward it's attitude and action.

"We're going to do everything we can to get the guy ready to play ... but he's well aware now of exactly what's expected. And it's not about the stats. It's about how he approaches it in terms of his actions on the court, his engagement in the game, being into and intensity, passion all those kind of things."

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Carlisle added:

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"When he comes back, we're going to find out very quickly where things are at. He's going to have to show us with his actions and attitude that he's in.

"Mark asks a fundamental question of anybody in our franchise: Are they in or are they not in? Our fans want to know that Lamar's in. Our players want to know that Lamar's in. It's not about how many points he's scoring or rebounds; those things are a factor. Our fans, our players want to see the guy playing like his pants are on fire and we haven't seen that so far and that's got to change."

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Lamar Odom has officially been sent to the NBA Development League's Texas Legends by the Dallas Mavericks, according to Earl Sneed of Mavs.com.

Odom has been away from the team for more than a week to deal with personal issues related to his family. The rehab assignment will be used to get the forward back into game shape before likely returning to the Mavericks lineup.

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The Mavs have officially assigned Lamar Odom to the D-League's Texas Legends.

— Earl K. Sneed (@EKS_MavsNBA) March 2, 2012"

What It Means

The entire situation has been odd. Ever since Odom missed the team's game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 22, the updates on his status have been few and far between. There was even a report about buying out his contract, which the Mavericks said they had no interest in doing.

Whatever personal issues Odom was attempting to work out for the past week have apparently been resolved. Sending him down for a quick stint in the D-League will allow him to get his legs back under him while also making sure he's completely focused on returning.

Dallas has missed Odom's presence with the injuries beginning to mount. Dirk Nowitzki is fighting through a back injury, and Delonte West continues to sit out with a finger problem. Getting Odom back would provide some much-needed depth.

What Happens Next?

The Legends' next game is against the Austin Toros on Saturday night. Odom will probably play just enough minutes to where he feels comfortable with his form before making his return to the Mavericks, who would next play on Monday.

Upon returning to the Mavs, the team will be expecting his production to increase. He was averaging under eight points in 21 minutes per game before the unexpected departure. It was undoubtedly the worst basketball the veteran had played in his career.

He hasn't seemed like himself since coming over from the Lakers in the offseason, so maybe a week away simply allowed him to clear his head. He's proven to be a valuable contributor in the past, and that's what Dallas will be hoping for after the weekend.