Lamar Odom: NBA's Reigning Sixth Man Should Focus on 2012-13 Season

Lamar Odom needs to chalk the 2011-12 season up as water under the bridge. He can't sign with another team and right this train-wreck of a season. 

Odom's feelings were battered and bruised, and his game was the black eye. 

The best thing he can do is to get himself in tip-top shape mentally and physically. If he can get himself together, he can be an outstanding addition for almost any contender in the 2012-13 season.

Notice I said almost—I can't see him back in Dallas or LA—unless it's with the Clippers.

Amidst all of the drama, let us not forget, he's only 32. He's the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, has two championship rings and career averages of 14 points, 8.6 rebounds and four assists per game.

Now, he can take this time to think about the best way to present himself to potential suitors during the offseason. Once he signs, he can get acclimated to the system and teammates he'll be playing with.

By midseason, he could easily be in line for another piece of NBA hardware—possibly Comeback Player of the Year.

Odom has had a terrible year—the 6.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists are all career lows by plenty.

He must realize, he has a lot of quality basketball left in him.

At this point, it's all mental. And hopefully, he has learned a valuable lesson during all of this.

Basketball is a business, and friends are optional—not required. As long as he understands that, he'll never allow himself to be in this position again.

This will only be the end of Odom's career if he wants it to be.