Lamar Odom: Should the L.A. Lakers Take a Step Back to Move Forward?

According to Stephen A. Smith, former Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom wants to return to the city of angels and according to LakersNation.com, coach Mike Brown would love to have Odom back as well.

The article really doesn't give any new insight since Odom looked like he left his heart and game in Los Angeles anyway, but if he really does want to come back it could be an intriguing prospect for the Lakers.

Odom was the NBA's sixth man of the year in 2011 and it would be silly to think that his game has really regressed as much as his time in Dallas would suggest.

Odom has shown throughout his career that he is a prisoner to his emotions, so the Lakers first failed attempt to trade him for Chris Paul must have sent him spiraling into a depression.

After all, Odom finally realized a portion of the enormous potential that had been predicted since he was a high schooler in New York, and in Los Angeles he played a major role in earning two championships for the Lakers.

 Not to mention Odom's marital ties to the Kardashian spectacle.

I'm sure a return to Los Angeles would be second heaven for Khloe, but the effects on Odom's game could probably be measured in biblical terms as well.

Odom's presence would immediately turn the Laker's biggest weakness, which was their bench into a strength. Additionally, his rare ball handling and play-making ability would make the life of Ramon Sessions, or whoever was manning the lead guard position, much easier.

More importantly, the Lakers would get every inch of Odom's heart and hustle since he would be seeking to prove that last season was a fluke.

The Lakers really have nothing to lose by acquiring Odom, and after witnessing the train wreck that doubled as a reserve unit for the Lakers last season, why not take a chance?

Odom is certainly not a long term fix for the Lakers but establishing chemistry would not be an issue, and Odom's unselfishness could actually bridge the fissure that has erupted between Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, if the Lakers choose to keep Gasol.

The Lakers need to make a few adjustments if they hope to take advantage of Bryant's diminishing title window, so why not start with a player that Kobe has been through a few wars with?

It's obvious that the Lakers need to upgrade their bench anyway, and taking a chance on Odom couldn't be worse than gambling on their current reserve unit.