NBA Rumors: Lamar Odom Is Addition by Subtraction for the Dallas Mavericks
Finally, after a miserable segment of a season and banishment off to the hinterlands of reality television, the Dallas Mavericks may finally have rid themselves of Lamar Odom.
According to a report from Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, the Mavs have agreed to send the disgruntled Odom to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers send guard Mo Williams to the Utah Jazz, and the Jazz give Dallas a trade exception from their deal of Mehmet Okur to New Jersey last summer.
The deal is contingent on Williams exercising his $8.5 million player option for next season.
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Ostensibly, this deal sheds cap money for Dallas, which is intent on bringing in free agent point guard Deron Williams this summer, while also finally ridding itself of the stench Odom left all over the franchise after his disgraceful performance last year.
Odom, a Sixth Man of the Year with the Lakers the year before last, decided he'd rather pout and poison the well than play for a veteran team coming off a championship after being traded from L.A. last offseason. He played in 50 games and averaged 6.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in one of the most unprofessional, childish, selfish displays the NBA has seen in some time.
It was Odom's worst statistical season of his career, and nothing prior even comes close.
The Mavs struggled last season, as defending their title without Tyson Chandler and with the sulking Odom proved to be a very tough task.
Even though the Mavs mercifully sent Odom home before season's end, having him completely gone from the organization as a whole can only help the Mavs going forward.
Not only is Odom and his spoiled, entitled attitude gone from their locker room (thus allowing Dallas to chop his salary for the upcoming season off their books), with the trade exception from the Jazz, the Mavs can potentially make another deal down the road regardless of whether it can lure Williams into the fold.
It's a win-win for the Mavs. The only thing they'd like better is D-Will.
We'll find out if that happens on Sunday.
