Los Angeles Lakers Must Make Decision About Lamar Odom's Future

First off, even though I am a die-hard Lakers fan, I would like to congratulate the Celtics on winning the championship. I am happy that Garnett didn't end up with Malone and Barkley as the best players to never win a ring, and I am happy for both Paul Pierce and P.J. Brown for finally winning a title as well.

These finals were devastating to me. The Lakers played like complete crap and still could have easily won the series if they were mentally tougher.

However, Gasol was just too soft (he really missed Bynum), Odom is just too damn inconsistent, and the role players were scared and couldn't handle the pressure of the Finals. They will learn from this, as they are all young and inexperienced.

Looking forward towards the future of the Lakers, they have a pivotal decision to make this summer: What the hell do they do with Lamar Odom? Odom's contract expires next year, and he stands to make around $14 million. He would be tremendously valuable in a trade, as some teams would love to earn salary cap relief by adding a huge expiring contract coming off their books.

Remember that Pau Gasol heist the Lakers worked out? They got an established All-Star big man in the prime of his career for one expensive expiring contract (Kwame Brown, $9 million) and a couple of unproven young players (Crittenton and Mark Gasol).

If the Lakers could get Gasol for Kwame Brown's expiring contract, what could they get for Odom, whose contract is $5 million more than Brown's and who will still be an all-around contributor for the season he's still on the books?

Here are a couple of different scenarios the Lakers could perform:

Keep Odom, and get a little bit of salary cap relief of their own.

The Lakers still have to lock up Bynum, Farmar, and others for the rest of their bright futures. Then, they could use their mid-level exception to add a veteran big man who is a tough defender and good rebounder, as well A solid perimeter veteran player who will be good in critical games in the playoffs.

Lineup: Fisher, Kobe, Odom, Gasol, Bynum, and two veterans added to youthful bench.

Keep Odom, and attempt to attract a big name player for the entire mid-level.

Then, they can roll out a lineup that would include Fisher, Kobe, Corey Maggette/Ron Artest, Odom, Gasol, Bynum and the great, improving bench.

Trade Odom for another small forward.

Odom is a below average outside shooter. A more traditional small forward would stretch the floor more for the Lakers. Some potential options include Richard Jefferson, Mike Miller, Josh Howard, Ron Artest (if he doesn't opt out), Gerald Wallace, and Andres Nocioni. Each of these players are ether excellent outside shooters or very good defensive perimeter players.

Trade Odom for a couple of good role players to make the team deeper.

An example of this would be trading him for a good point guard, as Fisher is better suited coming off the bench and Farmar is too young to be the lead guard for a championship contended .

Some potential players include Kirk Hinrich (if the Bulls draft Rose with the first pick), Caleron/Ford, Mo Williams or Andre Miller.

A potential lineup would be one of the point guards I mentioned, Kobe, a combination of Ariza, Radmanovic, and Walton at the three, Gasol, Bynum, with the bench and a possible veteran addition or two.

The Lakers have a lot of different ways they could go. I personally think that Odom will not fit with Bynum and Gasol at the center and power forward spots. He isn't a good shooter, and needs to play inside to be effective. I believe they should trade for a shooter or a defender—most notably, Jefferson, Nocioni, or Wallace—or keep him and get Artest or Maggette with the entire mid-level exception (around $6.2 million a year for up to five years).

I think Maggete would be interested in the Lakers, as he is good friends with Kobe, he could stay in L.A., and he would have an important role on a championship contender for the next four to five years.

Artest is a more complicated issue, as he has several off the court problems to worry about. Imagine a lineup of Fisher, Kobe, Maggette, Gasol, and Bynum, with Odom coming off the bench.  Then, after the season, the Lakers can use the salary cap space gained by not re-signing Odom to sign Bynum and Farmar to long-term contracts.

I am curious to find out what you other Lakers fans think they should do with Odom. If you think he should be traded, make a suggestion on who they should attempt to get in return for.