Lamar Odom Trade: Lakers Finalize Trade To Send Unhappy Odom to Mavericks

Lamar Odom has officially been dealt to the Dallas Mavericks after asking the Lakers for a trade. 

The Lakers sent Odom and a 2012 second-round pick to Dallas in exchange for the Mavericks' 2012 first-round pick and a trade exception.

Los Angeles saved quite a bit of money ($18 million, counting luxury tax), but this deal doesn't make a ton of sense basketball wise.

Odom is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, putting up 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game last season. He is a versatile big man that causes matchup nightmares for nearly every team in the league.

Now, he'll be wearing the jersey of a Western Conference rival.

Many of his former Lakers teammates were frustrated with the deal, including Kobe Bryant.

Bryant was clearly upset at practice today, as he should be. The Lakers gave away one of its best players to the team that just swept them out of the playoffs.

“We were supposed to get them back. Do I think we got too little? Who did we get? I don’t think Mark Cuban is protesting this trade," Bryant said.

However, the Lakers didn't have a ton of options.

Odom's feelings were hurt after he found out they tried to send him to New Orleans. So he asked the organization to trade him, and they quickly obliged.

Los Angeles knew the 32-year-old Odom would only be valuable to teams that are in a position to win right now. That left few trade partners to negotiate with.

The Lakers have been active this offseason, desperately trying to land a superstar to pair with Bryant.

There has been speculation that they will now trade Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol for Dwight Howard, but Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register is reporting that won't happen.

General manager Mitch Kupchak better have some tricks up his sleeve, because this latest news won't sit well with Lakers fans.

If these questionable decisions backfire, heads will roll in the Lakers' front office.