NBA Free Agency and Trades

[body88]

Barring injuries, gotta make Boston and LA the favorites to meet in the Finals.  Looking forward to it.   

Agreed, I hope they meet injury free.

[UPINTHEMGUTS]

Looks like Odom is going to the Miami Heat.

The Lakers absolutely will not repeat without Odom.

[Dos Equis]

Looks like Odom is going to the Miami Heat.

The Lakers absolutely will not repeat without Odom.

I know Miami is interested, but haven't heard that Odom committed to Miami.  I still think he comes back to LA.  He'd be a fool not to return. 

But LA is still the favorite even without Odom IMO.  They won this year without a significant contribution from Bynum.  If Bynum is 100 percent, LA will be extremely tough to beat, especially with the addition of Artest. 

[UPINTHEMGUTS]

Without Odom, I think the Lakers fall behind San Antonio for the odds on favorite to win the title. A healthy Ginobli plus the additions of Jefferson and McDyess will have the Spurs cruising to 60+ wins this year.

Odom does everything for the Lakers. He's so versatile and talented in so many areas. Without him, the Lakers would not have won the championship. Bynum's a little bitch who shrinks away when he's in the spotlight. I like Artest but Odom is the straw that stirs the drink.

[Dos Equis]

Without Odom, I think the Lakers fall behind San Antonio for the odds on favorite to win the title. A healthy Ginobli plus the additions of Jefferson and McDyess will have the Spurs cruising to 60+ wins this year.

Odom does everything for the Lakers. He's so versatile and talented in so many areas. Without him, the Lakers would not have won the championship. Bynum's a little bitch who shrinks away when he's in the spotlight. I like Artest but Odom is the straw that stirs the drink.

That really overstates Odom's contribution to the team.  He was a huge part of the championship run, but the most important player on that team is/was Kobe.  Gasol is actually the one who pushed them over the top.  Bynum is a stud when healthy.  Did you see him play the last two seasons right before he got injured?  He was playing as well or better than any center in the NBA both times.  If that version of Bynum comes back, they will be extremely tough to beat, with or without Odom. 

Odom is also inconsistent.  When he's on his game he is a great X factor.  Then he can disappear for games at a time. 

SA will be good, but so will Denver and Portland . . . and LA. 

[UPINTHEMGUTS]

That really overstates Odom's contribution to the team.  He was a huge part of the championship run, but the most important player on that team is/was Kobe.  Gasol is actually the one who pushed them over the top.  Bynum is a stud when healthy.  Did you see him play the last two seasons right before he got injured?  He was playing as well or better than any center in the NBA both times.  If that version of Bynum comes back, they will be extremely tough to beat, with or without Odom. 

Odom is also inconsistent.  When he's on his game he is a great X factor.  Then he can disappear for games at a time. 

SA will be good, but so will Denver and Portland . . . and LA. 

I just think SA, if healthy, will win it next year. Not having Ginobli for the playoffs last season was a big reason the Lakers cruised to the Finals.(minus the 7 game debacle against the Rockets.)

Four titles in eight years. 'Nuff said.

[Dos Equis]

I just think SA, if healthy, will win it next year. Not having Ginobli for the playoffs last season was a big reason the Lakers cruised to the Finals.(minus the 7 game debacle against the Rockets.)

Four titles in eight years. 'Nuff said.

SA is a great franchise and Pop is an outstanding coach.  I agree they'll contend next season. 

[Dos Equis]

Oddsmakers see Lakers as NBA favorites, with or without Lamar Odom
5:35 PM PDT, July 27, 2009
No reason to panic, Lakers fans.

Whether free agent Lamar Odom stays in Los Angeles or leaves for the Miami Heat, Las Vegas bookmakers said Monday they don't anticipate anything that would drop the Lakers from their perch as preseason favorites to win the NBA championship -- again.

"Getting [forward Ron] Artest is better than losing Lamar," said Jay Rood, director of the MGM/Mirage Race and Sports Book. The Lakers signed free agent Artest this month. "The core of that team still is what it is, and as long as you keep Kobe [Bryant] and [Coach] Phil [Jackson], nothing changes."

At MGM/Mirage, the Lakers are an 8-5 favorite to win the NBA title, followed by the Boston Celtics, and recent addition Rasheed Wallace, at 3-1, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Shaquille O'Neal joining LeBron James, at nearly 4-1. The Orlando Magic are 13-2 and the San Antonio Spurs are 7-1.

"We didn't change anything when they got Artest, and if they lose Odom it'll just be a wash," said Jay Kornegay, executive director of the Las Vegas Hilton's Race and Sports book, which has the Lakers as the 2-1 favorite over the 3-1 Cavaliers and 5-1 Celtics. "Odom's a component, but he's not a star. As that team has already shown, if they lose someone, they'll find someone else."

Those who assess these situations, with millions of dollars on the line, believe the possible loss of Odom will not diminish support for what is essentially Las Vegas' hometown team.

So why change the Lakers' odds to 3-1 or 4-1 when the betting action supporting the team is already intense?

"The public has shown they'll support the Lakers and the team proved last season they can get by without a big man," Rood said, referring to the injury absence of center Andrew Bynum. "And the return of Bynum is another big thing for that team, that makes them so much more dangerous."

Odom's effect at the sports book will be only slight, bookmakers say, if he goes to Miami. Rood said he'd likely drop the Heat from 25-1 to around 22-1.

"He might make Miami significantly better but they still have the Celtics, Cavs and Magic in front of them," Rood said.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-odom-lakers-28-2009jul28,0,2985902.story

[MB_722]

GREAT NEWS!!

Source: Odom, Lakers agree on deal


Free agent forward Lamar Odom will return to the Los Angeles Lakers, an NBA source said Thursday.

Odom will sign a four-year contract, with the fourth year at the team option, the source said. One source with knowledge of the talks told ESPN.com the four-year deal is worth $33 million if the Lakers exercise the final year of the contract.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak declined comment and Odom's agent, Jeff Schwartz, did not immediately return a voice mail.

Odom's signing was the most significant free agent move left to play out this summer, as it restores a pivotal piece to the Lakers' championship team. The versatile, 6-foot-9 Odom averaged 11.3 points and 8.2 rebounds during the regular season and 12.3 points and 9.1 rebounds during the playoffs, despite injuring his back in a fall during the Western Conference semifinals against Houston.

Odom's destination for the 2009-10 season had remained in doubt after the Lakers pulled an initial offer of a reported $27 million guaranteed over three years off the table. As the other franchises with significant salary cap space spent their money elsewhere, the Miami Heat emerged as a serious contender for Odom's services. On Tuesday, the Portland Trail Blazers also got into the mix, offering a five-year, $40 million deal, according to a source close to Odom.

With Dwyane Wade publicly lobbying for Odom to rejoin him in South Beach, the Heat offered a deal worth up to $34 million over five years. The fact that Odom didn't jump at it despite the cooled tone of negotiations with the Lakers indicated his desire to return to Los Angeles, and the longer the saga dragged out the greater the chances seemed that he would be back.

With Odom back in the fold the Lakers would have their top five scorers and top four rebounders from the 2009 championship on the roster to begin the title defense. The only significant loss is forward Trevor Ariza, who left to sign a contract with the Houston Rockets after the Lakers signed former Rocket Ron Artest.

J.A. Adande and Marc Stein are NBA reporters for ESPN.com. ESPN's Shelley Smith contributed to this report.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4367213

[Dos Equis]

Sweeeeeet!   

[MB_722]

confirmed

4yrs/$33 million

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4370640