 |
| RealGM Hoop Net |
|
| Search |
|
|
|
|
| Trade Checker ID |
| Draft Sim ID |
| Newsletter |
|
|
|
|
16th July, 2009 - 12:16 am
|
|
|
| Current Features |
|
TEAM RANKINGS: Euroleague Top 16 Power Rankings
Barcelona, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Maccabi, Madrid and Siena enter the Top 16 phase as likely contenders to win the 2011 Euroleague.
STANDING 10: Non-National Games Of The Week (1/17-1/23)
The Knicks make three appearances this week, along with several from Blake Griffin and the Clippers.
PLAYER RANKINGS: 2010-11 NBA Player Rankings Through Dec. 14th
Now that more than a quarter of the season is in the books, we don't have many aberrations in the player rankings as Pau Gasol, Kevin Love, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and LeBron James comprise the top-five.
MOCK DRAFT: 2010 NBA Mock Draft, Version 5.0
An interesting week of prevalent deception is nearly over and the actual picks are hours away. Hundreds of hours have been spent watching the 60 players that 30 teams hope will improve their club in the coming years.
LOCKER TALK: Nash, Cleveland, & Orlando
Steve Nash could draw trade interest this summer and Cleveland isn?t overlooking Orlando?
CLASSICS: Hakeem Vs. Ewing: Who Was The Better Center?
Born within six months of each other in opposite corners of the world, two seven footers who are finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame this fall are two of the best ever to play the center position.
|
by Brandon Hoffman
The L.A. Lakers have retracted an offer to Lamar Odom. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers offered Odom a deal for $9 million a season for four years at $36 million, or $10 million a season over three years for a total of $30 million, but Odom and his agent, Jeff Schwartz, have been unresponsive. Upset at the stalemate, Lakers owner Jerry Buss broke off all negotiations. Schwartz is reportedly seeking a five-year, $50 million deal.
I think Buss is taking the negotiations too personally. It's one thing to trade Shaquille O'Neal to the Heat a year after he screams "Pay me!" during a preseason game, or lay down the hammer on Trevor Ariza's agent when Ron Artest is waiting in the wings, but as Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak noted just five days ago, there's "no replacement for Lamar Odom."
The Lakers have committed $83.8 million in salary for the upcoming season, so finding equal value for Odom through free agency is impossible. A sign-and-trade is almost certainly out of the question as well since the Lakers would have to take back comparable salary, and the chances of them receiving equal talent in return are just as slim.
All that said, neither side is negotiating from a position of strength. Odom hasn't received a better offer elsewhere. Miami and Dallas have expressed interest, but the most they can tender is the mid-level exception ($5.8 million). It looks like Schwartz is trying to leverage the Lakers into offering a five-year extension, but until Utah matches Portland's offer for Paul Millsap, the Lakers can sit back and call Odom's bluff, even though their hand is weak.
However, if Utah matches Portland's offer, as expected, the pendulum will swing in Odom's favor since the Blazers could offer him the five-year, $50 million contract he's seeking. In fact, I'm surprised Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard hasn't turned his attention to Odom. Acquiring Odom would bolster Portland's frontcourt, plus hurt a conference rival. And not just any rival.
Everyone knows the Lakers and Blazers are expected to become the league's next big rivalry. Signing Odom would help Portland level the playing field with the Lakers, who have had more than their fair share of problems with the Blazers in recent years.
At the worst, the Lakers force a conference rival to burn all its cap space on Odom. At best, they re-sign Odom and retain their status as the odds on favorites to win the title next season. One thing is certain: We won't have to wait too much longer. Utah has until Friday to match Portland's offer.
The Strange World of NBA Contract Incentives
Brandon Hoffman is a contributing writer for RealGM. To read more from Brandon, check out his blog at BallerBlogger.com. You can also email him at ballerblogger@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter.
|
