Los Angeles Clippers forward Lamar Odom, who some believe has been the Heat's No. 1 free-agent target all along, signed a six-year, $65 million offer sheet with the Heat on Monday, bringing his goal of playing for coach Pat Riley one step closer to reality.

The offer, according to an NBA source, is front-loaded and back-loaded, which should provide the Heat some protection toward securing the versatile 6-foot-10, fifth-year player.

Odom would get $15 million in the first year with $12 million up front, according to the source. The contract would level off for the next three years and then it's spiked in the final two years with average annual salaries of between $11 million and $12 million.

Because Odom is a restricted free agent, the Clippers have 15 days to match the exact terms of the offer sheet or Odom becomes a member of the Heat.

Before specifics of the deal were reached, speculation was that the Clippers, who have matched offer sheets on two of their other top players this off-season, would keep Odom. But the team didn't say that Monday.

The Heat didn't issue a statement regarding its offer.