In the Lamar Odom to Dallas deal at the start of this lockout shortened season, there are no winners. The Lakers haven’t been able to fill the void left by the vacated 6th Man of the Year type numbers that Odom produced a season ago, and Dallas hasn’t gotten anything from him this season either. Total bust, all around basically, unless you’re cool with the 7 points and 4 rebounds Lamar’s been averaging. Or the fact that right now, he’s not even with his new team.
So, is a buyout looming, Mr. Cuban?
This is what the Mavs owner is saying about that according to the AP:
Lamar Odom wasn’t with the Dallas Mavericks for their first game after the All-Star break Tuesday night, and was expected to miss at least one more game after that. Odom missed the previous game Wednesday night before the break against his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers. Coach Rick Carlisle said then that Odom was excused for a family matter and would rejoin the team after the break.
The game against New Jersey on Tuesday night was the first of nine games in 12 days for Dallas. Carlisle said before the game that Odom would also miss Wednesday night’s game at Memphis, and that he expected an update Thursday.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, without being specific on the reason for Odom’s absence, said the team will do everything it can to support him and get him back. Cuban also refuted rumors of a possible buyout of Odom’s contract.
”I knew I’d get the question over and over again until I said I wouldn’t do it,” Cuban said, adding there hadn’t even been a discussion about a buyout. ”We want him to contribute. We want him to help.”
Does Lamar want to help Dallas though, is more the question. Of course Cuban would like some production in response to the millions he’s spending on him right now, but is cutting his losses and buying him out the smarter play here. If that’s what he does, could Odom then stumble back to Los Angeles and rejuvenate his season? This will be interesting to watch.