Reaction To End For Lamar Odom In Dallas
The timing of their parting was difficult to peg down, but the partnership between the Mavs and Lamar Odom has seemed doomed for a while. When Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said Odom was testing his patience last month, it looked as though that patience was already gone. Here's what people around the league are saying in the wake of this morning's news that Odom will not play anymore this season for the Mavs:
- Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLA.com (via Twitter) doesn't see Odom rejoining the Lakers.
- Mavs General Manager Donnie Nelson says that everyone from the locker room up to the front office wanted to see Odom succeed in Dallas, tweets Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.
- Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com opines that Odom will go down as one of the biggest disgraces in Dallas sports history. MacMahon believes that Odom's departure could give the defending champs a much-needed morale boost as they enter the playoffs.
- Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com tweets that Mavs players had little to say about the matter today, while Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd avoided the media entirely.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News notes that Odom will continue to draw his salary even though he will not be playing. He was scheduled to make $8.9MM this season, though the lockout cut that down to about $7.16MM.
- The Lakers were going to try to trade both Odom and Pau Gasol right up until the March 15 deadline, but they knew that Odom wouldn't be able to handle the constant trade rumors, Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets.
- Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio wonders, via Twitter, whether Odom will ever play in the NBA again.
- Caplan believes it was a move the Mavs had to make, as Odom, who had an emotionally turbulent offseason, simply wasn't focused on basketball.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Mavs Part Ways With Lamar Odom
The Mavs and Lamar Odom have mutually agreed to part ways, ESPN's Marc Stein is reporting. The team is not releasing him, and will simply make him inactive for the rest of the season, Stein says. That way, the Mavs can still try to trade his contract in the offseason.
Odom is scheduled to receive $8.2MM in the last year of his deal next season, but if he's released by June 29, the team that holds his rights is only on the hook for $2.4MM. The Mavs acquired Odom from the Lakers in December for a first-round pick, but his tenure in Dallas has been marked by controversy and poor play. Still, the Mavs have gone 0-7 without Odom this year, including the nearly two weeks he missed while dealing with his ailing father in late February and early March.
Odom is averaging career lows in points (6.6), rebounds (4.1), minutes (20.5), field goal percentage (35.2%) and three-point percentage (25.2%). His minutes dwindled even further in the past week, and after he played just four minutes Saturday in a loss to Memphis, both coach Rick Carlisle and Dirk Nowitzki refused to answer questions about Odom.
Odom was reportedly "desperate" to return to Los Angeles at one point this season, and another report has suggested Kobe Bryant wants the Lakers to bring him back this summer. Even if the Mavs were to formally let go of Odom, he would be ineligible to play for another team in the playoffs this year.
Odom issued a statement to ESPN.com, saying, "The Mavericks and I have mutually agreed that it's in the best interest of both parties for me to step away from the team. I'm sorry that things didn't work out better for both of us, but I wish the Mavs' organization, my teammates and Dallas fans nothing but continued success in the defense of their championship."
HoopsWorld On Howard, Smith, Gasol
HoopsWorld's Derek Page has compiled a column about the futures of several prominent NBA players featuring input from other writers:
- Alex Kennedy thinks the Magic will once again attempt to acquire a player via trade or free agency to appease Dwight Howard, although the possibility is still open for him to be dealt.
- Lang Greene says the Hawks should give serious consideration to moving Josh Smith this summer, as his trade value will be high and he is unhappy in Atlanta.
- Eric Pincus finds it unlikely that Pau Gasol has a long-term future with the Lakers, due to the luxury-tax implications of keeping him.
- Bill Ingram thinks the emergence of Courtney Lee will make it easier for the Rockets to move Kevin Martin for the right price.
- Page believes Shawn Marion's contract makes him relatively easy for the Mavericks to trade, but with Howard off the market, it's not as necessary for the purpose of clearing cap space.
Atlantic Notes: Farmar, Green, Allen, Chandler
We could be in for quite a finish in the Atlantic Division, as the Sixers trail the first-place Celtics by a game while the Knicks are two and a half games back. The Celtics are just four games ahead of the Bucks for the final playoff spot, so it's conceivable that any of the Atlantic contenders could miss the playoffs. Here's the buzz from around the division:
- Nets guard Jordan Farmar was thought to be done for the season with a groin injury, but Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record tweets that he may be back sooner than that. Farmar has a $4.25MM player option for next season, and if he can prove he's healthy and maintain his career-high 10.4 PPG scoring average in a few more outings this year, he may be inclined to turn down the option and test free agency.
- Chris Mannix of SI.com chronicles the long road back to the NBA for Gerald Green, who's made solid contributions for the Nets and is drawing interest from the Lakers as this summer's free agency looms.
- Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald looks at the Celtics' decision to bring shooting guard Ray Allen, a free agent this summer, off the bench for just the fifth time in his career last night against the Bulls.
- Keith Schlosser praises the impact that free-agent signee Tyson Chandler has had on defense for the Knicks, while Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com makes the case that Chandler should win the Defensive Player of the Year award. You can give your thoughts on the award in this Hoops Rumors poll.
Latest On Howard/Van Gundy
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy's revelation that Dwight Howard wants him fired was the dominant story in the NBA yesterday. Many, including a slight majority of Hoops Rumors readers, believe Van Gundy will be gone before the end of the season. Here's what's happening as the saga continues to unfold:
- Magic executives have been more open to the idea of firing Van Gundy than even Howard has as the team looks to build a cooperative relationship with its superstar, notes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
- Howard also pushed the team to fire former coach Brian Hill, according to Ian O'Connor of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Van Gundy believes he'll finish the season as the Magic coach, HoopsWorld reports. He met with GM Otis Smith and Howard yesterday, the report states.
- The coach is expected to travel with the team to Philadelphia for its game with the Sixers tomorrow night, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com tweets, so it looks like Van Gundy's job is safe for the moment. Magic CEO Alex Martins doesn't want to make a change now, Berger also notes via Twitter.
- The Magic threatened Howard with a trade to the Lakers if he didn't opt in to his deal at the trading deadline, reports Fred Kerber of the New York Post. Despite the presence of the Lakers on his list of preferred teams, the Nets were far and away Howard's top choice, Kerber writes. The Magic favored the Lakers' offer of Andrew Bynum, Devin Ebanks and Steve Blake over New Jersey's package of Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks, Mehmet Okur and two first-round picks.
- Howard and Van Gundy tried their best to deflect the glare of yesterday's events in their comments following last night's loss to the Knicks, notes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. While Howard simply declined to comment on the matter, Van Gundy tried to shift the topic to on-court matters when asked about his future with the team. “That’s not what’s important right now,” the coach said. “It’s not. My job security is not what’s important right now. What Dwight wants is not important. What’s important is that we focus on playing better as a team. That’s what is important.”
- J.J. Redick has Van Gundy's back, Kennedy also reports.
- On ESPN.com's Daily Dime, Zach McCann says the Magic locker room might be beyond repair now, with some players frustrated with Howard's power plays and others in agreement with D12 that it's time for Van Gundy to go. McCann also mentions assistants Brendan Malone and Patrick Ewing as possible interim replacements should the Magic let Van Gundy go this season.
- Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News calls on the Nets to end their pursuit of Howard in light of how he's tried to undermine his coach.
- Tom Ziller, writing for SBNation.com, says that the Magic would have been better off trading Howard at the deadline, despite his willingness to stick around for another season.
- Lang Greene of HoopsWorld gathers a few more reactions from around the league.
Lakers Have Interest In Gerald Green
Gerald Green is under contract with the Nets for the remainder of 2011/12, having signed a rest-of-season deal after inking a pair of 10-day contracts with the team. Before the Nets picked up Green though, the Lakers were closely tracking him, GM Mitch Kupchak told Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. However, the team didn't feel like there was room on its roster for the 26-year-old swingman.
"If you look at him as a small forward, he would have been our fifth small forward behind Metta [World Peace], at the time Luke [Walton], Matt Barnes and Devin Ebanks," Kupchak said. "So, as painful as it was to watch a kid really grow and you get to know a kid, there was just no way to bring him on the team and have him sit and justify it."
Green was playing for the Lakers' D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, prior to being called up by the Nets, making it especially tough for the Lakers to miss out on him. In 20 games for New Jersey, Green has averaged 11.6 points with a .494 FG% in 23.3 minutes per contest. When the two sides negotiated Green's deal, they decided not to extend it through next season, though the former first-round pick has talked about returning to the Nets next year. The Lakers figure to keep an eye on the situation this summer, and haven't ruled out making a play for Green.
"I’m happy for the kid," Kupchak said. "I hope he plays well for the rest of the year and based on how things play out, we’ll take it from there."
Odds & Ends: Calipari, Bucks, McGee, Stern
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Michael Hunt writes that with the cap room they were afforded after they traded Andrew Bogut, the Bucks will make a strong push to re-sign free agent Ersan Ilyasova this offseason. But that they can't afford to pay him $10MM a year. If another team, like New Jersey, makes a run, Milwaukee would be wise to spend their money on a cheaper big man option.
- HoopsWorld.com's Alex Kennedy writes about how shocked former Wizard JaVale McGee was when he found out he was traded to Denver.
- Lakers center Andrew Bynum has been in the news for some unwise decision making lately. So much so that the team decided to fine him an undisclosed sum of money following last week's game against Golden State. Despite the immediate controversy, L.A.'s general manager Mitch Kupchak came out today and said Bynum was still a major part of the team's future plans, and that they still intend to exercise his $16.1MM team option next season, according to the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan.
- In his weekly mailbag, The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko talked about how the Mavericks' might approach the future, specifically their involvement in the draft and how they'll deal with some of their young players.
- Today, SI.com's Sam Amick wrote a piece about how despite Minnesota's recent demise due to multiple injuries, the team still has a bright future. Financially they have flexibility by way of the amnesty provision, and Darko Milicic could be a prime candidate.
- Sean Deveney of Sporting News says that recent call ups from the D-League could have a major influence in this year's playoffs.
- In an Associated Press report, Commissioner David Stern said he'd "love to add a year" in relation to the league's age limit. Right now, all American players must be 19-years-old and one year removed from high school.
- Since joining the Grizzlies, Gilbert Arenas has shown he can play the role of mature veteran, writes NBA.com's Steve Aschburner. One interesting note from the story is Arenas saying New Jersey "kept calling" him. Most likely with hopes to lure Dwight Howard.
- Utah head coach Tyrone Corbin says he likes the mismatches his team can create playing Paul Millsap at small forward, writes The Salt Lake Tribune's Steve Luhm.
- Chicago general manager Gar Forman said that talks to extend head coach Tom Thibodeau were initiated before this season started, and that they'll resume once it's over, according to ESPNChicago.com.
Pacific Notes: Williams, Kings Arena, Barnes
The Lakers will host the Nets at the Staples Center tonight, but if you're a Los Angeles basketball fan, you can be forgiven for looking ahead to tomorrow night's matchup. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers square off against Chris Paul and the Clippers in a game that will directly impact the top of the Pacific Division standings. The Lakers currently hold a one-game lead over the Clips, but that could change quickly, with just over three weeks left in the regular season.
Here are a few Tuesday afternoon updates out of the Pacific:
- If he's facing a reduced role with the Clippers heading into next season, Mo Williams could decline his player option and look for a new contract elsewhere, according to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. While Williams has conveyed a desire for long-term financial security in the past, I have a hard time believing he'd give up a guaranteed $8.5MM for next season.
- Sacramento City Council faces another vote on the Kings' new arena proposal tonight, as Ryan Lillis and Tony Bizjak explain in an informative piece for the Sacramento Bee. Meanwhile, one group in Sacramento is planning a petition drive to stop the city from financially supporting the arena without voter approval, says Bizjak in a separate article.
- Matt Barnes appeared on 710 ESPN in Los Angeles to discuss the Lakers' bench and coach Mike Brown's rotation, among other topics, as Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes.
Rasheed Wallace Unlikely To Play This Season
Barring "a sudden change of heart," it doesn't appear Rasheed Wallace will come out of retirement to sign with a contender, tweets Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.
Wallace worked out for the Heat earlier this season, and at one point was rumored to be on the verge of joining the Lakers. Miami used its final roster spot to sign big man Ronny Turiaf — the Lakers still have an empty spot, but don't seem to be actively looking to fill it.
Wallace last appeared in an NBA game in the 2010 Finals for Boston against the Lakers. While he hasn't played in the league in almost two years, The 37-year-old was still moderately productive during his final season with the Celtics, averaging 9.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 13.1 PER in 22.5 MPG over the course of 79 games.
Lakers Notes: Bynum, Kupchak, Fisher
The Lakers lost just their fifth home game of the season last night, falling to the Thunder after a 17-point, third-quarter surge from Russell Westbrook. Derek Fisher and his new team will return to face the Lakers at the Staples Center once more before season's end, and if last night's game is any indication, the two squads could provide a pretty entertaining playoff matchup as well. Here's the latest buzz surrounding the Lakers:
- Andrew Bynum's misguided three-point attempt earlier this week was "only the tip of the iceberg," the latest in a "catalogue of items" that have annoyed Lakers' coaches and management, a team source tells Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News.
- Speaking to Sam Amick of SI.com, GM Mitch Kupchak downplayed the drama surrounding Bynum's benching, saying the team will deal with any issues internally.
- Kupchak also said that he felt trading Derek Fisher was necessary for Ramon Sessions' sake: "Derek's an icon. You know [if you're Sessions] that you're walking past Derek and saying, 'I'm taking his minutes.' For a young developing player, that's really not fair to do. What if Ramon has a bad game at home, and the crowd starts to cheer for [Derek], you know what I mean? It's not right."
- Fisher had his own view on the trade that sent him to Houston, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes. "I’ve always thought there are different ways to handle trades and waiver-type situations where there can be some more communication," Fisher said. "Not necessarily far in advance but enough not to have to find out from the mailman or at the post office that you’ve been traded."
- Fisher added that he received inquiries from five teams, including the Heat and Bulls, after he was bought out by the Rockets.