Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban lifts the lid on Lamar Odom departure – NBA Update
The owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, has finally broken his silence over the saga around Lamar Odom. Mavericks and Odom decided to part ways through mutual consent recently, a move that startled many in the NBA.
The Mavericks controversial owner has now come and said that the breakdown in relationship, and the subsequent severing of ties, with Lamar was because of the forward’s poor performances on the floor as well as his poor attitude and lack of commitment.
"Just his response to it. Everybody goes through ups and downs. Every player does. We tried to put him in a position to succeed. ... It didn't work," Cuban said Tuesday night.
Odom and Cuban reportedly exchanged words at halftime, during a game which turned out to be the former’s last in a Mavericks jersey. Cuban said he just asked him if he was committed to the cause, because his demeanour and performances suggested otherwise.
When the firebrand owner did not get the answer he was looking for, he knew what needed to be done. The NBA World Champions didn’t need to have a disruptive influence in their locker room.
"I just asked him, does he want to go for it or not. Is he in or is he out? I think he thought we were playing poker. I just didn't get a commitment. And that was the end," Cuban said. "This was a big game for us, and he wasn't connecting to that. And if you're not positive energy, you're negative energy."
Odom only arrived at the franchise at the start of the season. He was with the Los Angeles Lakers before, where he won the NBA World Championship and also received the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. His time with Los Angeles came to an end when he developed differences with the club’s management over a failed trade attempt that would have seen him leave the franchise.
Odom subsequently handed in a trade request and the Mavericks snapped him up. Once in Dallas however, the talented forward did not put up the kind of numbers he was capable of. In fact, not only were his performances way below par, Lamar was reportedly uninterested in practices and team meetings.
Cuban explained that the Mavs stuck with him for as long as they could, hoping that it was just a slump that would pass. When the player’s attitude didn’t change though, they didn’t have another option but to cut him loose.
"He didn't want to play. He decided to go elsewhere or do something else. Now we regroup and go forward," Cuban said.
The Mavericks have now listed Odom as inactive, and he will stay on the franchise’s books until the season ends.
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