Los Angeles Lakers trade Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks; Kobe Bryant left gasping – NBA Update
A few days ago, the Los Angeles Lakers tried to trade away Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol to get their hands on New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul in a three ways deal also involving the Houston Rockets.
As of now though, neither have they got the ace swingman, nor have they been able to retain a very unhappy Lamar Odom.
"You don't want to go to no place you're not wanted," Odom had told the Los Angeles Times after the trade fiasco went public on Thursday.
According to a Laker team source, Lamar was so incensed by the treatment doled out by the franchise; he had served for the last seven years, that he requested for a trade soon after NBA nixed the proposed deal.
And it seems that the loss of one champion side is a gain of another.
The Dallas Mavericks, who thumped the Lakers 4-0 in the Western Conference Semi-Finals last season on their way to the championship, have received last season’s ‘Sixth Man of the Year’ and a second round pick in exchange for an $8.9 million trade exception, as well as a protected first-round pick.
The trade exception will mean that Los Angeles can get their hands on a player who makes less than $8.9 million, in a trade, which will see them giving up only the draft pick. The Lakers however have only one year to utilize this option as per the NBA rules.
The deal has also left Odom’s long time team mate and star shooting guard, Kobe Bryant, befuddled. Expressing his displeasure at the entire episode, the Black Mamba said;
"I don't like it," said Bryant. "To be honest with you, I don't like it."
When reminded that Odom will be joining a team that had made mockery of Lakers last season, Kobe fumed;
"Now I'm getting pissed off," he said.
The Mavs on the other hand were more than happy to get a class player in their ranks. Coach Rick Carlisle for one was ecstatic;
"Right now, for me, having Odom, Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, we may have the best forward trio in this league right now. And that's exciting," Carlisle said. "Lamar Odom is a guy we have great respect for as a person and as an all-around player in this league. We feel he's going to add so many different dimensions for us -- length, playmaking, scoring, experience, championship experience."
While the Mavs have now got their hands full and this trade still leaves them in a decent position to bid for the Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard, the Lakers have their work cut out.
They will have to compete against the likes of New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks to get the Orlando big man, foe who they are willing to give away Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, and if they lose the battle, they will have a very unhappy group of players.
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