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ProspectYahoo! Sports is reporting that a 3 way deal is underway to send Carlos Boozer to Miami (via Memphis), and that Miami has offered Lamar Odom the deal the Lakers would not in terms of contract length.
It has been reported elsewhere that Odom wants a longer contract than the Lakers are willing to offer, specifically 5 years for $45 million, but now Miami is waving a 5 year, $34 million deal in front of Odom. Odom likes Miami and played there before he was traded for Shaq.
Additionally, Miami could pay Boozer his $12.7 million salary this season and own his Bird rights to sign him to an extension next summer.
Dwayne Wade, Carlos Boozer and Lamar Odom? I'm not sure that would make Miami a contender, but it ought to at least get Miami to the 2nd round of the playoffs.
The Lakers have been shallow at the small forward position for years until they benched Odom and Ariza developed into a fine small forward. To lose both Odom and Ariza would be a significant blow to the Lakers.
Artest isn't really the answer.
One of the big advantages the Lakers had was their considerable size at every position. Artest is shorter than both Ariza and Odom, and frankly is probably a stocky shooting guard more than he is a small forward.
It isn't just a matter of how Artest will play, the length of the Lakers gives opponents fits on both the defensive and offensive ends of the floor, and if the Lakers end up losing both Ariza and Odom and gaining only Artest, the look of the Lakers could be altered for good, making them just as big as any other team. How tall is Adam Morrison? ;-)
Factor in the possibilty of injury next season to Pau Gasol or Kobe Bryant, who rack up minutes in NBA basketball and FIBA competition as well, and the Lakers might not even see the Western Conference Finals next season.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Caveliers' all-star point guard, Mo Williams, has tweated a Twitter challenge to Cavs' management to try to pick up Odom.
If Odom wants to play for a contender, Cleveland, with Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James would certainly fit that bill. That would perhaps be the best way for Lamar to prosper and screw the Lakers over in the same move.
It's amazing, simply astonishing to me how PROFESSIONAL athletes can go so far in their careers and never learn the value of maturity, character, selflessness and team.
Odom may yet sign with the Lakers, but boy did he destroy his goodwill with Lakers fans in the process.
It's killing me, Worst, to see you pinned down like this.
Tom7I'd try starting an entirely new account with this site and see if it goes any better for you.
I have both Macs and PCs in my house, so I can try both platforms, plus Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, etc. to help me troubleshoot my difficulties on this site.
But when all else fails, you can try another account.
But please don't leave us; we've got to have your insight here.
03:52 PM EST