The Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night officially announced the trade of Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers gave up Odom and their 2012 second round draft pick in exchange for the Mavs' 2012 first round draft pick and an $8.9 million trade exception. In what looked at first like a prelude to another deal, perhaps for Dwight Howard, the Odom deal for now stands alone as the forward asked to be traded on Friday.
Odom was included as part of the three-team trade with the New Orleans Hornets and Houston Rockets that would have brought point guard Chris Paul to Los Angeles, but that deal was not allowed by commissioner David Stern, who has final approval over moves made by the NBA-owned Hornets. Odom was very unhappy about being included in the trade, tweeting on Thursday, "When a team trades u and it doesn't go down? Now what?"
When training camp opened on Friday, Odom showed up late and didn't practice, instead meeting with general manager Mitch Kupchak. "Lamar was a fine player for us in his seven years with the Lakers and was a key to helping us win two championships," Kupchak said in a statement. "In addition, he always conducted himself with class and professionalism and we wish him well in the remainder of his career."
Odom came to the Lakers from the Miami Heat in the trade that sent Shaquille O`Neal to South Beach. In seven years with the Lakers, Odom averaged 13.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game and provided uncommon versatility in the front court. Odom was part of two championship teams with the Lakers and won the Sixth Man of the Year Award last season.
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