Odom to join Heat...

[kg_veteran]

Monday, August 25, 2003
ESPN.com news services

LOS ANGELES -- Lamar Odom is free to join the Miami Heat after the Los Angeles Clippers refused Monday to match the Heat's offer worth nearly $67 million.


"In the final analysis, the decision was based on issues of character and other risks involved,'' Clippers vice president Elgin Baylor said in a statement.


Heat spokesman Tim Donovan declined to comment until the team received official notice from the NBA that the Clippers dropped their offer. The offer sheet expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

After more than two decades without signing a high-priced free agent or retaining a marquee player, Clippers owner Donald Sterling has committed $124 million this off-season by matching offers to restricted free agents Elton Brand (six years, $82 million from Miami) and Corey Maggette (six years, $42 million from Utah).

Letting Odom go to Miami represented significant savings for Sterling, but it made Odom the fourth significant L.A. free agent this summer -- along with center Michael Olowokandi, point guard Andre Miller and sharpshooter Eric Piatkowski -- to leave the club without compensation.


Odom averaged 14.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 49 games last season. In 230 career games, he has averaged 15.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists.


Taken by the Clippers with the No. 4 draft pick in 1999, Odom was suspended for five games in March 2001, then again for eight games that November for violating the league's anti-drug policy.


Odom, 23, has also frequently been sidelined by injuries over the past two years. He missed 45 games last season with wrist and ankle injuries after playing in just 29 games the previous season.


The 6-foot-10, 221-pounder signed a six-year offer sheet worth $67 million with the Heat on Aug. 11. The Clippers had 15 days to match the offer, as they did to keep Elton Brand and Corey Maggette earlier this summer.

Matching the Odom offer, however, came with potential risks as well, besides taking Sterling's summer spending to an unprecedented $190 million. Because of Odom's recent injury history, and two substance-abuse suspensions in four NBA seasons, he represents a $65 million gamble for the Heat.

"I'm just trying to let the Clippers understand it's my time to move on," Odom told ESPN.com earlier this month, saying his main motivation is the chance to realize his long-held goal of playing for Heat coach Pat Riley. "It's in my best interests and it's in their best interests.

"I'm looking forward to a fresh new start, playing for the Heat and coming back home to the East Coast. I think it's about time that I get my career off the ground and I think Miami is where I need to go. Hopefully the Clippers will understand where I'm coming from."
Senior NBA writer Marc Stein and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[kg_veteran]

I didn't notice anyone posting this article, but if they did, feel free to lock.

Also, smart decision by the Clips.

[Drbio]

Odom is in heat. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]



The Clips were brilliant for not matching that contract.

[madape]

Now there. Smoking pot DOES get you something in life... like getting your ass as far away from the Clips as possible. Let this be a lesson to Wilcox, Ely, Caman, Wang and all the other youngsters currently exiled in Clipper-land. Smoke some dope! Smoke as much as you can! Get caught! Do it now! It's the only way you're ever going to get out!

[Mavs Rule]

Originally posted by: Drbio
Odom is in heat. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

The Clips were brilliant for not matching that contract.

Hehe. The heat will come when he takes on South Beach. (left open for your interpretation slant)

Yes, he has missed way too many games to match that kind of contract, although with a drill seargent coach he could turn a new leaf. Lots of distraction there, it will be interesting to follow his development in Miami. [img]i/expressions/wine.gif[/img]

edit: spelling

[mavsfanforever]

clips just screwed me. I would have been laughing so much if they matched the offer.

[Hitman]

It's a gamble, but I love Odom's talent and court vision. Apparently Riley wants Odom for the point and Dwayne Wade as the two, but have Wade guard the ones. I assume Eddie Jones will guard the twos and Odom the threes. I don't know, the Odom / Wade backcourt seems like a very promising one under Riley's tutelage.

[MavKikiNYC]

Riley is desperate.

No question he carries major brass cojones in terms of player acquistion, but his talent assessment has been a bit iffy. Wasn't he responsbile for Juwan's fortune?


Prediction: Major suspension for Odom within 2 years.

[Tony tha Mavs fan]

[Big Boy Laroux]

well, they all look pretty happy to have odom. you know, if he does pan out, the heat could be tough. they have no big men, but that doesn't matter in the east.

[JamisonJigga]

How will the Heat manage having Wade, Odom, Jones, and Butler all in the backcourt? I mean, I know it's the Eastern Conference, but I don't see how Eddie Jones playing the 4 will work.

[one long blue sock]

They won't start Wade, he is a rookie, he needs to learn.

After that, they can decide if they want any trade options to get a pretty decent center (But how rare is that)

But if they were going to have the stupid idea that you proposed, they would stick Odom at 4.

[Fidel]

Actually I think it´s a good signing for the Heat. Sure Odom is overpayed but when you are as bad as the Heat were the last few years you´ve got to overpay sometimes to get something going. When you are a bottom dweller you won´t get to sign any of the top FA´s anyways so the best you can do is improve through draft (which the Heat did the last two years) and sign second tier FA´s like Odom. The players you get will either be overpayed or come with some bagagge. In Odoms case it´s both but still it´s a gamble the Heat had to take.

[EricaLubarsky]

He'll fit right in. I am a little excited for the Heat, and Im glad we didnt nab Grant (for multiple reasons)

[dirno2000]

Eddie Jones is sucking up cap space and taking playing time from young players. I'll bet Riley wishes he had a do over. Chicago should consider themselves lucky that he played them to get a contract from Miami.

[EVAN]

Originally posted by: JamisonJigga
How will the Heat manage having Wade, Odom, Jones, and Butler all in the backcourt? I mean, I know it's the Eastern Conference, but I don't see how Eddie Jones playing the 4 will work.

It goes something like this:

PG Dwayne Wade
SG Eddie Jones
SF Caron Butler
PF Lamar Odom
C Brian Grant

I think thats a good lineup for an Eastern Conference team.... I believe now that Odom is away from the disaster that is the Clippers you will see an increase in his interest and his abilities, Butler is their leader and will be even better this year, Grant just came off of a strong season averaging a double double for the year i believe, and Eddie Jones will play his role as a non-essential scoring bonus (he is not the go-to guy anymore) Dwayne Wade LOOKED strong in college but is untested at point guard.....

On paper this team is an eastern conference contender in my own opinion...3 good players 1 average shooting guard and a rookie point guard is a recipe for success in the east

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally posted by: JamisonJigga
How will the Heat manage having Wade, Odom, Jones, and Butler all in the backcourt? I mean, I know it's the Eastern Conference, but I don't see how Eddie Jones playing the 4 will work.

On the NBA page they include non-guaranteed contracts and freeagents that havent been resigned and they have 13 forwards on that list! Eddie Jones wouldn't play the 4. He is a perfect 3. Odom, the 6'10"er will definitely play more 4 than 3. Look at the starting 5, and they have a shot.

Grant (6'10")
Odom (6'10")
Butler (6'7")
Jones (6'6")
Wade (6'4")

They are shallow as paper, and since they want to have Grant on the floor as their leader, they will probably play him as a 5 (although Riley will have some crazy business with Odom and Grant switches) so their center position is SMALL. Dallas has a 7'6" a 6'10" and two 6'9" players that can play center. these guys are starting a 6'9" guy probably, but they have a nice starting five- all playing what they should be.

[Julius]

What do you think about Odoms stats this year?
Maybe 15ppg, 6r, 4a? Or does anyone believe he will be better?

[MavKikiNYC]

Originally posted by: Julius
What do you think about Odoms stats this year?
Maybe 15ppg, 6r, 4a? Or does anyone believe he will be better?

Does anyone believe that Odom will miss 10-15 games this year due to an assortment of nebulous injuries?

[LRB]

Originally posted by: MavKikiNYC

Does anyone believe that Odom will miss 10-15 games this year due to an assortment of nebulous injuries?

Well he's already had one significant injury for the year.

[Julius]

Originally posted by: Julius
What do you think about Odoms stats this year?
Maybe 15ppg, 6r, 4a? Or does anyone believe he will be better?

Someone an idea?

[NBAFan7]

17.1pts
9.70rbs
4.1asst

led his team to the 2nd round. hard to find info on the Heat here. I expect better from him next season when he becomes 1 of the 10 best players in the NBA, he's already top 20. Dumb move by the Crappers..errr...Clippers, should've matched the offer. Wouldn't you guys agree?

[Evilmav2]

Lamar Odom commited SAT fraud (go back and read about it in SI, circa 1999) and doesn't have a jumpshot. He sucks, and so do all of these old bumped threads.