8/20 ESPN INSIDER - WIll Clips Match on Odom ? - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

OutletPass · 08-20-2003, 09:41 AM

Clippers pondering passing on Odom
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Wednesday, August 20
Updated: August 20
9:23 AM ET

Clippers owner Donald Sterling found his wallet this summer when he (finally) agreed to pay Elton Brand and Corey Maggette a combined $124 million over the next six years.

Did he find a coherent basketball strategy too?

After privately claiming for the past week that the Clips intend to match the Heat's six-year, $65 million offer to Lamar Odom, a source inside the Clippers, for the first time this summer, started dropping hints that the team is considering letting Odom walk.

Before you begin your "the Clippers are cheap" diatribe, hear him out.

"Why use up all of our cap room on Lamar when we could do better next summer?" the Clips' front office source told Insider. "There are a lot of attractive free agents out there next summer and I think we're beginning to prove to folks that we'll spend whatever it takes for the right guys. Elton and Corey were the right guys."

Lamar Odom has been open about his desire to leave Los Angeles.
Maybe. Reputations aren't broken that easy and NBA free agents are likely to remain wary of the Clips. However, there are signs of life in L.A. In addition to Brand and Maggette, the Clips also made a substantial offer to free agent Gilbert Arenas this summer.

If the Clips stand pat the rest of the season, they'll be looking at around $12-13 million in cap room next summer. The Jazz and Nuggets are the only other teams slated to have significant cap room at the moment.

Adding someone else's free agent won't be the only thing on the Clips mind. The team will have to decide whether to re-sign restricted free agents Quentin Richardson and Keyon Dooling, but the possibility is there, if L.A. decides to pass on those two, to land a top tier-free agent.

"We love Lamar, but it's going to be difficult to justify spending that kind of money on him," he said. "As talented as he is, his play and his attitude don't warrant that type of money. It's a pretty big leap to go from Mr. Sterling paying top dollar for a few free agents to Mr. Sterling overpaying for one. I'm not sure we're that far along."

The Clippers are also upset over Odom's recent statements claiming he no longer wants anything to do with the Clips. For years, Odom was Sterling's and the Clips' biggest cheerleader, imploring the owner to re-sign his core players. But after a disastrous season and protracted negotiations this summer, Odom became the team's biggest critic and begged for the team not to match.

So should Odom start looking for a house in Miami? Not so fast Heat fans. The Clippers source stressed that some in the organization still feel strongly that the team should re-sign Odom and see what happens this year. If things don't work out, the team could always make a trade with the Heat next summer given Pat Riley's passion for Odom.

Don't expect anything to be definitively announced before the team's Aug. 26th deadline.

Even if they do let Odom go, Clippers fans shouldn't get their hopes up too high. The Clips could just be talking about next year in an effort to justify letting Odom go. Talking and doing, as we've seen time and time again in L.A., are two very different things.

The Bulls are expected to sign veteran swing man Kendall Gill today. Gill, 35, played for the T-Wolves last season and averaged 8.7 ppg in 25.2 minutes. In a related move, the Chicago Sun Times is reporting that the Bulls will waive center Dalibor Bagaric. Bagaric, 23, was the Bulls' 24th pick of the first round in 2000, but the 7-1, 290-pound Bagaric never got much playing time. His contract was guaranteed for $1.4 million this season.

MavsFanFinley · 08-20-2003, 10:01 AM

I won't be surprised if they let Odom go. Not for money reasons, but because of Odom's plea's to let him go.

Nicky31 · 08-20-2003, 03:26 PM

You would think MFF.

I think Donald Sterling wants to keep core players. That's why he kept Brand, Maggette, and will probably keep Odom. I will be shocked if they don't, and if Wade works out for Miami and they manage to pickup Odom. They might be a playoff team only if they can get a decent center. I like Walker, but he serves better as a backup.

MavsFanFinley · 08-20-2003, 05:47 PM

I still can't find the article, but I know it appeared on ESPN and this board. It was about Odom scheduling a meeting with the management to convince them to let him go. That for him to reach his potential he needed out of LA. And how he wouldn't sign an offer sheet if they told him they planned on matching it. The next day, I believe, he signed the offer sheet.

Just makes me think they will let him go if Odom wants out that bad. Either that, or he's making sure he gets paid, but he wouldn't have to use all the drama since Miami was offering him a huge contract anyhow.

Mandyahl · 08-25-2003, 05:56 PM

Clippers Issue Statement on Lamar Odom
The Clippers today issued the following statement from Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor: “After long and careful consideration, we have elected not to match the offer sheet presented to us by Lamar Odom. In the final analysis, the decision was based on issues of character and other risks involved.”

link

MavsFanFinley · 08-25-2003, 06:06 PM

I'm not surprised.

With all the talk Odom did and his promise he wouldn't have signed the offer sheet if they were going to match, I can see why they let him go.

MFFL · 08-25-2003, 06:14 PM

Well that was expected

MavsFanFinley · 08-25-2003, 06:23 PM

Clippers refuse to match offer sheet, Heat get F Odom

August 25, 2003

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Clippers granted Lamar Odom's wish Monday, announcing they will not match the offer sheet he signed earlier this month with the Miami Heat.

The Clippers already matched offer sheets to retain the services of All-Star forward Elton Brand and swingman Corey Maggette. But Odom, who desperately wanted out of Los Angeles, joined point guard Andre Miller, who jumped to the Denver Nuggets.

"After long and careful consideration, we have elected not to match the offer sheet presented to us by Lamar Odom," Clippers president of basketball operations Elgin Baylor said in a statement. "In the final analysis, the decision was based on issues of character and other risks involved."

The 6-10 Odom was suspended by the NBA early in his career for violation of the league's anti-drug policy. He began last season rehabilitating injuries from the previous campaign and averaged 14.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 49 games.

While terms of the contract were not disclosed, numerous reports pegged it at $63 million over six years.

"We feel that he is a player that ... would complement the talents of our last two first-round picks - Caron Butler and Dwyane Wade," Heat coach Pat Riley said when Odom signed the offer sheet on August 12.

"I also believe Odom would complement Eddie Jones and Brian Grant, our two veteran leaders. As I have said before, we are committed to winning and will do whatever it takes to give our fans talented players and a great team."

Odom, the fourth overall pick in the 1999 draft, spent his first four seasons in Los Angeles, where he played for four different coaches.

Riley tried to pry Brand away from the Clippers, but they matched a six-year, $82 million offer sheet.

Los Angeles initially offered Odom a three-year, $24 million deal. He could have signed a one-year, $3.9 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next season.

Drbio · 08-25-2003, 07:09 PM

Can you blame the Clips? Odom would have been an instant cancer in the clubhouse and would not have played hard.

mavsfanforever · 08-25-2003, 07:15 PM

Quote:

[i]and would not have played hard.

Doc, this just reminded me of Rasheed.

Anyway, I think Doc is right. He would have been a cancer in the locker room.

Drbio · 08-25-2003, 09:03 PM

Until Odom started running his mouth off I thought the Cips would match. It is apparent that he would have whined liked a baby to get his way. He would have played apathetically and would have complained not only daily but hourly.

NBAFan7 · 07-01-2004, 02:05 AM

Tell the Clippers I said thanks.

#1 Heat fan

Evilmav2 · 07-01-2004, 03:18 AM

The Clips should be glad they didn't resign Odom. The man can't shoot a jumpshot.

Drbio · 07-01-2004, 08:32 AM

Evil...you forgot the "Lamar Odom Sucks".

aexchange · 07-01-2004, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by: NBAFan7
Tell the Clippers I said thanks.

#1 Heat fan

Quit bumping old threads. This is your first and final warning.