There's little doubt that the extended drama involved in Lamar Odom's threat to sign with Miami was nothing more than a negotiating ploy to force a more favorable deal from the Lakers.
Here are several reasons why Miami never had a real shot at Odom:
The ballyhooed fact that Florida doesn't have a state income tax was a red
herring. So what if Odom could have saved about $200-300K per season? With the
Lakers able to offer a signficantly larger salary, the tax savings would have
been mere pocket change.
All of Dwyane Wade's talk about Odom's "coming back home" to Miami was also
nonsensical. L.O. was born in Queens, N.Y., has played a total of nine years in
Los Angeles and only one in Miami.
Even if the Heat had inked Odom and Carlos Boozer, the best they could have
hoped for was to finish behind Boston, Cleveland and Orlando. Why would Odom —
or any other player in his right mind — leave a defending championship ball club
to play on the fourth-best team in the Eastern Conference?
There was some buzz about Odom's lingering unhappiness coming off the bench
for the Lakers and Miami's guaranteeing him a starting slot. But hey, last June
the guy averaged over 32 minutes per game in the playoffs and was always on the
court in the end game. Winning the gold ring ultimately convinced Odom that
finishing for a winner is better than starting for an also-ran.
L.A.'s pulling its offer from the table last week was just another
business-as-usual negotiating ploy.
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| Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom will chase more titles
together. (Andy Hayt / Getty Images) |
Hadn't Odom repeatedly claimed that Phil Jackson was his all-time favorite
coach? And that he couldn't see himself playing under anybody else?
That said, here's the usual run-down on what Odom will bring to next season's
Lakers.
Pros: Simply put, Odom can do just about everything he puts his mind
to. Rebound, handle, run, jump, shoot from long range, post-up, pass and defend.
All this at either the small forward or the power forward positions — and even
playing center in selected matchups.
More specifically, he can drive effectively both ways but prefers going left
— and therefore works very hard (mostly with a nifty right-to-left crossover) to
get back to his left hand. He's quite a handful when he posts on the right block
and looks for his lefty jump hook or turnaround jumper. And he's learned to be
aggressive when playing without the ball.
Cons: His habitual lack of focus is a problem. Too often, Odom will
disappear and not be a factor whatsoever. This happens perhaps one out of every
three games in the regular season and one game per playoff series. Also, his
3-ball stroke can be flat. Plus, he exhibits too much ball and body movement at
the stripe and is therefore little better than a lifetime 70 percent shooter
from there, which is slightly below the average league-wide efficiency.
Prognosis: With both Odom and Ron Artest in the fold, the Lakers are
heavy favorites to repeat. All they need to round out their roster is another
lively big man off the bench — Josh Powell doesn't fill the bill — and a
guard/wing who can provide another reliable scorer off the bench. It could very
well be, however, that if Adam Morrison's leg has healed and fully regained its
strength, he could be the secondary scorer for the second unit.
Note: The Lakers would have had absolutely no chance to re-sign Odom
if there was an NBA franchise in Hershey, Pa.
Let's also look at the most significant of the latest player relocations.
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| Andre Miller, left, will force the Blazers into a more
patient offense. Emeka Okafor, right, is a questionable acquisition for New
Orleans. (Ned Dishman / Getty Images) |
Andre Miller to Portland
Pros: He's strong, smart and can run an offense with clockwork
efficiency. When he must, Miller can also overpower opponents and create his own
shots. His hesitation moves enable him to consistently get to the hoop and
finish. Has incredible court vision and a great drive-and-kick game. Can do a
good job defending screen/rolls.
Cons: Cannot run, shoot from long range or defend any but the slowest
point guards in one-on-one situations.
Prognosis: Miller's presence will force the Blazers to play a more
deliberate style than they have in recent years. This will put even more
pressure on Greg Oden to hasten his development. So even with Miller, Portland's
future still depends on Oden.
Matt Barnes to Orlando
Pros: He's a high-energy player who can run the floor like a guard.
Barnes' quick hops also make him an effective rebounder and an outstanding
finisher. He has excellent 3-point range and rarely misses open shots.
Cons: Takes far too many ill-advised shots, especially in fast-break
or early offensive situations. His lefty handle is weak. Worst of all, Barnes is
a below-average defender.
Prognosis: If he learns to differentiate between good shots and bad
ones, Barnes could be a streaky but potentially dynamic scorer off the bench. A
probable plus for the Magic.
Jamario Moon to Cleveland
Pros: This guy is one of the best all-around athletes in the league.
He can run, jump and change direction like a Hall of Famer. Moon is a highlight
finisher on the break. Can also knock down treys and play aggressive defense.
Cons: His incredible skills remain somewhat unsophisticated. Doesn't
see the court well enough to make judicious passes and he makes mucho mistakes
in executing half-court sets.
Prognosis: If the Cavs can get him to slow down and look before he
leaps, Moon could be a huge addition who greatly enhances their championship
hopes.
Tyson Chandler to Charlotte
Pros: A quick jumper and eager shot-blocker, especially when coming
from the weak side. Can outrun most other centers. Does a good job of spinning
off of top-heavy interior defenders and making himself available for lob passes.
Except for some lefty jump hooks, put-backs, and duck-under moves, Chandler's
primary offense is generated by his slipping screens and dunking the resultant
lob passes.
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| Foul prone and injury prone, Tyson Chandler is likely to
frustrate Larry Brown. (Doug Pensinger / Getty
Images) |
Cons: Is very soft and can be bullied. Can't pass or score when
stationed in the low post but gets upset when he doesn't get sufficient touches.
When opposing players take the ball right at him and then execute a convincing
pump fake, Chandler is so intent on blocking shots that more often than not
he'll commit a foul. Is both foul prone and injury prone. A poor free-throw
shooter.
Prognosis: Is the perfect eraser in a zone defense, and the perfect
backup. Unless the Bobcats come up with a more stalwart starting center, Larry
Brown will be hard on Chandler's case all season long.
Emeka Okafor to New Orleans
Pros: Big, strong body and sure-handed rebounder. Will block his share
of shots.
Cons: His post-up moves are very crude and depend more on power than
technique. A poor passer, Okafor is a turnover looking for a place to happen.
Has trouble defending opponents who can face-up and go. Another below-average
shooter from the stripe. Lacks the foot speed to provide Chris Paul with the
screen/roll options that Chandler did. Is grossly overpaid.
Prognosis: Plays better without the ball than with it. Could turn out
to be the kind of lane-clogger that will limit the flexibility of the Hornets'
half-court offense.
Drew Gooden to Dallas
Pros: Plays hard. Likes to post-up on left box and execute either his
go-to move — a right-handed jump-hook — or a turnaround jumper. Also looks to
spin on his drives. Can rebound, handle some, and block an occasional shot.
Cons: Is a streaky shooter who stubbornly tries to shoot his way
through dry spells. Has slowed down to a noticeable degree and since he's always
had trouble defending quick players off the dribble, his defense is now highly
questionable.
Prognosis: Gooden is a career under-achiever and the Mavs are the
seventh team he'll play with during the course of his (soon-to-be) nine years in
the league. As such, Dallas is the latest outfit to believe it can prompt Gooden
to fulfill his potential. Could be a useful player off the bench who should be
quickly yanked when he misses three shots in succession.
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