Real GM says that we can get Odom, salary wise, for KT, Collier, and Morris. Of course, they would all just be throw-ins (though KT is a very, very nice throw-in). The crux of the deal I’m proposing would be shipping those guys and our (probable) #5 pick for Odom and the Clips (probable) #12 pick. Seem like just another implausible trade idea? Let’s see how it stacks up: WHY THE CLIPS SHOULD MAKE THE DEAL Clips have other people to play Odom’s SF position, including Darius Miles, Corey Maggette, and Euro stud Marko Jaric (finally arriving after being selected in the 2000 draft). Clips are down on Odom after his suspensions and injuries. Clips don’t have a backup PF anywhere near as good as KT. If Clips lose Kandi to FA, they’ll need to shift Brand to C, meaning that they could use KT as a starter and Collier as a backup. Clips get an impact player at #5 and don’t lose too much face for giving up on Odom (who was a #4 pick). Clips don’t need their #12 pick, as they already have (probable) #8 owed to them by the Hawks. Clips notoriously cheap owner gets to sign KT for half of what Odom will want and gets to pay the #5 pick on the rookie scale for a few years. WHY THE ROCKS SHOULD MAKE THE DEAL Rocks need a young SF who can run with them (not Rice). Rocks need a point forward to take some of the ball-handling duties away from Francis (Odom has the necessary skills and has even played some PG for the Clips). Rocks need a backup SG (another role Odom has played – I can see him moving to SG for 15 minutes each game to give Mobley a breather and Rice some playing time). Rocks need a big SF to match up with KG, Dirk, Rashard, Gasol, Marion, and Peja (Odom is 6-10). Rocks need to breakup the jam at PF (we don’t want to move Eddie and no one wants Mo coming off a major injury with a big contract, so KT is the only one who can be traded). Rocks want to stay young, but don’t want another project who will take three years to develop (Odom is already established in the league). Rocks can use the #12 pick to take Marcus, Stoudemire, or Gadzuric (all probably destined to be career backups, but good backups with the weight and size to lean on Shaq or Duncan for 15 minutes or so). Rocks lineup: PG: Francis/Norris SG: Mobley/Odom SF: Odom/Rice PF: Taylor/Griffin C: Cato/Griffin/#12 pick Suddenly, you’ve got a solid 8 or 9 man rotation where everyone knows their roles and gets enough minutes (you usually don’t want to go deeper than 8 men in the playoffs anyway). Oscar Torres, Tierre Brown, and a 2nd round draft pick (a front court player) can provide decent depth. The downside of the deal is obvious: Rocks get questionable character in Odom, but I feel like you’ve got to take risks in order to succeed. Is anyone else with me on this one? Or would none of this ever happen? If not, then why not?
I always find it interesting how many problems Odom causes the Clips, and how many holes Odom fills for the Rockets... Odom is a bad fit for waiting to happen. I'm tired of bringing in guys with sketchy character.
People in the NBA think Steve is a bad character (hence his not being on the Olympics team). Also, Eddie was a character risk when he was drafted. Nevertheless, these are the two guys I wouldn't part with. People used to think that Hakeem had an attitude problem too, but he's an example of how people can change. Anyway, I don't think that Odom's character could be any worse that Robert Horry's, and all he's got is 4 rings.
Whoa... What exactly did Horry do? The only blemish is that he knocked up Calvin's daughter. While that isn't honorable or anything, he doesn't have a checkered legal history. Odom is one puff away from being suspended for 82 games.
Haven't Heypartner and others said that weed is not one of those offenses? (I always loved Rob, by the way)
He's a amazing talent and probably the most talented player on the clipps. He has the talent and somewhat limited production to show he can be a difference maker. The thing is, the clipps won't give him away. The number 5,Thomas,Rice and maybe the exception in return for a signed Odom might be better, but unlikely.
Correct. From now on, any positive test for pot by Odom (or Taylor) will get a five game suspension max.
The only way the Clippers would be succeptable to a trade is if some of their core players leave for free agency. The only one who is most likely is Olawikandi, whose been complaining about how Sterling is a stingy owner... If the core players stay intact, the Clippers would look more to finding established vets on the trading block and getting them with the draft picks they have. They did it this year with Brand, and incoorporating a rookie would be bad for team chemistry (everyone of them thinks they can score at least 15 a night given the chance), worse than keeping Odom.
I'm not saying that this would absolutely swing a deal, but don't forget that Cuttino and Odom are supposedly pretty tight.
Horry also smacked his head coach in the head with a towel and pretty much dogs it until the playoffs arrive.
Excellent analysis, BDJ. You make a good point in that to do the Odom deal, you have to package all three of these players to match Odom's salary. The only other predraft possibility is a Moochie + pick for Odom (+ pick?) trade.
True, I forgot about the towel thing... But, in Houston, he was trouble free. And while Horry throws towels, Odom rolls towels up and smokes them... Also, the entire Laker team dogs it until the playoffs arrive. I think that is actual smart of Horry. Horry knows that he won't be able to deliver for 8 months. So, he turns it on/off in the regular season, then goes full tilt for the playoffs. Maybe that kind of mindset would work only on a top tier team, rather than a team trying to reach the playoffs like the Rockets. Horry wouldn't be a great fit for us. But I think he'd be a better fit than Odom, because Horry would instantly become our best man-to-man defender.
Isn't Colliers days with the Rockets over? Any team would be stupid to take him as part of a S&T, but then again we are talking about the Clippers.
Collier still has next year for sure. I think the 4th year is a team option, and I would hope the will Rockets decline it.
It takes a lot to yank me out of my daily lurking routine, but I am so sick of these posts about Odom being some kind of drug addict. Obviously it would be better for a team to have nothing but straight edge health nuts, but there's not a team like that in the league. I guess you guys don't care about your favorite players drinking, because most of them do and I've yet to read a complaint on this board about that. And I guess all you "character" freaks don't care that most of your favorite married players spend their leisure hours in strip clubs. And I guess it's fine to have a couple ladies on the side as long as you just stay away from the evil weed. Facts are facts, y'all. Alcohol is worse and worse for you than weed. And you'd be hard pressed to find a medical professional who disagrees (popeye? dallas rocket? care to weigh in here?). Obviously the potential suspensions are a problem. But in case you didn't know, mar1juana is not addictive. And I'm pretty confident Taylor and Odom both care more about basketball than getting high. If they had any kind of serious drug problems, the league would have found more than weed in their tests. Besides, if they're really jonesing a buzz they can just get drunk. It'll be worse for their conditioning and worse for their teams, but it'll be a-ok with the league and with ridiculous posters like kidrock. By the way kidrock, I'm guessing you think your namesake doesn't smoke the weed? What kind of fantasy world do you live in? To paraphrase the late, great Bill Hicks, all of you who are so upset about drugs should go home right now and burn all the music you love, as most of those guys were very, very high when they made it. Incidentally, I drink. A lot. Just ask heypartner. We were both pretty sloppy when I saw him and his lovely wife at Rudz the other night. I just live in the real world, where weed is not a problem unless you get caught. Alright. Back to the lurking. Since I show up so rarely here, thanks to everyone for the great site and great insight with, of course, the obvious exceptions. "Making mar1juana illegal is like saying God f*cked up." - Bill Hicks "I feel sorry for people who don't drink, because when they wake up that's the best they're gonna feel all day." - Frank Sinatra
Batman Jones-I don't have a problem with Odom smoking weed. What I have a problem with, is the fact that he's been caught twice now by the NBA. The next time Odom is caught, he will most likely be suspended by the NBA for the ENTIRE SEASON. If that doesn't bother you, in this season full of missed games from injuries, then I can't help you. I'm sure Moochie and half of the Rockets smoke pot, I don't give a damn. I just give a damn when the NBA finds out and suspends them. Giving the team a black eye, and themselves a black eye. I have smoked weed on occasion. I don't think it was that stupid of me to do that, because I don't get randomly drug tested by anyone. Lamar Odom should know that the NBA does random testing, so he should know that he's putting himself at risk. If that is too hard for you to comprehend, then you're better off going to lurk mode.
"The next time Odom is caught, he will most likely be suspended by the NBA for the ENTIRE SEASON." Not true kidrock, I believe it's been stated already that the league treats pot smoking different than any other drug. The biggest suspension Odom would ever get is 5 games, he'll never get suspended for the season for smoking mar1juana...
