whos going to pay odom? he makes 11 mil you think any of the teams with cap space is willing to pay that much or more?
Jerry Buss will pay both players. He has already admitted that he is willing to go above and beyond the luxury tax for a championship contender. I could also see them resigning Shannon Brown and moving Vujacic in a salary dump. As much as everyone hates seeing the lakers be this young and talented they aren't likely to have a significant drop off any time soon.
God help the team that signs and likely overpays for Odom. It won't take long for him to revert back to his Clippers, Heat and pre-Gasol Lakers days of pulling vanishing acts and half-assing it out there. Any team that showcases him as their second best player is bound to be garbage. That much is proven. Perhaps these GM's will finally realize this when dishing out contracts this summer? Perhaps these GM's will exercise some restraint by recognizing Odom's limitations then paying accordingly rather than just seeing all that unfulfilled potential and a championship ring? If he's smart he'll stay in LA for a discount. At least Kobe and Gasol can carry that team well enough that they won't need to rely on him.
Whatever it takes. They can afford it. It is the Los Angeles Lakers, they can afford anything they want. Remember when they gave Shaq a ridiculous amount of money before the player maxes were set like they are now?
Ariza is overrated. If he left I doubt LA would have much of a problem finding another SF who was kinda athletic, a decent defender and could hit the 3 sometimes. Ariza as well as Fisher are more stopgaps than they are players who should be starting on any team much less a Championship one. Of course, when you have Kobe, Gasol and Odom on your squad you can go deep in the playoffs with a bunch of YMCA ballers filling in the other positions. Just imagine if LA had Battier and Brooks starting at SF and PG. LA might have won 70+ games and only lost two or three games in the entire playoffs.
Odom has said that all he cares about is living on the beach. He loves being a laker and he loves LA - he is NOT going anywhere, even if he has to take a paycut. Ariza will stay as well. this team will be back, and i think if they can keep bynum healthy all year and actually have him consistent they will be amazing. people forget that right before he got injured the last two years bynum had some amazing games. he scored 40 liek one or two games before he got injured this year. LAL and BOS are the best teams in the NBA going into next year, in my opinion, when healthy.
Despite speculation that the Lakers will choose between Odom and Trevor Ariza, they may now bring both back -- if Odom will take less than his current $10 million salary. Oh, and Odom has said he would. From LA Times
I'd love for the Rockets to sign Odom. Though not overpay for him. And if God wants to help the Rockets, that would be nice, too.
I don't like him but I would take him for the right price. You just have to make sure your team has enough talent so you won't have to depend on him. And, yeah, if God wants to give us a break or two one of these days that would be nice too!
so much is made him doing so many things well. but facts are that he is so inconsistent and proned to make many brain-dead plays. Lakers should no signed "brain-dead" Odom. Arizza thrives under PJax's system, which has enabled him to develop a dependable 3-pt shot. his style of play fits PJax's system like a glove, a complete opposite of the his previous stays at NYK (traded away by Larry Brown) and Orlando (riding the pine under SVG). Lakers will sign him,
Rox already has a "brain-dead" player in Wafer. they can ill afford to add another "brain-dead" on the team.
Ariza is a bit overrated imo. If they couldn't afford to keep both, they'd better keep Odom. This guy can start in any other teams & get a 15+10+5. I doubt he would stay in the Lakers if he gets a generous offer from somewhere.
I'd sign Ariza for 4 mill. per. and thats a lot. Odom will cost too much and reminds me of T-mac when it comes to injures and laziness. Odom will find a taker somewhere in the east. I'm sure a team looking for a Great perimiter defender will bite on Ariza though....look what happened with Posey and NOH.
You fail to factor is growth has a player and his hard work he put in to be a better player. There is such a thing as being a 3point shooter and still driving to the basket. Not a shot a Battier
In a perfect world the rockets would sign ariza as a free agent. That would solidfy our name on the obrien trophy next year. He can shoot, pass, and defend like battier. Oh and by the way he's smart like battier too. Do that stats on him morey. GET HIM!
Small forward is NOT a weakness on the Rockets. We can do sign n trade for Ariza, but I doubt that would happen. I disagree. Ariza sustained his excellent play throughout the playoffs, so it's not a flash in the pan. Ariza is only 23, while Odom is already 30. If Shane commands 6-7 mil a year, someone will offer Ariza will get that type of money. Odom will probably take a paycut if the contract is long-term. It's very plausible that Lakers will be able to keep both players.
I wonder if Ariza would have continued success outside of LA. I feel as though his game fits the Lakers well because he plays well alongside Kobe and PJ has a lot of faith and trust in him and they seem to bring the best out of him. For the first time I can actually say Kobe has made a teammate better. I have my doubts that Ariza would continue to play at the level he did in the playoffs if he were to bolt elsewhere. With that said the guy's worth way more than $4 Mil per year which a previous poster suggested being a lot for Ariza. I say he gets a nice contract for 3 years @ $17-18 Mil or 4 years at $21-22mil around there.
They would probably try to keep both but one of the teams under the salary cap like the Grizzles, would try to lure either Odom or Ariza to add veteran presence to their young teams. Money does talk and choosing between money and repeating. I would say money would prevail.
