News and notes as the waiting continues
Like ER after Dr. Greene died, the Lamar Odom negotiations have continued long past the point of tediousness, in part because neither side has a whole lot of leverage. About the only interesting thing to me is waiting to see if Dr. Buss will lower his initial offer to the point that Miami's full mid-level becomes legitimate by comparison. There's very little about the process that hasn't been kicked around and picked apart, and until there's a conclusion, it's tough to judge winners and losers (beyond fans and local bloggers, all of whom were expecting some sort of mid-summer vacation).
One thing I do like is the borderline radio silence coming out of both camps. It's frustrating for people on the outside, but the less this gets played out in the media the more likely Lakers fans get the outcome they want (assuming said outcome is a return to the Lakers for Odom).
The rest of the league continues not to wait around for the Lakers to put a bow on this thing before making plans of their own. The Mavs have reportedly reached an agreement with Drew Gooden. One year, $4.5 mil, notable not only because Gooden was, at least in theory, one name bandied about as a possible (though financially unrealistic) Plan B for the Lakers should LO leave, but also for the peek into how much it'll cost to bring in any of the names still out there on the free agent market.
LA has only the veteran's minimum to offer (topping out around $1.3 mil for long-tenured players, I believe, and working down from there) after using the mid-level on Ron Artest and the bi-annual exception to re-sign Shannon Brown.
After Odom, Joe Smith is my preferred name on the market, but other teams would likely put together a more competitive offer at him, at least financially, and the Hawks are apparently wooing Smith with fervor. The point? Should LO head to south Florida, the Lakers will be sifting through the racks of the NBA's consignment shops, looking at power forwards with sleeves too long or holes in the pockets.
Other news:
- Leon Powe could be headed to Cleveland, but even the author of the rumor says to take it with a grain of salt. Meanwhile, Bruce Bowen might be an option for the Celtics. Same site, same caveat.
- So, too, could Marquis Daniels, in a sign and trade with Indiana.
- More thoughts on Andre Miller-to-Portland (I like the move at the money, but he won't open the floor as a shooter and isn't a perfect fit by any stretch), as well as a note about former Laker Brian Grant, suffering from Parkinson's, perhaps joining Portland's coaching staff this year. That's a good story.
- Bill Simmons expresses a few more thoughts on the Ron Artest deal in his latest column. Opinions, and stories about underwear.
- Personally, I'm not a tank top guy, but perhaps some of you would rock this bad boy?
BK