A Plea for Lamar Odom

I don't write about sports nearly enough on here, even with my Lakers winning a championship! I figure that I read more sports writing than any human being should (you don't even want to see my Google Reader) and if it's a pretty big passion of mine, I should start writing about it more. That and I'm still debating if I can plausibly write a Lakers season review with grades without it being too late. I have plenty of time for that though, seeing as we're surviving in sports purgatory with only the MLB and Tour De France these days, and I'll think of something when I watch that glorious season recap DVD I haven't gotten around to buying yet...

Anyways, I've been talking a lot about Lamar Odom with anyone who will listen. Perhaps ranting is a better word. Obsessing. I've never wanted a free agent to re-sign like this before. Look, I'm a big Dodgers fan and freaked out about Manny last year, but Manny didn't just help us win a championship. He's still a rental anyway. Come to think of it, there's no one who's come even close.

As a Lakers fan, I'm used to winning that free agent battle. LA is a destination, you're a star baby. Sure, we've lost some battles, but we win the big ones. We got Shaq from Orlando. Kobe was never going to leave in 2004. In my entire life, I can't remember being devastated the way I imagine T'wolves fans were when KG got traded (well, maybe McHale waited long enough that that wasn't true) or the way those Magic fans felt when the Big Buckeye abandoned ship with what seemed like several championships waiting in the wings.


It's not just about that though. I could handle losing Gasol better than this, really I could. Lamar isn't just a Laker, he's probably my favorite Laker. I remember the first time I ever really watched LO, on the 2004 Olympic team, ironically not too long before he was traded to LA. I knew who he was but I didn't know him outside of his Clipper-hood and drug busts. I remember being so impressed with LO doing everything for that team, one of those who never quit, playing impromptu center and blocking shot after shot as his teammates allowed one fast break after another. LO was the goalie and kept going until he was literally wagging his tongue, exhausted. That image of Lamar Odom, the versatile talent shamelessly doing whatever needed to be done for a flawed team, endured until this year's title.

It's easy to speak in superlatives about Lamar Odom, on the court and off the court. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the L who's had a tougher childhood or has a better attitude about it now. He smiles like Magic Johnson and has a lot of joy in his life. You can see it on the court and you can only laugh along with him when he does things like eat candy for breakfast. Of course Lamar Odom is the candyman!

On the court, he's been whatever the Lakers have needed him for. He learned to be a great PF and defended bigs like Tim Duncan and Garnett when no one else stepped up. He can do EVERYTHING imaginable at 6'10". He can run the court, pass, shoot (apparently, 3's now too), rebound, block shots, toss in a baby hook, you name it. Now that we have bigs and have relegated him to 6th man, he's simply turned into a premier help defender and is a policeman for that childish second unit and turning the Lakers bench into the league's finest. How'd they look when Lamar was starting and Josh Powell was out there?

In retrospect, he's an obvious choice for my favorite Laker. You have to love Kobe aesthetically and because of his skill, but he's a stone cold assassin and a jerk sometimes, even though I believe he's grown up a lot. He's too Machiavellian a figure for you to ever buy his sincerity that much. I like Pau, don't get me wrong, but he's too goofy and hasn't been around long enough. Bynum is super-frustrating. I understand why people on OTHER teams hate Sasha sometimes. D-Fish is the man, but his 15 foot pull-up jumpers automatically remove him from contention. Who doesn't love Mbenga but come on...

Lamar is the most human and relatable player on the roster. He's an emotional open book and I've shared the ride, the ups and downs, on his expressions over the years. When the Shaq trade wasn't really working out, I always blamed Caron and never LO. I've stuck with him since he came to the Lakers and my attachment to him has grown over the years as I've watched him mature and learn to control his dazzling array of talents. He's been as frustrating as he's been electric the last few years. I can't tell you how many times I've been dripping sweat as he takes an ill-advised shot or free throws at the end of a game. He's been inconsistent as a second banana, there's no other way to say it.

I defended his performance in the 2008 Finals, he put up 20/11/4 and 19/10/4 in games 4 and 5 people, and have defended his tenure as a Laker ("All-Star numbers until he got hurt") in ways I've never defended Kobe. I'm obliged to defend Kobe, but for the most part any defense of Kobe starts with a some serious concessions and caveats anyway.

There were a lot of redemption stories on that championship team. Phil got his 10th, Kupchak did it, Kobe did it without Shaq, Euros like Gasol are winners, Derek Fisher wasn't done yet, etc. But the one that meant the most to me was Lamar Odom's redemption. He went from a flawed sidekick that was never quite going to be Kobe's Pippen to a human Swiss army knife who sublimated his role to win. When held up to the standard of his talent, he was always a failure, but winning a championship as a vital and clutch player of critical importance, that's the stuff of legend. He's a star here forever.

I understand why he'd leave if he was making more money. At this point, the sentiments of the Heat still may win him over, but he shouldn't leave for less and a worse basketball situation. I get that he doesn't feel appreciated; the NBA is a business, but it's an intensely personal one. The number one priority is respect and the Lakers aren't exactly oozing it. He's still the only Laker not getting paid, but no one else can pay more, so he has little leverage unfortunately. It's not just about the front office. The fans love Lamar and he has a real home here in the community. The Lakers are still his best chance of winning. Winning a lot and paying more. The Heat are still probably a 48-49 win team at best if they do some fancy maneuvering with Jermaine O'Neal's expiring contract, but the Lakers could be a dynasty. That's not happening in South Beach. Wade's probably out in 2010 anyway.

But Lamar, this isn't just about winning and the title you have to defend. This is about where you belong, in the offense where your basketball skills are divine. This is your team and your place in the universe. Yeah, Kobe is no doubt the leader of this team, but you are its heart, its compass. Kobe is always fantastic, but the Lakers live and die by Lamar Odom. The kids look up to him and the veterans respect him. We'll work on a star in Hollywood for you Lamar, but please get to work on another Larry O'Brien trophy marching down Figueroa. It wouldn't be the same without you.