The Los Angeles Lakers officially announced today that they traded Lamar Odom, as well as a 2012 second-round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks, in exchange for the Mavs’ 2012 first-round pick and a trade exception.
The Lakers originally wanted to trade Odom to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Chris Paul, but NBA commissioner David Stern blocked the hell out of that.
Once the original trade fell through, Lamar Odom felt “unwanted” by the Lakers and requested to still be traded to another team.
“You don’t want to go to no place you’re not wanted,” Odom told the L.A. Times when he found out about the Lakers’ plans to send him off to New Orleans Hornets for the season. “I’m just in total disbelief about all of this. They don’t want my services, for whatever reason. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I was proud to be a Laker, so I’ll try to help them in the process as much as possible.”
Odom was a no-show at the Lakers’ training camp Friday, and revealed to team manager Mitch Kupchak in a meeting that he wanted to be traded. Adhering to Odom’s wish, Kupchak and the Lakers secured a deal with the Dallas Mavericks.
“Lamar was a fine player for us in his seven years with the Lakers and was a key to helping us win two championships,” Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement released Sunday. “In addition, he always conducted himself with class and professionalism and we wish him well in the remainder of his career.”
