When it comes to the Los Angeles Lakers, there's never a dull moment. Therefore, it is not all that surprising that the Internet was abuzz with Lakers trade rumors leading up to Thursday's NBA Draft.
For the most part, the rumors emanating out of LA concerned Lamar Odom, the Lakers' multi-talented big man who is fresh off a Sixth Man of the Year campaign. There were reports that Odom could be headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 2 pick, the Philadelphia 76ers for Andre Iguodala, or perhaps to the Golden State Warriors in a deal for Monta Ellis.
The draft came and went, and Odom is still in Los Angeles. It's sounding more and more like all the trade rumors involving his name were much ado about nothing. So it goes when it comes to NBA trade rumors.
Given the current state of the Lakers, it still stands to reason that Odom is still very much on the trade block. The Lakers need youth and talent, and Odom is the kind of guy that could net them some of both.
But at this point, don’t count on him being traded any time soon.
For starters, as attractive an option as Odom is, actually picturing him in a rotation other than the Lakers' is difficult. He is valuable because it seems like he can play pretty much every position on the floor, but his value lies in the fact that he is one of team's three talented bigs.
On any other team, Odom probably wouldn't be coming off the bench, and he certainly wouldn't have Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum to help draw the defense, much less Kobe Bryant. If Odom had to be the go-to guy, he would likely be a disappointment (kinda like he was in the beginning of his career).
This is not the biggest reason why Odom won't be traded, though. No sir, the one thing that will keep Odom in Los Angeles is the looming lockout. The NBA has precious little time to figure out a new d...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
