Jump to content

Source: Odom, Lakers agree on deal (Pg. 14)


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 304
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Ted Green: Lamar Odom's agent Jeff Schwartz needs to listen up

 

Last week, I wrote that it was time for the Lakers to step up and make Lamar Odom a reasonable, respectful offer.

 

Now that they have, apparently offering L.O. more than $9 million a year for at least three years, it's now time for Lamar's agent to wake up.

 

Yes, wake up, Jeff Schwartz. In Miami or Memphis, Lamar Odom is irrelevant, a face in the crowd, part of the passing parade.

 

With the Lakers, he's a rock star, an important championship piece and a player revered by the city. In other words, an athlete who absolutely matters.

 

So listen up, Mr. Schwartz, and jot this down on your 8-by-10 pad:

 

Something approaching, say, $28 million for three years is good money. Actually, it's great money for a guy who is important to the Lakers, true, but who is never going to be better than the third or even fourth option and who, additionally, is probably going to be asked to come off of the bench.

 

What's more, the Lakers' offer would make Lamar the highest paid sixth man in the league. Wait, let me write that with an exclamation point. Highest paid sixth man in the league! Not even Manu Ginobili of the Spurs, a true all-star, makes more. Ginobili gets $8.67 million on a six-year deal he signed several seasons back.

 

More per year than Manu Ginobili? I'd say that's a VERY fair offer, Mr. Schwartz.

 

For a few more million that Lamar is never going to be able to spend in three lifetimes if he is smart and prudent, what are you going to do, Jeff Schwartz, exile him to Miami?

 

Do you realize how close that is to the Bermuda Triangle, where people have been known to disappear?

 

Your job, Mr. Schwartz, is to help expedite getting a good salary for Lamar, and that you appear to have accomplished. Job well done.

 

But don't get greedy and blow the deal. Don't make this a pointless and macho mano a mano negotiation, in which the sins of ego and vanity take over, pushing the Lakers to the point where an owner with a virtually impeccable track record, such as Jerry Buss, pulls it off the table.

 

This isn't serving the interests of Lamar Odom. This is attempting to increase the size of your commission check. This, Mr. Schwartz, would be abject greed and stupidity.

 

This applies to you, Mr. Schwartz and to every other agent out there: Take your sizable cut; congratulate your client on making the smart, thoughtful, bigger-picture decision; and be thankful you don't actually have to work for a living.

 

And Lamar, oh lovable Laker of the cool Sgt. Pepper jackets: Pull your head out of the sand and take control of what your agent is doing. Don't just sit home and tell the newspapers that money is a "touchy subject" Trust your agent, you hired him, but not implicitly. Make sure he isn't so stubborn and hardheaded that he writes you a one-way ticket out of town.

 

If there's one thing you should have learned by now, L.O., it's that the only ones you can really trust in any of this Laker business are Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in the fourth quarter.

 

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/07/ted-green-listen-up-agent-schwartz.html

Edited by The Goods
Link to comment
Share on other sites

^

It's just a writer opinion. It's too late now for the LO's agent. LO's is gonna either leave by sign & trade or he realize he was an idiot and will sign the MLE with LA which makes him look like an idiot since he had 9 million offered to him for the first 3 year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Report: Lakers pull Odom offer

 

Kobe Bryant will be back, but two big pieces of the Lakers' championship team likely won't be.

 

The team has pulled its offer to forward Lamar Odom, the Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday night. Citing a team official who was not authorized to comment publicly on the negotiations, the newspaper reported that owner Jerry Buss was upset that Odom and his representatives had not responded to the team's offer of three years at $9 million per season. Odom and his agent Jeff Schwartz have reportedly been seeking a five-year deal at $10 million per season.

 

The newspaper reported that Odom has been in negotiations with the Mavericks and Heat, two teams that can only offer their mid-level exceptions of $5.8 million per season for a maximum of five years.

 

Bryant chose to not opt out of his contract this offseason and will likely receive a long-term extension. Key reserve Trevor Ariza bolted the Lakers for the Rockets, however. The Lakers responded by signing former Rocket Ron Artest.

 

Odom, 29, was expected to take a pay cut from his $14.1 million salary of last season. He has averaged 15.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for his career, but he set career lows in scoring (11.3) and assists (2.6) last season. He did average 12.3 points and 9.1 rebounds in the playoffs to help the Lakers to their 15th championship.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4328376

Edited by The Goods
Link to comment
Share on other sites

update on lakersnation.com

 

 

UPDATE: Here is some more information from Ramona Shelburne on Lamar Odom; via twitter…

 

Lakers offer to Odom was either three years and $30 million or four years and $36 million. Odom rejected both. (via Twitter)

 

Bad news on Odom front: Lakers take deal off the table (via Twitter)

 

Also, here is some more information…

 

L.A. Times:”Yes, we have taken the deal off the table,” Lakers spokesman John Black said Tuesday. “Talks have broken down for the time being.” Asked if talks could resume, Blacks said, “That’s within the realm of possibility.”

 

 

man candy man should fire his damn agent. 3 years for 30 mill THATS WHAT HES ASKING FOR. %$%$@%#@%$^(&

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

It's like this: Phil wants him, but LO has to make nice w/Dr. Buss, who's ticked LO didn't jump at what Buss sees as generous offer.

less than 5 seconds ago from web

 

Where LO goes if not LA: Miami or Por, although the latter has shown no interest. FYI, he didn't reject 3yr/27m, he asked for a 4th yr.

5 minutes ago from web

 

Just an FYI: if Lakers do abandon LO, they aren't doing any sign&trades. Nobody out there they consider comparable they'd want to get.

12 minutes ago from web

 

I would expect this: LO back to LAL or not will be decided in next 24 hours.

about 3 hours ago from txt

 

Color me wrong on LO: I don't think they're going to figure it out. LO asks "please let me have 3 yrs/27m" or Lakers are moving on.

about 3 hours ago from txt

Edited by The Goods
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...