Lakers GM Kupchak `hopeful' of Odom's return

Because free agent Ron Artest took less money to sign with the Lakers than he might have received elsewhere, it now appears general manager Mitch Kupchak might have an easier time re-signing Lamar Odom.

[cecille of La]

i surely gonna miss the hassle play of ariza, all the effort and all those li'l thing that he do for the team!but we got artest so it's time to move on but i think if we won't get odom back... it feels like it's alittle bit hard to move oit feels like they're a whole different team than the team that we see in the parade last month. i hope that we got L O back ASAP!

[lakers8709]

Finally some good news, I think Odom signs soon! thanks to Artest not being a greedy pig the Lakers can now work on finishing this deal up.

I am glad to read that there are no other offers out on Odom.

Go Lakersss...

[AETO]

Lamar, I hope you sign with us!!!!!!!...
Come back and defend your title..........

[PMaz]

Too many bad contracts have resulted in too few dollars left to pay LO?

Mitch miscalculated Bynum's value as well as Sasha's.
Bynum at $13 mil is way out of line, especially for a restricted free agent, who is always hurt.

The Lakers should have waited on Bynum until the season was completed rather than giving
him that contract in Novemeber?

W/O LO, who fills in when Bynum inevitably gets hurt and or in foul trouble.
Who finishes games while $13 mil sits out the fourth quarter?

[SuperSonics Memories]

Both the LA Times & Daily News have the Lakers roster at 12 but according to hoopshype/salaries/lakers they have the NBA minimum 13 already signed. So which one is it?

It gets real interesting next year 2010/11 when the Lakers already have 7 guys guaranteed at $75.7 mill., needing an additional 6 guys just to fill out the roster, while the luxury cap figure drops to between $61 - 65 mill.

The idea that LA would take on any more multi-year deals does not make financial sense.

[LakersFan24]

Sure they should get Lamar Odom... first off, there is no competition. second, since no one else wants to sign him, they should be able to sign him for less.

[Jack]

Can someone please tell me how/why is Adam Morrison getting paid more than 5 million dollars a year?

[BeansGiveMeGas]

I don't see how the Lakers can sign Odom. They are already at $84 million payroll. Lots of BAD contracts (Morrison, Walton (too many years), Sasha Vuyasuck, and overpriced Bynum).

Lakers won't repeat unless we get Odom. We shouldn't have signed Brown to a new contract. Unless Lakers up the ticket price to help compensate for the huge hit on luxury tax, there is no way we are getting Odom and also there's going to be some dumping of players for expiring contracts to help bring down the Laker payroll in the next couple of years.

[jay]

PMaz wrote:

Too many bad contracts have resulted in too few dollars left to pay LO?
Mitch miscalculated Bynum's value as well as Sasha's.
Bynum at $13 mil is way out of line, especially for a restricted free agent, who is always hurt.
The Lakers should have waited on Bynum until the season was completed rather than giving
him that contract in Novemeber?
W/O LO, who fills in when Bynum inevitably gets hurt and or in foul trouble.
Who finishes games while $13 mil sits out the fourth quarter?

bynums contract will be a bargain this time next year. he is the best young center in the game and if jackson handles him right the kids will be one of the top overall center's in the game. then you will be saying what a great contract.

[dar]

odom is not a star player a real good player but not a star he disappears for games he has to be in the mood to play when he is in the mood he plays well when not watch out if he was more steady player all season he could get that big contract he wants

[Irv]

Nine million seems about right for Odom. Let's not forget Buss made at least 10 million in playoff money, not to mention the increase in sales for Laker stuff around the world. Everyone is sacrificing, why not 1 million more from Buss?

[Alferd]

we need odom. Wish they kept ariza but they souuld stop taking lond in doing the deal

[LKR FAN]

odom needs to stay in L.A. if anything get rid of morrison cmon lamar another ring has got to be worth something besides that we need you

[Thomas]

If the Lakers can re-sign Odom, maybe they can buy out Anderson's contract and cut Sun Yue off their payroll. This will not save them a lot of salary expenses, but perhaps can save them some luxury tax next year.

[Hopeful09]

Please, Please Lamar Odom Sign the contract and win again in 2009-10 NBA Title.
What you're after Money or Ring? Base that on your decision.

[Correction]

If the Lakers re-sign Odom, maybe they can buy out Morrison's contract and cut Sun Yue off their payroll. This will not save them a lot of salary expenses, but perhaps can save them luxury taxes next year.

[rmmpul]

sign odom !!!

[Artest]

"Odom, if you cannot live on $33 million, you cannot live!"

[Lakerfansincewes t]

Apparenty Buss needs to watch the playoff replays to ascertain the true value of Odom. I have and the Lakers would not have won without him. Don't haggle over a lousy million and drive Lamar into the arms of someone we will face in the playoffs.

[REGGIE SHOFET]

LAKERS------ sign " LAMAR ODOM " and start to prepare for another run for the NBA Championship.Pay him and get it out of the way and lets get ,one,two maybe three more
rings.I truly believe that lamar odom is a big and important part of the lakers chemistry.So
don't blow it by not signing him ,and Ron Artest is a good player and a good pick-up for the
lakers,but we know what lamar can do. GO LAKERS.