A quick check of history reveals the saying “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry” came from a 1785 Scottish poem by Robert Burns. Before translation, however, the original makes English sound like a foreign language:
“The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!”
After reading that, I was sure I had found the perfect introduction for a treatise on Lamar Odom’s career in Dallas. He may have been speaking English during his 119-day career as a Maverick, but no one understood.
Obtaining Odom was part of a plan by Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson that seemed so brilliant at the time. The Mavericks acquired the reigning Sixth Man of the year without giving up any talent.
But it ended disastrously with the Mavericks announcing Monday that Odom would no longer be welcome on the team. He wasn’t bought out; he was simply asked to vacate the premises in a story first reported by ESPN.com, which also pointed out that even if Odom had been released, it is too late in the season to sign with another contender.
Cuban and Nelson – the Mavericks’ owner and general manager – will forever be baffled on how a player as gifted as Odom could have completely lost his skills.
Odom averaged 14.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists during his career. At 6-10, he is more than capable of running the point. He’s not Magic Johnson, but he is a tall man who can dribble, pass and mix it up underneath. He was an integral part of two championship teams in Los Angeles. He was the center for Team USA in 2010 when the Americans won the World Championship for the first time since 1994.
He was also the bridge of a grand plan by Cuban and Nelson to get from the championship season of 2010-11 to the formation of a potential dynasty in 2012-13. Although his skill set is vastly different from Tyson Chandler’s, Odom was going to add a dimension lost when Chandler signed a four-year deal with the Knicks in the off-season.
Odom could not replace Chandler’s rebounding or defense, but he brought that package of superior skills that would enable the Mavericks to go about it a different way, but still challenge for a title.
And then in the offseason, when several big Mavericks contracts will expire, the plan was to pursue free agents and make offers to Deron Williams and/or Dwight Howard. Add one or both to a lineup with Dirk Nowitzki and the result would be a powerhouse team.
It did seem on paper to be a solid plan – not a sure thing by any means. But it was like doubling down on an 11 in blackjack. It was good strategy.
The front part of that plan, however, is now in shambles because at age 32, Odom either lost focus, lost interest, lost motivation or simply lost his skills. There were times after games that he seemed more concerned about Khloe & Lamar – his reality show with wife Khloe Kardashian – than his performance on the court. And although Dallas coach Rick Carlisle continually encouraged Odom publicly, Odom responded inconsistently. For the season, he was averaging 6.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists – easily career lows for the 13-year veteran.
Besides the distractions of the reality show, Odom also had personal problems that led to him leaving he team for four games in late February. There were reports that his father had a serious illness and Odom was attending to it. And there were mysterious reports of something darker. When asked about them, Odom would simply say they were personal.
He was, however, devastated by being traded twice after thinking he was a key player on the Lakers. He was part of the trade to New Orleans for Chris Paul that was vetoed by the NBA. And that was a blow to what was later discovered to be his fragile ego.
Only a few hours passed before the Lakers dealt him a second time – this time to the Mavericks for a trade exception and a swap of future draft picks. It was piddling compensation and apparently was insulting to Odom, who was also hurt emotionally because the Lakers obviously believed he was expendable.
If that put him in a funk, he never found a way out. Oddly, benching him permanently may actually improve the Mavericks, which is not to say they are title contenders. It was obvious that to win another title, the Mavericks were going to have to overachieve like they did last year. But adding Odom to a bench with Jason Terry gave them two winners of the last three winners of the Sixth Man Award. At his best, Odom could have given the Mavericks a huge boost in the playoffs.
The strategy wasn’t particularly popular in Dallas, but fans and some myopic members of the media forget that the Mavericks hardly entered the playoffs last year as a favorite.
Nationwide, they were the most popular pick of a top-four seed to lose in the first round. After they defeated the Blazers 4-2, no one predicted they would defeat the Lakers, but the Mavericks swept the two-time defending champions.
A young Oklahoma City team presented few problems in the conference finals, but the Mavericks were decided underdogs against the Heat.
Again, they authored an unlikely upset.
In the off-season, the championship made the Mavericks – in the eyes of a loud few – the best team in the league. Cuban and Nelson knew the truth, however. A team that no one respected after the regular season had a special playoff run. The Mavericks still scared no one. And signing Chandler, who has never played a full schedule and has missed an average of 15 games a year because of injuries, when Howard might become available did not seem to be a prudent move.
With Odom at his worst, however, the master plan – at least for this season – has crumbled and there is doubt the Mavericks will even make the playoffs. Hitting on an 11 was a great idea for Cuban and Nelson. Unfortunately for them, Lamar Odom dealt them a deuce.
Jan Hubbard has written about basketball since 1976 and worked in the NBA league office for eight years in between media stints. Follow him on Twitter at @whyhub.
Odom had a rough year. He doesn’t deserve to be bagged on or put down. When his cousin got murdered it really brought back emotion from when he lost his son. Then his driver hit that kid with him in the car. He would have been fine if he stayed in LA with his friends and fans. So Stern ruined a trade, that ruined Lamar, but we all know Stern said the Lakers need a break and did that on purpose. Why didn’t he stop the Miami trade? Back to LO. He is a wonderful man and hopefully the Lakers can get him back next year. Much love Lamar!
Odom was part of TWO championship teams in LA. Not three.
Thanks for pointing that out. Correction has been made. We at sheridanhoops appreciate your interest.
Good players would see being involved in a trade as a slap in the face, and would be even more motivated to go out there and kick ass. You think someone like Kobe would sit around and mope over being included in a trade? Hell no. Kobe would be so pissed, he’d go in the gym and work on his game like crazy. Even if you don’t go to those kinds of lengths, at least ignore it and move forward.
Instead, Lamar went the bad player route and decided to get upset, demand a trade out of a familiar city where he knew his teammates, and then mailed it in while playing for the DEFENDING CHAMPIONS. Seriously, what total disgrace, no heart at all. If you can’t get fired up to play for a team that just won the title, you must either not give a damn or must have some major issues you have to work out.
He was working through his cousin getting murdered, his driver hitting that kid with him in the car, it brought up feelings from when he lost his son, then Stern stops that trade and it made Lamar not feel wanted. He would have stayed, but the Kardashian clan had a lot to do with him asking to be traded. He isn’t in the right frame of mind and he will be the first to admit it. Lamar is the such a kind hearted man. It was just a really rough year. People have those ya know. He was 6th man last year. Lets not forget that.