ESPN: The NBA trading frenzy that normally seizes teams come February could be arriving a little early this season. Assigned to write a column on who could be traded during this season, I was surprised by the number of teams that seemed “open for business” on the trade front.
Here’s a look at 10 or so players (in no particular order) who could be on the move before the February trade deadline…
3. Lamar Odom, Lakers
Odom played the role of scapegoat for angry Lakers fans after L.A. lost to the Celtics in the Finals. He didn’t help his cause by showing up at camp out of shape. And he seemed to dig himself an even bigger hole when he criticized Phil Jackson for suggesting Odom might best help the Lakers by coming off the bench this season. In the past few days, Odom has backtracked and said he’d do what was best for the team, but most in the league think it’s only a matter of time before the Lakers find a new home for him.
The team spent some time this summer looking at a few deals, but nothing materialized. Look for the Lakers to restart those talks sooner rather than later. Jackson’s triangle offense is notoriously hard for recently acquired players to learn, and given Odom’s impending free agency, now seems to be the right time to move him.
A Marion-for-Odom swap might make the most sense for both parties involved, though I’ve heard there’s interest in Odom in quite a few cities, including Cleveland, Chicago, New Jersey, New York and Orlando.
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