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When you lose a teammate of seven years in a trade, it’s always tough.

For Bryant, it may have been easier to swallow if the trade got the Lakers something tangible. A player that could help the teams chances of winning a title.

As it stands, that is not the case. When Kobe walked around on media day he didn’t see what the Lakers got in exchange for his long time friend.

The Los Angeles Lakers traded a 2012 2nd round draft pick, and Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks. In exchange, they received a 2012 first round draft pick, and an $8.9 million trade exception.

Kobe talked about losing Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks:

“Especially to them. We were supposed to come back and get them back. It’s tough.”

Do I think we got too little? Who did we get? I don’t think Mark Cuban is protesting this trade.”

Bryant would then expand on his displeasure of the trade:

“To be honest with you, I don’t like it,” Bryant said. “It’s tough to lose Lamar. Pau is still here, and we’re all thankful for that. It’s hard when you’ve been through so many battles with players to just see them go somewhere else. It’s tough.”

In Kobe’s eyes the Lakers received nothing tangible in return so it has hit him harder. However, he still puts trust in the Lakers front office:

You got to let Mitch [Kupchak] do his job. Mitch has proven himself over the course of the years that he has been able to build a great team here. We have to all trust that he is going to do that.”

The trade of Lamar Odom could be seen as simply a salary dump to cut the Lakers a break on the luxury tax. It’s pretty clear that would not satisfy Bryant.

For Laker fans, and Bryant, the hope is the trade of Lamar Odom sets the Lakers up to be able to make a deal to increase their chances of winning a title.

Jeff Gross | Getty Images

On the heels of a wild few days in the NBA, the Lakers opened their doors in El Segundo this morning for Media Day. It was a day that Laker Nation hoped would bring some clarity to the confusing speculation being circulated, but instead, left most of us still scratching our heads, wondering what exactly would come next for the Lakers.

The most discussed rumors have suggested the Lakers package Andrew Bynum and their newly acquired $8.9m trade exception to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard. When asked, ‘Drew acknowledged the possibility of being included in a trade for Howard:

“If they were able to pull a move like that off, it would be great for the organization, and I’d be in Orlando, you know, hoopin’.”

Hardly the portrait of stress, Bynum later clarified his somewhat passive stance on the situation:

“You don’t let it affect you. It just really doesn’t bother me because I know, wherever I am, I’m going to be happy and playing basketball.”

While it remains to be seen if Andrew Bynum will still be a Laker on Christmas Day, what we do know is that Lamar Odom will not. Most of the Laker players expressed confusion and disappointment with the surprising news, and ‘Drew was part of that group:

“For the team, it’s going to affect chemistry. It’s definitely a blow. (Lamar) is a friend of mine, and he’s always been able to keep things light around here. A lot of laughs come from his direction, so it’s definitely going to be a different feel inside the locker room.”

I think I speak for all of us when I say it will definitely be a different feel outside the locker room, also.

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The Los Angeles Lakers have traded a 2012 2nd round draft pick, and Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks.

In exchange, they receive a 2012 first round draft pick, and an $8.9 million trade exception.

The Lakers have released this official statement:

Lamar was a fine player for us in his seven years with the Lakers and was a key to helping us win two championships,” said Kupchak.  “In addition, he always conducted himself with class and professionalism and we wish him well in the remainder of his career.”

A 12-year NBA veteran, Odom has averaged 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 829 career games over 12 NBA seasons.  In 519 games (382 starts) with the Lakers, Odom posted career averages of 13.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

According to Kevin Ding from the O.C. Register, Lamar Odom requested a trade Friday: “Odom requested a trade Friday, feeling unwanted. Lakers didn’t want disgruntled Odom at his salary.”

Lamar Odom, who earlier stated that he was in “disbelief” from what transpired late Thursday night, showed up 90-minutes late to Friday’s practice, met with Mitch Kupchak for about 15 minutes, then left without speaking to the media. Shortly after, he told the L.A. Times that “it’s better to stay away” from the Lakers facility.

Odom was clearly upset that the Lakers agreed to trade him to New Orleans. An emotional Lamar Odom was heard in an interview on Thursday night explaining his initial thoughts.

He ends his Lakers career with 519 games which ranks 18th in Lakers franchise history.

Photo: Getty Images

You can sit back, take a deep breath and piece the following bit of logic together:

The Odom to Dallas deal was just a precursor to a bigger, better trade (I.e. Howard). I mean, it had to be, right? Why else would the Lakers trade one of their glue guys with a bargain contract to a team that swept them out of the playoffs last year? Why else would an $8.9m trade exception (plus a ’12 first rounder) be something worth acquiring at such a steep price? Why else would Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak risk evoking ill-feelings from their superstar, Kobe Bryant?

I mean, this couldn’t actually be a salary-dump move by the Lakers, could it? Not during the closing act of Bryant’s career? Not when a championship is still realistically within grasp? Not less than two weeks before the NBA season starts?

Right!?

The problem with using simple reason and logic to comprehend what happened yesterday is that nothing about the NBA over the last 6 months has been logical or reasonable at all. Not to be forgotten, the NBA owners and players bitterly fought for more than five months primarily over a few hundred million dollars, a figure equal to the amount they both lost while they fought over it.

Because that makes sense.

The most obvious illustration of illogical behavior was Commissioner Stern making the unprecedented decision to reject the 3-team deal that would have (a) rid the Hornets of a disgruntled superstar (Paul) who had vowed to leave anyway, (b) cleared up a ton of cap space to improve down the line and (c) given them the reigning sixth man of the year on a bargain contract.

(Oh yeah, then he rejected a modified version of the deal a second time)

Now with basketball back in action, Laker Nation has decided to continue to take you back through Laker history to recap important games, record-breaking performances and memorable news from the past 64 years of the franchise.

DECEMBER 11, 1987
LA LAKERS 115 – BOSTON CELTICS 114
MAGIC’S BANK SHOT WINS IT FOR LAKERS AS TIME EXPIRES

Let’s set the scene: Following a pair of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar free throws, the defending champion Lakers trailed the Celtics by one at the Boston Garden with less than a minute to play. When the Celtics would go ahead with three seconds left in regulation, Magic Johnson, at that point in the game with 16 points and 17 assists, would catch an inbounds pass and turn around for a desperation shot at the buzzer.

If you’re still trying to take in everything that happened in Laker Nation (and around the NBA) yesterday, don’t worry, you’re not alone. In what can be described as both perfect and terrible timing, today is Lakers Media Day at their facility in El Segundo.

We’ll be posting all of our updates, pictures and quotes right here in this post as they happen. For the fastest updates, be sure to also follow @LakerNation on Twitter.

QUOTES:

Fisher on Odom: “Obviously, I would never agree with anything that would have Lamar leaving our team for anybody. That’s how much he’s meant to us. I would assume that the trade is not being made just for exercise purposes, but maybe I’m wrong in assuming.”" (via Ramona Shelburne)

Bynum on trade rumors: “Mitch [Kupchak] has said nothing to me or my agent, so I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing.”

Bynum on the potential Dwight Howard trade: “If that happened that’s great for the organization, and I guess I’d be hoopin in Orlando.”

Pau: “This is not personal. It’s a business. Franchise is doing what is best for team.”

Fisher on Magic’s  blow up the team comments: “Magic blew himself up when he left. He is no longer a part of the organization.”

Kobe on Odom: “I don’t understand the criticism of [the] reality shows. I don’t get it. He had his best season last year. It clearly wasn’t a distraction. He played his ass off. I don’t get where that comes from.” (via Mark Medina)

Kobe on Odom Trade: “I don’t like it. He’s great at bringing guys together. I trust management knows what they’re doing.” (via Mike Bresnahan)

Kobe: “I got a nickname for everybody at ESPN. You guys are all starship troopers over on the mothership.”

Barnes on Lamar to Dallas: “It’s weird, but the defending champs just got better.”

Kobe on Lamar: “I doubt Mark Cuban protests this trade.”

Kobe on Pau: “We’re all thankful that Pau is still here. I was hoping we would have same core.”

Mike Brown: “I gave Kobe and Fish the opportunity to talk to the team about whatever they want.”

PHOTOS:

Photo: Getty Images

UPDATE: We have confirmed that tonight’s whirlwind of events was initiated when David Stern rejected the second proposed deal between the Lakers, Rockets and Hornets. Via Yahoo! Sports:

In his desire to keep the All-Star point guard on the roster to maximize the league’s selling price of the team to potential owners, Stern has shot down two deals to send Paul to the Lakers.

A recent report from Ken Berger cited that the Hornets front office was in ‘collective shock’ when they were informed of Stern’s decision. Additionally, sources have told ESPN’s Chris Broussard that the Magic will ask for both Bynum and Gasol in exchange for Howard. We will continue to update this story as new information comes out.

———-

It’s been a wild 48 hours for Laker fans, and things may just be getting started. Before David Stern could pass down a decision on the proposed deal that would have landed Chris Paul in the purple and gold, according to ESPN, the Lakers have now backed out of the deal.

Instead, multiple sources are reporting that Lamar Odom will be packing his bags for the defending Champion Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the rather large ($8.9 million) trade exception the Mavericks just received when Tyson Chandler signed with the New York Knicks. Additionally, the Lakers are expected to receive the Mavs’ first-round pick in 2012, and possibly a second-rounder as well.

The trade exception essentially gives the Lakers $8.9 million in “trade money” that can be used in a future deal. The most obvious use of this exception would be for the Lakers to sweeten a potential trade by taking on a large contract another team was looking to shed from their books.

While the obvious speculation here is that the Lakers may be closer to getting Dwight Howard than reports have suggested, details are still coming out and nothing has been confirmed. We will continue to monitor this story and keep you up to date as information is made available.

Be sure to follow @LakerNation on Twitter for the latest, real-time updates.

Jonathan Daniel | Allsport

Now with basketball back in action, Laker Nation has decided to continue to take you back through Laker history to recap important games, record-breaking performances and memorable news from the past 64 years of the franchise.

DECEMBER 10, 1996
LA LAKERS 92 – SACRAMENTO KINGS 90
ROOKIE DEREK FISHER GUIDES LAKERS TO WIN AFTER VAN EXEL’S EJECTION

Nick Van Exel, in the truest sense of the NBA Jam phrase, was on fire. The quick-scoring guard, who had scored 17  and 10 in the first quarter of the previous two games, had shot 6-for-7 from the field for 15 points. So the only thing that could stop Nick the Quick was…well, himself.

When Elden Campbell would be called for an offensive foul with 50 seconds left in the half, Van Exel would say something to official Ronnie Nunn. earning him a quick technical foul from the referee. Van Exel would immediately say something else to Nunn, earning another technical and an automatic ejection. Van Exel turned back to face Nunn, but would never get a chance to say another word, as Laker coach Del Harris would grab Van Exel by the arm and send him to the locker room.