It's Official: Odom Returns

The Los Angeles Lakers finalized a deal with free-agent Lamar Odom and held a press conference to announce the agreement. During the conference, Odom explained that while he considered Miami, he always wanted to remain in Los Angeles. He also revealed that a team gave him a lucrative offer but he turned it down; Odom did not reveal the identity of the team.

Odom Returns to Lakers

J.A. Adande and Marc Stein of ESPN have reported that the Lakers and Lamar Odom came to an agreement. The contract is for four years, with the fourth year at the Lakers' option. The deal guarantees $27 million, the original amount the Lakers offered to Odom, and could reach as high as $33 million. While GM Mitch Kupchak declined to comment, agent Jeff Schwartz confirmed an agreement had been struck in principle, though he "declined to discuss specifics".

Odom Will Make Decision Soon

Lamar Odom is close to making a decision as to which team he will sign with. Odom is stuck between the Miami Heat and the Lakers. Dwyane Wade traveled to Los Angeles to talk with the power-forward, while many Lakers have publicly expressed how much they would want him back. The Heat's deal is approximately $34 million over five years with an opt-out clause after the fourth year, according to ESPN. The Lakers restarted talks after pulling their deal from the table, but their proposal is reportedly less than the three-year, $27 million deal they previously offered.

Odom Restarts Talks with Lakers

Negotiations between the Lakers and Lamar Odom are back on according to the LA Times. The Lakers pulled their offer of "three years and $30 million or four years and $36 million, with the fourth year only partially guaranteed". Teammates such as Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher have publicly expressed their desire for Odom to return, and the talks have been deemed "productive".

Editor's Note: Odom and Lakers Staring at Lose-Lose Situation

The LA Times is reporting the Lakers have pulled their offer to Lamar Odom of three years, $27 million. Odom's agent wants five years with a base salary of $10 million a year, but that's really just a pipe dream. In a situation vaguely similar to the Dodgers' tumultuous negotiations with Manny Ramirez, Odom's best, and as it stands only, option is to return to the Lakers. He could get the five years he wants with Miami or Dallas, but the salary would be nowhere close to LA's offer since the two only possess their mid-level exception. Odom would be a key part of a dynasty-bound team in Los Angeles, but with the Heat or Mavericks he'd only be part of a one-and-done franchise. The Lakers need Odom to be their best player off the bench; if he leaves, the sixth-man role goes to Luke Walton. Both sides need the other to succeed, and if money splits the two apart, they both could face struggles that will make them regret their stubbornness.

Lakers Having Trouble with Odom

The Los Angeles Lakers have reached an impass with free-agent Lamar Odom after his agent rejected their latest offer. The Lakers offered the forward a 3-year deal worth more than $9 million each year. However, Odom is looking for a five-year deal worth $10 million each season. GM Mitch Kupchak was interviewed at a Lakers' Summer League game, and said he was feeling less confident that a contract could be reached than he felt on Friday. The Purple and Gold originally offered $7 million, then raised it to $8 million. The LA Times reports Miami, who still hold's their mid-level exception, could become involved.

Lakers Still Negotiating with Odom

The Los Angeles Lakers are still negotiating a contract with Lamar Odom to resign him. The power-forward was a key part of the championship run after Andrew Bynum injured his knee, and later in the playoffs as Bynum piled up fouls. Portland is the only team with enough salary-cap space to sign Odom, but so far their interest has been mild at best.

Ron Artest to Sign with Lakers and Fill Ariza's Void

Ron Artest is close to finalizing a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to CBS Sports. The controversial player was previously seen as a trade-target for the Lakers during the off-season last year. The news of Artest's impending arrival came just hours after word broke that Trevor Ariza was dissatisfied with the Lakers' offer, and would look to other clubs even if their proposal's equaled LA's. Ariza also reportedly met with Houston Rockets officials in Las Vegas. The deal could also help the Purple-and-Gold bring Lamar Odom back, as Artest and Odom know each other from their days growing up in New York. ESPN reports the deal is worth $18 million over three years.

Trevor Ariza has reportedly agreed in principle to a deal with the Houston Rockets, according to ESPN.

NBA Free-Agency Begins

At 9 o'clock tonight, free-agency began in the NBA, and no one faces a more daunting task than the Lakers. The Purple and Gold must try to resign Lamar Odom (left), Trevor Ariza (right), and Shannon Brown. It will be a long and bumpy road as owner Jerry Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak try to bring all three back while still not going too high above the salary cap. Ariza is a young small-foward who showed his incredible athleticism in the playoffs, grabbing steals and hitting three-pointers almost automatically. Odom came up big after Andrew Bynum went down with a knee injury, and was a force off the bench. He is capable of playing all five positions, and is a rebounding machine. Brown was a sign of stability at the point-guard spot as Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar both began to underperform. As Fisher gets older, Brown might be needed to split time with Farmar. It's not an easy task to have all three men return, and even with the extra cash from selling their draft picks, the Lakers have a lot to think about.

Kobe Promises to Stay with Lakers

Kobe Bryant told reporters he will not be leaving Los Angeles anytime soon. Bryant has an option for the next season, and could opt-out if he chooses to. However, Kobe openly said both to reporters and at the victory rally that he will remain with the Lakers. He could opt-out purely to create a new contract though. Bryant sounded more concerned with the free-agency of Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza. Both were key in the playoff run, but with the salary-cap keeping both seems highly unlikely.

Game 5: And the Winner Is...

...Your Los Angeles Lakers! The Purple and Gold defeated the Orlando Magic 99-86 to take the series 4-1, and were crowned NBA Champions. The game looked like a nail-biter as Orlando had a 2-point lead after the first quarter. But the Lakers stormed back, and outscored the Magic 30-18 in the second to enter halftime with a comfortable 10-point lead. It was all Lakers after that as they held on to win the game, the series, and the title. Orlando shot just .415 from the field for the entire game, and failed miserably on rebounds, 47-36. The Lakers were not perfect, but 8 blocked shots and 13 offensive boards helped pad their lead. Kobe Bryant was named MVP of the Finals as he had 30 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocked shots. Lamar Odom had 17 points and 10 boards off the bench, and Pau Gasol added 14 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Trevor Ariza chipped in 15 points, and Derek Fisher threw in 13. Rashard Lewis led the Magic with 18 points, and Dwight Howard had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Game 3: So Close, Yet So Far

The Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Orlando Magic 108-104, but still have a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals. The game was close for most of the time, with neither team able to compile a double-digit lead. Orlando entered the fourth quarter with a 6 point lead, but the Lakers were able to cut it to two and even tie it on various occasions. However, LA could not overcome the hump, and never managed to take the lead in the second half. The Magic were on fire for most of the game, shooting .625 from the field. Free-throws took their toll on both teams, as the Lakers were 16-for-26 from the line while Orlando was 22-for-29. Kobe had a red-hot first quarter, but could not muster much after that, finishing the game with 31 points and a playoff-low 5-for-10 shooting from the charity stripe. Pau Gasol had 23 points, and Trevor Ariza added 13. Both Lamar Odom and Jordan Farmar scored 11 off the bench. Five different Orlando players scored in double-digits, starting with Dwight Howard who totaled 21 points and 14 rebounds. Rashard Lewis and Rafer Alston followed as both scored 20 points. Hedo Turkoglu added 18.

Game 2: Lakers Sweep Home Stretch

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 101-96 in overtime, taking a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. The series heads to Orlando for the next three games. The Lakers entered the fourth quarter trailing by two, but managed to send the game into overtime as Courtney Lee missed an alley-oop layup. LA won the OT 13-8. Both teams struggled to sink shots early in the game, as both teams tied at 15 at the end of the first quarter, the lowest scoring first in Finals history. The score was at 40-35 Lakers going into halftime. Orlando vastly improved their shooting, going .423 from the field, including 10-for-30 behind the arc. The Lakers countered by forcing 20 turnovers, but lost on the boards, being out-rebounded 44-35. Kobe Bryant led the way for the Purple and Gold with 29 points and 8 assists, and Pau Gasol scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Derek Fisher had 12 points and three clutch steals, and Lamar Odom was 8-for-9 off the bench, scoring 19 points and landing 8 rebounds. Rashard Lewis was deadly for the Magic, hitting six 3-pointers and scoring 34 points, throwing up 7 assists, and taking 11 boards. Hedo Turkoglu added 22 points, and Dwight Howard had 17 points, 16 rebounds, 4 steals, and 4 blocked shots.

Game 1: Perfect Start

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 100-75, taking Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals. The Lakers were sluggish early, trailing by 5 in the second quarter, but they started an offensive tear to go into the halftime leading by 10. It was all LA after that, as the Purple and Gold out-scored Orlando 47-32 in the second-half. The Magic could not escape the Lakers' stifling defense, shooting just .299 from the field and losing on the boards 55-41. Kobe Bryant led the way as he scored 40 points to go with 8 rebounds and 8 assists, his most dominating performance in his Finals career. Pau Gasol added 16 points, and Lamar Odom put up 11 and 14 rebounds as the wealth was spread throughout the Laker lineup. The Magic starting-five were dormant for the entire game, shooting a combined 11-for-46. Mickael Pietrus led Orlando with 14 points, Hedo Turkoglu added 13, and Dwight Howard had 12 and 15 rebounds.

Game 6: Movin' On Up

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets 119-92, winning the Western Conference Finals 4-2 and clinching a berth into the NBA Finals. The Lakers led early, going into halftime with a 13-point advantage, and never looked back as they out-scored Denver 66-52 in the second-half. LA dominated in rebounds (38-27), assists (28-14), and field-goal percentage (.573-.438). Kobe Bryant had 35 points and 10 assists, and Pau Gasol added 20 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Trevor Ariza scored 17 points, and Lamar Odom had another stellar game with 20 points and 8 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 25 points, and J.R. Smith had 24 points off the bench.

Game 5: Lakers Plead the Fourth

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets 103-94, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and putting them just one victory away from advancing to the NBA Finals. After both teams tied after each quarter, the Lakers dominated the fourth, out-scoring Denver 27-18 in the final period. LA managed to close the gap on rebounds, and out-blocked the Nuggets 12-4. Denver shot just .386 from the field. Kobe Bryant led the Purple-and-Gold with 22 points, and Pau Gasol added 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots. Lamar Odom had his best game of the series, scoring 19 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, and blocking 5 shots. The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 31 points despite shooting 9-for-23. Chauncey Billups and Kenyon Martin both added 12 points.

Game 5: Lakers Exact Revenge

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 118-78, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Lakers dominated from the beginning, outscoring Houston 35-24 in the first quarter. The Rockets then scored 15 points in each of the next two quarters. LA put up a .512 shooting percentage, while Houston shot just .326. The Purple and Gold defeated the Rockets in almost every catagory, including rebounds, assists, steals, turnovers, blocked shots, and fouls. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 26 points, and Pau Gasol added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Andrew Bynum had his best night of the playoffs, scoring 14 points and grabbing 6 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza had 13 and 3 steals. Jordan Farmar, Lamar Odom, and Josh Powell each scored in double-figures off the bench. Aaron Brooks led Houston with 14 points, Luis Scola had 12, and Von Wafer added 13.

Game 3: Five's For Fighting

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 108-94, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Lakers were without the services of Derek Fisher after his suspension, but made the most of his absence as all starting five Lakers scored in double-figures. LA held Houston to just .417 shooting from the field and forced 17 turnovers, compared to the Purple and Golds' six. The Rockets had 19 offensive rebounds, but could not outscore the Lakers in all four quarters. Kobe Bryant finished the game with 33 points, and Jordan Farmar had an impact in his first career start, getting 12 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and two steals. Lamar Odom added 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza scored 13 points and grabbed 4 steals. Ron Artest led the Rockets with 25 points before leaving the game with a flagrant-2 foul in the final seconds of the fourth quarter after hitting Pau Gasol hard. Yao Ming added 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Game 5: Lakers Clinch Second-Round Berth

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz , winning the series 4 games to one and advancing to the Western Conference Semi-Finals. LA will face either Houston or Portland in the next round. The Lakers held Utah to .402 shooting, and shot 45% themselves, as well as 9-for-21 from behind the arc. The Lakers entered the fourth quarter leading by 19, but the lead fell down to six before they bounced back and held on. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 31 points and 4 steals, and Lamar Odom added 26 points and 15 rebounds. Pau Gasol had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza had a solid game despite a sore ankle, scoring 12 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Deron Williams scored 14 points for Utah, and Paul Millsap had 16 points and 6 rebounds off the bench.

Game 3: Return of the Kobe

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz 108-94, giving them a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Lakers shot .519 from the field, as well as 8-for-19 from 3-point range, and out-rebounded the Jazz 46-39. LA used a 40-point second-quarter to overpower Utah, and never looked back after halftime. The Jazz were just 22-for-32 from the stripe, and finished the game shooting .442 from the field. Kobe Bryant delivered a blow of amnesia to anyone who questioned him after Game 3, scoring 38 points on 16-for-24 shooting. Lamar Odom had his first start of the playoffs, relegating Andrew Bynum to the bench, putting up 10 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. The Laker bench did its part, out-scoring Utah 30-24, as Shannon Brown continues to stun opponents off the bench with 9 easy points. Deron Williams had 23 points and 13 assists for the Jazz, and Carlos Boozer also added 23 points and 16 rebounds.