Lamar Odom: 'Trade from the Lakers basically ended my career and purpose'

[QUOTE]“That trade from the Lakers basically ended my career and purpose,” Odom told The Vertical. “I was never really myself ever again. Being in L.A., the structure, the people I knew, it hurt leaving. I had great memories with the Lakers, with Kobe and Pau. That was a special time in my life.
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[url]https://sports.yahoo.com/lamar-odom-trade-lakers-basically-ended-career-purpose-222723332.html[/url]

I can see that ending his career for sure. He played hard and seemed to have a lot of fun playing with that Laker squad. He made boneheaded plays sometimes but still was instrumental in those championship runs.. He was a good respectable guy with decent character.

I do feel that a lot of it is on him though. He didn't seek help because he felt he didn't need any. I'm sure he felt invincible as he sat there snorting coke and whatever else he used as he was flaunting around money, but nobody is invincible.

He talks about his difficulties in life, but look there are billions of people out there doing much worse than him financially, socially, individually and dealing with issues he can't even begin to comprehend. And speaking from personal experience (which are issues I don't talk about), I guarantee there are people out there who overcome much worse every single day of their lives over things they have no control over.

Sorry if I do not feel sorry for Lamar Odom. I don't feel sorry for him not because he is rich and not because he got to fulfill his dreams that 99.9% of us don't and not because I'm jealous and not because he is a celebrity... but because he had a choice of how to live his life and still chose the path of drugs, not seeking help and not getting himself under control. I was hurt when I heard about the coma & he almost died (as I would for any fellow human-being), but I truly can't feel sorry.

It was quite obvious at the time how that affected him. I'll always be mad at Stern for what he did. In the end NO got a worse deal out of it. Lamar should have had the mental toughness to get through it though.

Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it.

[quote=EllEffEll]Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it.[/quote]

:cheers:

It is sad that it happened to Lamar. He was a broken man. He had found what he thought was a home here. Stability, and an appreciative environment from the front office, players, and fans.

Learning that he had been offered as trade bait shook him to his core, and he has not yet recovered. He compounded a bad situation by impulsively asking for a trade.

The Lakers have also not recovered from getting cornholed for basketball reasons. I think it's fair to also say that they made a series of blunders in the aftermath of the Chris Paul debacle that have put the franchise in a bind.

I think they have stopped much of the bleeding, but they remain wounded. They have restored leadership to a small degree in the FO, but currently lack leadership on the floor.

I can't think of any great teams that are led by committee. They may have several great players, but they generally have 'that guy' that everyone looks to when things get dicey.

I think we desperately need 'that guy'.