Clippers reportedly trying to trade for Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom could be on his way back to playing in Los Angeles. But it probably won’t be for the Lakers.

The Clippers are reportedly trying to work a deal to acquire Odom from the Mavericks. Odom, who spent his first four years in the league with the Clippers, would certainly welcome a return to L.A., where’s played all but two years of his career. But it’s not clear how disappointed he would be over his return to the city not being with his old pals on the Lakers (or how frustrating it’s going to be explaining to the Kardashians that L.A. has a whole other basketball team).

Ironically, though, the Lakers might play some role in the Clippers’ acquisition of Odom. Here’s ESPN’s Marc Stein:

The Los Angeles Clippers have engaged in trade discussions to bring Lamar Odom back to the L.A. team that drafted him, according to sources close to the situation.

Yet the deal, sources said, could hinge on the willingness of a third team to take on the contract of Clippers veteran guard Mo Williams, which would allow the Dallas Mavericks to send Odom to the Clippers with no significant money coming back to the Mavericks. […]

Sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday that one team to express interest in Williams is the Los Angeles Lakers, who still have a trade exception big enough to absorb Williams’ contract that they created when they dealt Odom to Dallas.

Many believe Odom’s disastrous season in Dallas was due in part to being away from L.A., which has become a home to Odom and is where his TV family lives. Well, this potential trade might be the defibrillator his career needs. And even though he would probably prefer to be with the Lakers, at least these are much different times than when he was last on the Clippers.

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