Ted Green: Why would anyone want to leave the Lakers?

I'm not saying what you're about to read is based on anything other than instinct and an odd feeling I have. It may be 1,000% wrong. File this under ... Just Asking:

Is anyone else completely befuddled, even flummoxed by the Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza situations? That was rhetorical. Everyone is.

Are these not the most inexplicable "negotiations" you have seen in a long, long time?

I am as baffled as I've ever been trying to get my arms around the reasons why:

A) Ariza, an L.A. guy who attended high school and college here, would leave home, turn his back on the Lakers and say a quick and unceremonious goodbye to a championship team and a seemingly ideal professional situation, just for a few extra dollars in ... Houston? A Rockets team likely to be without both Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady? A team whose likeliest 2010 destination is the lottery?

B) And why would Odom possibly accept a midlevel exception of $5.8 million per year when the Lakers have definitely offered him $10 million per season? Doesn't that seem off-the-hook strange? Even if the total Miami money over five years is around the same as either Lakers' package, the three- or four-year deals, why in the wacky world of Lamar would he leave a championship situation where the role is tailor-made for him? No major scoring responsibility, no huge minutes if everyone's healthy, but more potential for titles with THE big-market, glamor NBA franchise, plus lots of love from a city that reveres the Lakers like rock stars?

Tell me, does any of this make any sense to you at all? Of course it doesn't. Have you seen even one remotely plausible explanation from anyone inside or outside the Lakers organization?

And in Ariza's case, don't tell me it was the acquisition of Artest. The Lakers offered Ariza a new contract before they signed the flamboyant former Rocket.

So why then? Could it be, and important to reiterate, no proof here, nothing to base this on, just asking: Could it be that these two low-key, soft-spoken forwards, neither of whom has that kill-or-be-killed mentality, no longer want (or in Trevor's case, wanted) the relentless pressure of playing with, and satisfying, Kobe Bryant?

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.

Kobe does set the bar exceedingly high for all his teammates and even higher for himself. He does not abide mistakes, mental errors, lack of full effort or losses well at all. When you mess up, you'll hear it, loud and in both ears. And when nothing less than another championship is going to make anyone around here happy, it doesn't exactly allow for an easygoing workplace, an atmosphere of tranquility and relaxation, to which Odom and Ariza seem to be so well-suited.

For those of you who follow the NBA and admire the Lakers, I know, you can't fathom not wanting to be here, not wanting to be in position for rings, not wanting the adrenaline rush that comes with the push for 60-plus wins. What real competitor wouldn't want a postseason in which every game matters and your heart, body and pride are on the line every night?

Unless, of course, you've already got your ring and you can get the same long money without having the best player on your team up in your grill.

Understand, I admire the natural born killer in Kobe, love it, actually, so I don't like this central theory any more than you do. In some ways, I hate that I even thought of it, much less wrote it for the L.A. Times.

Still, I'm not buying that Odom and Ariza have dumb, shoddy, unprofessional representation or agents who overplayed their hand against Jerry Buss. No agent in his right mind would advise a client to walk away from the Lakers as they are right now. Not if he wanted to retain a shred of league-wide credibility.

Because, think about it, if Ariza ends up lost in space in Houston and Odom disappears into the Bermuda Triangle off the coast of Florida with the mediocre Heat, both distinct endgame possibilities, what college blue chipper in his right mind would ever hire either one of the agents representing Odom and Ariza?

So because I can't think of one reason, nevermind a good reason, why both Ariza and Odom seemed to not be excited about continuing in purple and gold, if someone else has a different explanation from the one I just laid out, I would love to hear it. And you know where to find me. Right here, confused as ever.

-- Ted Green

Green formerly covered the Lakers for the L.A. Times. He is currently senior sports producer for KTLA Prime News.

Top photo: Trevor Ariza takes in the moment during the Lakers' championship parade on June 17. Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press

Bottom photo: Kobe Bryant. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[brent]

Awesome take on a strange issue. I think everyone dreams of leading their team to success. Everyone and their mother knows this is Kobe's team. Maybe Ariza and potentially Odom want to be a bigger part of a team and lead them into the playoffs and have a team built around them?

At least we can all agree the next season of the NBA (injuries pending) could turn out to be the best in any sport of sports history? The Celtics will be back, as will the Lakers. The Magic with Vincanity, the Spurs look dominant, the Nuggets are still good, Clippers should be interesting, the Cavs and Raptors look excellent. The Blazers should be great, as well. It will be the most parity we've potentially seen in any sport for any single season.

[Rick]

Because GREED is a helluva drug

[HueDueLue]

You hit it on the nose with your comments about Lamar and Trevor. Those 2 players only excelled when pushed by Kobe Bryant. Lamar and Trevor will struggle in the environment where they have to push themselves. Many NBA players will be bidding to replace Lamar on the Lakers.

[Hoops4Life]

I would have to say that though some of what you said makes sense at the end of the day it is not a fact. These guys have clearly shown that they are in it for not the money but more about the years of their contracts. Lamar's agent is hell bent on at least 5 years when the lakers can only give 3 to him. Ariza was looking for a 5 year deal as well which is what he got in Houston. Ariza totally over played his hand because Artest is what he would someday want to be in terms of a player on the court not his antics. Lamar is coming off the bench and by the way is asking for more money than what Manu makes for the spurs coming off the bench!! In no way is worth more than Manu is on the court in terms of production at this point everybody knows what type of player he is. A very skilled, inconsistent but yet talented player who can help your ball club just not in a all star way so it makes no sense to pay in like he is an all star. I love L.O. and he played his heart out but at the end of the day he is just asking for more than his worth as a player at this point. He had his big contract and to prove he was an all star and he could not do so. So his value has to come down now period.

[Al_X]

Lamar Odom needs to come to his senses. It feels like the Manny Ramirez deal last summer where he kept delaying signing with the Dodgers although they were the only team offering him a sweet deal. Odom is like the same. He'll come to his senses.

[Dammy]

This one's more confusing than trying to re-assemble a Rubik's cube blindfolded, while handcuffed behind one's back 3000ft under water. I loved the promise and athleticism of Ariza; and after shuttling from one team to the next that didn't seem to see or appreciate his talent, he found his home. But all the haggle over money just to end up in Houston for ~ the same sum? Then Lamar! A man whose inconsistency and incessant failure to reach and fulfill his God-given potential which everyone but Lamar could see, finally finds a ball club patient enough to see him grow, to help him find his niche and then turn him into a mega star right next to inarguably the best and most fierce assasin the world has seen (short of Anton Chigurh, the Bubonic plague of No Country for Old men)...and you consider Miami; the same ball club that shipped you out in a barnyard sale of "Goods no longer worthy of possession?" WHY? Okay, LA offers you $9mil/4 or $10mil/3 and that's...ahem, excuse me, insulting? I love Lamar! I'm screaming his praise on days he plays up to par...but I'm so exhausted by this that I'm beginning his LA eulogy from this moment on...Ungrateful, I say! Good-bye and Good Luck.

I love Kobe's competitive edge; it's inspiring; talent didn't make MJ, Woods or Pele. It's good ol' fashion hard work-knuckles to the ground, make no excuses, play through pain and illness, take no prisoners, victory is the only option hard-work. If that's a tad much for some...I don't ever want my kids idolizing them on my favourite team.

Exhausted from NJ

[Tom Daniels]

Michael Jordan had the same killer instinct and the Bulls had no such issues.

Maybe these guys want bigger roles. Remember Odom is playing behind Bynum and Gasol and is a 4th or 5th option on Lakers and could be a 2 or 3 elsewhere.

Ariza is a kid who may think he can more than a role player.

[DodgerLakerDieHardFan-UpstateNY]

ted, i've thought that myself!! 'cuz there has to be something, some 'reason' why giving it all up was a 'better' choice?? gotta be sumpin, gotta be!!!

[Vijay Vora]

2 words: Great article.

[David the Doer]

I here what you are saying. They already won there ring, so now go after the money. All I can say is that Odom isn't going anywhere. All he's doing is hyping himself up for publicity. It's working. He knows that whatever money he's not getting from the Lakers will come via endorsements. Who knows why Ariza left. But if he signed with the Lakers, I don't think we could of signed Artest too. I rather have Artest, I think.

[ecat124]

That's an interesting take, Ted, and not implausible either.

I can see how teammates may chafe and would want out when the team's best player either glares or yells at them (and does so publicly) when they make bad plays. If you need proof, all you have to do is go to a Laker game and watch closely how Bryant interacts with his teammates, especially when they are playing from behind or during busted plays, etc.

This is almost like being at work. If your boss is a task master and chastises you loudly in front of your peers when you make a mistake, it wouldn't matter if you are making big bucks. You could only take it for so long. After a while, you would probably start thinking about making big bucks elsewhere.

[El Guapo]

The game was turned into a corporation one in which nobody puts it before their paycheck and image.

It's pretty clear Schwartz tried to fatten his pocket. Trevor's situation was probably the same. I don't think either player wanted or wants to leave.

Basketball players shouldn't make more than $3,000 a game. It's ridiculous how much money they get paid. It's these insane figures that lead to this type of free agent-trades lunacy.

[Ryan Kane]

From what I've heard and read, it appears more along the lines of the Lakers administrative office not letting players and agents think they're going to get away with anything. The Lakers gave Ariza an offer. He didn't take it, probably on the advice of someone who thought the Lakers would negotiate. The Lakers had a plan B, and they went with it.

With Odom, I think the Lakers have made fair offers and he probably would have come around if it weren't for the offer being yanked off the table. I believe that's simply a case of Dr. Buss not wanting to have control of a situation.

I think current and future Laker players are being sent a message here: The organization will attempt to keep you, but you only have a small window of opportunity to accept the offer. Take too long to think about it or start shopping around and you can bet the offer will disappear.

Suggesting that Kobe has anything to do with either players failed negotiations makes for an interesting read but is really just wild speculation considering Ariza and Kobe are actually good friends (didn't Ariza show up at Kobe's Camp over at Loyola a few days ago?)

[Ryan Kane]

Oops. Key word missing from my comment:

"I believe that's simply a case of Dr. Buss not wanting to LOSE control of a situation."

[dynamikey]

Perhaps the Miami offer has guaranteed years, while the Lakers' offer has fewer years of guarantee. Maybe the Lakers guaranteed the first two years and had team options for the remaining year(s).

In Ariza' case, I think his agent had some poor fortune. He was told to look for other offers. It was bad luck that right when Ariza's agent looked for other teams, Yao Ming went out for the season and then Artest became available.

[NINO]

I AM AS CONFUSED AS YOU ARE MY FRIEND. ESPECIALLY WITH THE ARIZA DEPARTURE. I UNDERSTAND THAT ODOM IS A FREAK OF NATURE, BUT HE IN NOT A CONSISTANT FREAK. MR LAMAR "NO-DOM" CAN GO WHERE HE WANTS AND I WOULD NOT SHED ONE TEAR. ARIZA ON THE OTHER HAND...HAS THE HEART OF A CHAMPION...MAKES NO SENSE TO LEAVE BEAUTIFUL L.A. FOR THE SUANA OF HOUSTON. BUT GO FIGUERE. KOBE DEMANDS PERFECTION AND THATS WHAT HE IS PAID TO DO....I GUESS YAO AND TRACY DONT REALLY CARE ABOUT PERFECTION OR WINNING FOR THAT MATTER.

GO LAKE SHOW!!!

[Peter]

How can you be so sure the Lakers "definitely" offered Lamar 10 mil per or Trevor ANY kind of contract whatsoever? What, just because a person or persons, no matter who it is, even Mitch Kupchak himself, comes out and says it in the media, it has to be true?!

[OneLaker]

One word for you L.O................ SPREWELL

[Long Time Lakers Fan]

Nice speculation, Ted. Maybe Trevor and Lamar don't like Kobe??? Is that what you are implying? You ought to watch the 2-minute video on Youtube, "Trevor Ariza Hugs Kobe at Kobe Basketball Academy 2009." They look like they get along fine...

[Roy]

Because people do irrational things when they think they should be getting something for a certain something and they don't.

I was purchasing a '66 Shelby Cobra and I offered $1k less than what the guy was selling it for. He said he wasn't gonna budge. So I kept on looking and found one for around the same price and "settled" for that one. All along, the first choice, right under my nose, was the best... But I didn't get "the deal" I was looking for.

Everybody wants a deal...you offer any less than expectations, it's not acceptable...then you look back at it after your head clears and you say...CRAP!!

["Old" Fong]

Ted, there's some truth to what you write -- maybe a whole lot. When Kobe was a rookie he never really hung out with the guys like Shaq when traveling. Stayed in his room and played Nintendo. Shut himself out with his walkman on the plane when everyone else played cards and joked around. Think of your office jobs. Kobe is the guy everyone would invite along to happy hour but always decline. After awhile you stop asking him to go and ignored him. Well employee turnover eventually leaves the guy as the senior and there is no doubt the guy is the most talented in the office but he has never learned how to manage and to interact with his employees. Kobe is a control freak. Look at the Spiike Lee project and his full control or else no documentary show is to be filmed. There is no doubt he is the most talented player in the NBA today and perhaps will be the most talented of all tiime. I think if Jerry West were still with the Lakers, we wouldn't have these issues as he would soften things up. Phil is hands off and Mitch Cupcake doesn't have the personality to resolve this. If Magic stepped in, it would help. Kareem is a great advisor but I think he sticks to working with Bynum rather than stepping up his role.

[spurshomer]

What I dont understand is why are you acting like the Lakers can't lose talented players like every other team in the free agent market. I mean the NBA is a players league and players want to have gaurantees for there services. Some want more PT and some want more money. I think Ariza wanted more of a leadership role and Lamar feels this will be the last contract he wants to sign. He has got a ring now its not all about winning anymore. Being a Laker is great for any NBA player but so is being a Spur, or being a Celtic. Why are you implying being a Laker is somehow equivalent to being apart of the most elite sports franchise in sports history. Lakers are a great franchise but its not like being apart DELTA force. Your article reeks of arrogance

[Doug]

I just can't imagine why Odom would do such a thing, he's never been a consistant all-star, yet he wants to get paid like one? I don't think he is lookin for bigger role, I just think he wants the Lakers to kiss his ass...

[Reggie Winos]

Amazing and utterly predictable.

The lengths that the LA Times hacks will go to discredit Kobe is beyond explanation.

It's like they are the heads of the Democratic, (or Republican), party and Kobe is the leading Presidential candidate for the Republican, (or Democratic), party.

M.O.: Slander him at EVERY TURN. Make the story fit the reality. Don't look at the facts and find the truth. Create the apparent truth and discredit!!

It is absolutely sickening.

Now nobody wants to play with Kobe because Kobe wants to win too bad.

I tell you, anyone who would admit to that, should be the guy we are reporting about in a negative manner. Anyone who doesn't want to compete and rise to the occasion is where the story is at. What is wrong with these guys, why do they continue to have so much vestment in the destruction of Kobe???

PS.. Kobe and Ariza are GREAT friends, and Trevors agent screwed him over. Ariza was at Kobe's camp the day after he signed with Houston, hugging it up. Then he was at Arizas B-day last week at the Mirage, with Odom!

You are a hack for even going down the same old "hate kobe" garbage.

[Brian]

Has it ocurred to anyone that Odom probably still wants a starting role? If he can get that in Miami for close to the same money then why wouldn't he go?

I'm amazed how little I hear about Odom wanting to start. It seems like an obvious part of this story.