UPDATE: It's looking like the Mavericks will give up a 2012 first-round pick and a second-rounder as well.
The NBA: Where WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? HAPPENS.
According to multiple NBA writers, the Dallas Mavericks have used the Traded Player Exception (TPE) from the Tyson Chandler sign-and-trade and now have the Los Angles Lakers forward. In return, the Lakers will get some sort of draft considerations from the Mavs, but the exact details aren't known right now.
Wow. The Mavericks were supposed to have a quiet off-season, supposedly saving cap space to be players in the huge 2012 off-season. Since then, they've signed 2008 lottery pick Brandan Wright, former All-Star Vince Carter and have now signed one of the most important pieces to the Lakers two most recent titles.
Funny enough, Odom now joins a Mavs team that courted him back in the summer of 2009, before the Lakers decided to give him a three-year extension (with a team-option on the fourth year) worth up to $33 million. Odom is 32, but still putting up some pretty great numbers. He's coming off his most efficient season yet, averaging 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, three assists and almost a block per game last year. He shot 53 percent overall from the field and had a 58.9 true-shooting percentage, ending up with a 19.4 PER last year, the highest number of his career.
Odom might start declining, but as of right now, this move can do nothing but bring smiles. The Mavs have another versatile forward who can potentially run the offense while Jason Kidd sits on the bench, take some of the load off Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion's minutes and also add some legitimate low-post scoring. Also, the Mavs can let him go after this season, so, viola! Cap room for 2012 still remains.
More on this later, but for now, eat, drink and be merry -- the Maverick's haven't had many positive headlines since Tyson Chandler signed with the Knicks but make no mistake, Dallas has seriously upgraded its team.