Mitch Kupchak Comments on Odom re-signing

Posted by fijidaddy on July 9, 2009 | Filed Under Lamar Odom

The LA Times: Lakers Blog has a nice write up from some comments made by Mitch Kupchak on Lamar Odom re-signing with the Lakers. Here are some tidbits from that, check it out.

Kupchak said he didn’t have a gut feeling about the end result, but as he has all along used the word “hopeful” to describe his outlook.  “I can’t be any stronger,” he noted, “and I’m not sure how strong a word that is. But I am hopeful.  I think we have a chance now.”

Q: Because of Ron, or because overall things have settled in (with the market)?
“Yeah, I don’t think if we had gone down the other avenue and been in a position where we had to agree to something that we think didn’t make sense then I’m not sure we’d be in a position to bring everyone back.  So I think now we have a chance.”
That answer will obviously prick up some ears.  Whether it’s posturing, a statement of financial fact or a little of both, Kupchak is saying that had the team been forced to go above a mid-level to re-sign Trevor  Ariza (as was reportedly the request of Team TA), they’d have lost the ability to bring back the other guys.  Given the size of the team’s projected payroll, I tend to believe it.

Do you feel the talks have dragged on a little?
“No. Not really.  I’d like to get some clarity in the next day or two or three, but knowing Lamar, it’s an emotional time for him.  I know he had to get away a little bit.  I’m not surprised (at the length of negotiations).  I’m not surprised, no.  But I’m hopeful that there will be some clarity in the next couple of days.”
Can you talk about why this one has taken a little longer?  Is it a question of the market settling down?  Some other dominoes needing to fall?
“I don’t know.  That’s a better question for (Odom’s agent) Jeff Schwartz, and Jeff’s been pretty quiet.  I think Lamar just needs to work his way through.  Maybe it’s helpful for him to see other players sign, and sign for whatever they signed for and maybe it’s easier to see where you fit in with that group, but I don’t know the answer.”
Call it a hunch, but I believe taken in context his categorization of Schwartz as “quiet” is a compliment, relative to the fractious, swiftly public Ariza talks.

How much did LO’s negotiations come up when talking to David Bauman (Artest’s agent) or Ron?
“Not much at all.  They both understand.  We’re well aware of the relationship that (Odom and Artest) had since they’ve been eight years old, and they communicate and are good friends and would love to play together, but there’s no understanding.  Like “if you get me, we promise (both).”  Ron is ready to go to battle with whoever is here next year in training camp.  If it were to end today, he’s ready to go.”
Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.  Again, among the people Andy and I talked to people at the press conference, including some with a good feel for the situation, nobody seemed to think a deal wouldn’t get done.  Maybe not tomorrow or Friday, but reasonably soon.

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