3.01.2012

NBA Report: Lamar Odom close to return

The Dallas Mavericks hope to have Lamar Odom, who has been out for personal reasons, back in

a few days, but he may make an NBDL stop first.

Odom is likely to play at least one game with the Mavericks' D-League affiliate in nearby

Frisco to, as one source told ESPN, "get his legs back under him."

Odom missed last Wednesday’s game against the Lakers, his former team, to be with his sick

father in L.A., and also did not play Tuesday at home against the Nets or Wednesday in

Memphis.

Owner Mark Cuban earlier this week shot down talk of a pending buyout. "We haven't discussed

a buyout and we wouldn't do a buyout,” Cuban wrote in an email to ESPN Dallas. “No chance

that happens at all. We want to help Lamar work through any personal issues and expect him

to be a valuable contributor to the Mavs this season. Players go through challenges from

time to time and we try to be (an) organization that fully supports our players when things

are challenging for them. We will do the same for Lamar."

It’s been a tough year for Odom. He considered retiring during the offseason after his

younger cousin died. Then, before the season, he was traded from L.A. to Dallas, where he

has underperformed, averaging 21.4 minutes, 7.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists, all,

by far, career lows.

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