Mavs say goodbye to Odom

MANILA, Philippines — No longer a Dallas Maverick.

As of Monday, April 9, forward Lamar Odom and the Mavs have decided to part ways, according to a report on ESPN.com.

In a statement to the website, Odom expressed regret that his time with the defending champions “didn’t work out better” but wished his teammates and the fans success.

He also said the split was a mutual agreement “in the best interest of both parties.”

Odom posted career-low numbers and minutes this season for the Mavs, after he was traded by the Los Angeles Lakers in December.

Immediate

The ESPN report also said that the parting is immediate.

He will be listed as ‘inactive’ by the Mavs but the team will not cut him off of the roster in hopes of trading him at the end of the season.

After all, formally releasing Odom will be virtually useless since the 32-year-old cannot play with any other team in the NBA playoffs, not having been waived before the March 23 trade deadline.

Despite Odom’s subpar showing in Dallas, the organization has stuck by him constantly assuring the press of their support and confidence in the player and his ability to bounce back. But the change in sentiment was palpable over the weekend.

In Odom’s last game with the Mavs Saturday, April 7 against the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas lost 94-89 and neither his coach nor teammates were willing to talk about Odom.

Head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters he did not want to answer any “Lamar questions” while star player Dirk Nowitzki said he was “done talking about that.”

The split comes after Odom was given a break last month by the team to hopefully help his disappointing performance. Odom’s play had been affected by personal issues that range from the death of a cousin to his dismissal by the Lakers.

Odom was no longer in practice with the Mavs on Monday. –  Rappler.com