Report: Lamar Odom Asked the Dallas Mavericks for a Buyout

Lamar Odom’s roller coaster ride in Dallas continues, and even though everyone claims that things are starting to look up for him, a Yahoo! Sports report states that Odom requested a buyout from the Mavericks and was turned down: “Ten months after he was named the NBA’s 2011 Sixth Man of the Year, Odom has had the worst season of his career, averaging 7.2 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 35.1 percent. His commitment also has been questioned: Odom sought a buyout from the Mavericks last month, but was rebuffed by owner Mark Cuban and general manager Donnie Nelson, a league source said. Yet, with a little more than a month to go before the playoffs, the Mavericks remain hopeful Odom will get on track and help strengthen their bench as they try to defend their title – the precise reason they acquired him from the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the season. […] Publicly, at least, Odom says he’s happy to be with the Mavs and he and his wife, Khloe Kardashian, have enjoyed living in Dallas. The couple’s reality TV show, ‘Khloe & Lamar’ has continued, though Odom has wondered if the show was a distraction to the Lakers last season. ‘I appreciate the time in the spotlight because for a lot of us there is going to be a time when it’s over,’ Odom said. ‘There is going to be a time when the person that asks for your autograph is going to ask somebody else.’ Mavs officials have been largely supportive of Odom during his struggles. Cuban barked at him during one game for not running the floor, but Cuban has barked at nearly every player on the roster, at some point. ‘You’re comfortable because it’s never too personal,’ Odom said. ‘I’ve only been here for so long that it can’t be bad. It is what is. It’s a working relationship.'”