Lamar Odom Thinking of Joining Besiktas of Turkey

According to an ESPN report, Lamar Odom may soon be joining Deron Williams on the Turkish club Besiktas: “The Turkish team that features New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams is pushing now to add Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom to its roster, according to sources close to the situation. And Odom, sources said, is giving the offer real consideration after Minnesota’s Kevin Love turned down the chance over the weekend to join Williams with Istanbul-based Besiktas. Besiktas has been trying for days to acquire a top-flight big man to pair with Williams, who erupted for 50 points Tuesday in a EuroChallenge game. Yet in that victory over Gottingen of Germany, Besiktas lost Cleveland Cavaliers forward Semih Erden to a thumb injury that only increases its need for a frontcourt boost. Besiktas has also talked to Chicago Bulls teammates Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer about a contract that would include an out to return to the NBA as soon as the lockout ends, but the insurance costs in both cases appear to be prohibitive given that both players have expensive long-term contracts. Boozer has four years and nearly $61 million left on his contract, while Deng is still owed just under $40 million over the next three seasons. Other players on Besiktas’ radar, according to NTV Spor in Turkey, are Denver Nuggets free agent center Nene and Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat.”