Lamar Odom: Getting Traded from the Lakers Ended My Career and Purpose

Lamar Odom was living his best life with the Los Angeles Lakers. He had friends, family, stability, and was an integral part of the team's 2009 and 2010 championship wins. His life, however, was upended when the Lakers traded him to the Dallas Mavericks, he disclosed in an interview with Shams Charania for The Vertical.
“That trade from the Lakers basically ended my career and purpose,” Odom told The Vertical. “I was never really myself ever again. Being in L.A., the structure, the people I knew, it hurt leaving. I had great memories with the Lakers, with Kobe and Pau. That was a special time in my life.
“I got traded the season after we lost to Dallas in the playoffs, and I had won Sixth Man of the Year for the team. To trade me after winning Sixth Man of the Year…what else do I got to do? Why?
“I think about it all the time, about how much I had left in the tank. I had issues going on. But barring injury, could I play in the NBA today? I could play. I should still be playing.”
In his final four pro years, Odom played with the Mavericks, the Los Angeles Clippers, in the Euroleague, and tried to join the New York Knicks. Things took a disastrous turn in October 2015 when Odom had a near-fatal drug overdose and suffered multiple strokes, kidney failure, was in a coma and on life support. Thankfully he made it through and is now focused on his son and daughter. Odom eventually plans to sign a one-day contract so he can retire a Laker.

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