Lamar

Odom

If Odom doesn’t get a long-term deal he likes, he’ll probably re-sign with the Clippers for one year and become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Lamar Odom said he expects to start at small forward and shift to power forward at times, while Caron Butler is bracing himself for a new role as sixth man - but coach Rudy Tomjanovich said the lineup is open. “I haven’t even thought about that kind of stuff,” Tomjanovich said. “I can’t even tell you who’s going to start, who’s going to be sixth man, whatever.” Karl Malone isn’t expected back, while Vlade Divac and Devean George will likely begin the season on the IL.

Odom will be in the starting lineup on Tuesday.

Shaq, Malone, and Devean George combined for 42.1 points and 24.2 rebounds in ’03-04. So far this season, Chris Mihm, Caron Butler and Lamar Odom are averaging 41 points and 21.1 rebounds. The return of Vlade Divac could even help those numbers.

Odom says it’s just “a little ache.”

Odom was at the center of a lot of rumors during All-Star weekend, but the Lakers are as emphatic as the Jazz concerning Carlos Boozer that nothing has been discussed.

He remains a game-time decision.

An official diagnosis is expected later today.

The knee bruise shouldn’t cause him to miss any time this weekend.

“I doubt if I miss time,” Odom said. “I’ll play even if I can just give them some minutes or whatever. I don’t know what it is. It blew up on me after we came off the plane.”