The Knicks signed Lamar Odom with just one game remaining in the regular season, but the move had nothing to do with the current year’s roster, and might not ultimately impact the team moving forward.
Odom has a strong prior relationship with Knicks president of basketball operations Phil Jackson, and this was more of a gesture to give Odom an opportunity with a team to get back into NBA shape over the summer, and try and make New York’s (or another team’s) roster in time for training camp in October.
That effort is set to begin this week.
From Marc Berman of the New York Post:Lamar Odom, Phil Jackson’s first player acquisition, will start his comeback at the Knicks’ training facility Monday. ...
“He’s coming to town this week,” Jackson said in his first comments on Odom. “We know he’s a really good basketball player.
“He wants to put himself back together, and he has a chance to do that by having the whole summer to work at it and getting himself back in basketball condition to play. He told me that’s what he wants to do. Having a relationship with him. It’s a pretty good risk-reward situation for us.’’
Odom didn’t play in the NBA last year, reportedly due to alleged issues with drugs, but did sign on to play in Spain a few months ago before a back injury ended that short-lived project.
Jackson and Odom won two titles together while both were employed by the Lakers in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, and Odom took home the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2011 before L.A.'s title run ended at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks.
Odom’s contract is non-guaranteed, so there’s no financial risk in the Knicks giving him a shot.
