Mavs' Lamar Odom Playing In D-League

This has been a lost season for Dallas Mavericks forward, Lamar Odom. After unexpectedly being dealt to the New Orleans Hornets, then to the Dallas Mavericks, Odom clearly hasn't been the same player he was with the Los Angeles Lakers. The former Sixth Man of the Year has been in a year long funk.

There was a brief flirtation with retirement to get over some personal issues, issues that still seem to dog Odom. He recently took some personal leave time to be with his ill father in Los Angeles before the All-Star break. Now he'll be suiting up for the Mavs' D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, to "get his legs back" before he rejoins the team.

Odom is likely to play at least one game with the Mavericks' D-League affiliate in nearby Frisco to, as one source said, "get his legs back under him." The Texas Legends play the Austin Toros at home Thursday night, but sources said it's more likely Odom practices with the Legends on Friday while the Mavericks are in New Orleans and then plays Saturday's home game with the Legends, also against Austin, while the Mavericks are playing host to Utah.

There are some Mavericks that feel Odom won't be rejoining the team, but I don't think Mark Cuban will be having any of it. All I know is that Odom has hurt the defending champions more than he has helped them. He could still be a valuable piece to the Mavericks puzzle, if he has his head on straight and is ready to play.

"It's going to work itself out one way or another," Mavericks guard Jason Kidd said Tuesday of the Odom situation. "We just hope it works itself out soon."

Said Mavs guard Jason Terry: "We've got to go with the players we got. If you're here, you can help us. But our sympathies go out to his family."

This is more to get Odom in gear than to "get his legs back". If you ask me, this is more of a heart and head check than anything.