LOOK: Amazing Underwater Photos Of Dogs
Rick Santorum's Wife Sued Doctor For $500,000 In 1999
Here's hoping Lamar Odom and the L.A. Lakers reach an agreement and he returns to the defending champions.If and when that happens, judging the offseason of general manager Mitch Kupchak will be simple. Odom returning to the Lakers, essentially means the offseason consisted of swapping Ron Artest for Trevor Ariza.
That's going to be an easy one to judge when it's all said and done. And Kupchak's going to get the credit or the blame.
Artest for Ariza. That's it. Everything else will have been left exactly in place. Other than that, the Lakers are the same team we saw six weeks ago in the NBA Finals, where they left no doubt they were the best team in the NBA.
Now what happens? It's going to be interesting to watch, like isolating the variable in a science experiment.
There are only two directions this can go. Either the Lakers will repeat as NBA champions, and Kupchak will be painted as a basketball visionary for a gutsy move that kept L.A. atop the competition.
Or the Lakers won't repeat, and Kupchak will be universally criticized for sacrificing a young and improving player in Ariza for the sake of acquiring a talented but troubled 10-year veteran a tad past his prime in Artest.
The NBA landscape is littered with successful teams that were dismantled too soon. The Bulls, of course, in the late 1990s come to mind. There are likely just as many cases of a successful team making a bold move to get over the top or stay on top.
The Celtics were an NBA finalist in 1985, then went out and acquired Bill Walton. That move went a long way toward the Celtics regaining the title in 1986, and, naturally, went a long way toward solidifying Red Auerbach's one-of-a-kind reputation.
So, either Kupchak is a step ahead of his GM counterparts or he pulled one over on himself. After all, for as nice of a player as Artest is, he's only made it as far as the conference finals one time. Then again, there is no denying his talent, defensive capability and toughness.
Ideally, the Lakers will soon announce that Odom's coming back. And for a little while, Odom will get the attention he deserves. But once that's done, it's going to be about Artest -- and whether he makes Kupchak look like a genius or fool.
Santorum Called Himself A 'Progressive Conservative' In 1990
Congress Agrees On Payroll Tax Cut, Unemployment Extension
Honduras Prison Fire Kills At Least 300 Inmates
Relintless: Knicks Run Winning Streak To Seven Games
Source: Michigan Governor To Endorse Romney
WATCH: MSNBC Host's Extremely Harsh Attack On Santorum
Oklahoma Senate Approves 'Personhood' Bill
Santorum Releases Tax Returns
Goldman CEO's Gay Rights Spokesman Title Comes Under Fire
WATCH: Jon Stewart Loses It Over Fox News Pundit Remarks
Actress In Controversial China Political Ad Apologizes
Will Giving Alcoholics Booze Curb San Francisco's Homeless Problem?
Obama 'Very Impressed' With Lin
'Son Of Detroit' Romney Tools Around Michigan In Car Manufactured In Canada
Mitt Romney Hits Back At Sarah Palin
National Group Seeks To Shape Walker Recall Contest
Today's Economic Numbers Were Small But Tasty
'Yes, I Am A Candidate'
WATCH: Lawrence O'Donnell Calls Out Ann Coulter
Montana Supreme Court Collides With U.S. Supreme Court Over Citizens United
Florida Senate Votes Down Massive Expansion of Private Prisons
Catholic Leadership Splinters Over Obama Birth Control Compromise
