Lamar Odom Contemplated Retirement, Won’t Answer Former Laker Teammates Calls

It bears repeating again, Lamar Odom is a sensitive guy. He recently revealed he had thoughts of sitting out this NBA season. He felt like someone was sending him a sign connecting several events that took place this off-season.  The NBA lockout, the death of his 24-year-old cousin, and the botched Laker-Hornets trade.

Odom has been dealing with some personal issues in the last half of 2011. His 24-year-old cousin was murdered in July, and a car Odom was riding in struck and killed a teen pedestrian after a collision with a motorcycle.

Odom said his wife, Khloe Kardashian, convinced him not to walk away from the game he loves.

“My wife talked me out of it,” Odom said. “Cause I was asking myself: ‘Was i mentally prepared to play? If I didn’t play well, was I mentally prepared to help the team?’ I had a thought ‘Maybe I need a year.’

Odom is having his lowest scoring season in his 13-year career coming off the Mavericks bench.  6.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and a career-low 20.0 minutes of playing time. His jersey isn’t moving in Dallas, but the team says they need from L.O. right now to provide rest for the starters, not scoring.

Lamar is still upset with the Lakers front office about the nixed-New-Orleans-trade.

“For them just to [try to] trade me without communicating, it made me start to ask myself questions like ‘Why would they do something like that?’ ” said Odom, who found out he was in the attempted Paul trade from a Times reporter. “It hurt my feelings. Why would they choose to go that route? My father lives in California and I take care of my dad. They know about my family situation, everything about me, everything about Lamar.

His former Laker teammates have reached out but say he never answers, and his voicemail is always full. I really feel for Lamar. I hope he can find the peace he needs.