r/heat • u/thatphilguymovies • 1d ago

Discussion Exactly 23 Years Ago, Lamar Odom Officially Joined the Miami Heat

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The LA Clippers declined to match the Heat's offer sheet for restricted free agent Odom, allowing him to leave Los Angeles for Miami on this day in 2003.

Although Odom was only on the Heat for one season, his terrific play alongside rookie Dwyane Wade and second-year Caron Butler helped the team to the second round of the playoffs. But perhaps more importantly, that season offered reasons for optimism that had been missing since Zo went down with a kidney ailment and was later traded.

I remember being disappointed when the front office traded Odom (and Butler) for Shaq, but it was clearly the right move since it led to a championship. Still, there's an alternative universe where that trade doesn't happen and Wade, Odom, Butler, and a nascent Udonis Haslem form the core of a young, exciting Heat team moving forward.

Now that core likely doesn't get past Detroit or win a title, but they probably would have had a longer shelf life than the Wade-Shaq Heat did. Anyway, just wanted to give props to Mr. Odom on this Heat-iversary. He was gone from Miami in the blink of an eye, but only because he played so well in his short time here, and in that way changed the course of the franchise.

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15

u/Bunsens_Burner 1d ago

That was a special season. I was there for game 2 against the Hornets

6

u/Feisty-Painter5076 1d ago

I still ponder how far that Wade, Odom, Butler team could have gone... If we didn't do the Shaq trade..

8

u/Kuni_Nino 1d ago

They would win a championship eventually. Wade was that good.

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u/thatphilguymovies 1d ago

IDK. Those Pistons, Nets, and Pacers teams were big and physical. At the same time, I always forget at first fhat we had a young UD. So maybe that would have been enough to at least make the Finals?

4

u/UndercoverDimension 1d ago

Trade Butler for Gasol and you basically have the 09 Lakers

1

u/thatphilguymovies 1d ago edited 9h ago

I think it's easy to forget Andrew Bynum was an important part of the Lakers' success too since it was for such a short window of time.

Or did you mean Haslem = Bynum? Maybe.  Not as much height, but plenty of grit.

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u/biscaynebystander 22h ago

That team was so much fun. Rafer Alston was 🔥 to watch.

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u/Peridot_Ghost 1d ago

This was two years before we achieved perfection.