Lamar Odom's Contract Won't Be Renewed by LA Clippers, Allegedly Has Long Standing Battle With Drug Abuse
All the while Lamar Odom's marriage was crumbling, another aspect in his life is doing terribly as well. His team - well, former team - the Los Angeles Clippers, has refused to sign him again for this NBA season after news broke out that he is battling a serious drug problem.
According to TMZ reports, NBA sources cite that they intended for Lamar's contract to be renewed after performing well in the previous season - but was nearly impossible to reach and no progress were made regarding contracts.
After finding out about his crack cocaine addiction, the Clippers struck a deal with former Los Angeles Lakers player Antawn Jamison - effectively completing the roster for the season and presumably confirms Odom's status as a free agent.
Ramona Shelburne, sports columnist for ESPNLA.com, tweeted on Tuesday that Jamison has signed a one-year deal.
Antawn Jamison's deal with the Clippers is for one year at the veteran minimum.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 26, 2013
Some reports say that Jamison is allegedly 'done with the nonsense' he had to endure with his former team.
On the other hand, Lamar Odom, who's been making headlines for his recent behaviour off court - the paparazzi encounter, his marriage with Keeping Up With The Kardashians' star Khloe ... (you get the point) - has allegedly been in a long time battle with drug abuse.
Odom was already battling a drug problem as early as when he was still playing for the Mavericks, according to another report by TMZ.
TMZ's sources from the Westin Hotel, one of the numerous hotels NBA players stay at when they're on the road, said that they had found 'major carpet damage' after Lamar left. They also said that they found white powder on the desk blotter and the room 'reeked of noxious smoke,' causing them to deduce that there were 'obvious drug use' in the hotel room. TMZ has contacted several of these NBA pit-stops and learned that they too had similar issues.
Another one of their sources say that the former Clippers player usage of crack is alarmingly high and life-threatening.