Odom’s Speed Is Key at Forward

Can Lamar Odom hold his own against Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and even the Denver Nuggets’ one-word wonder Nene?

The Lakers think so. So does Odom.

“Odom is a player,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you put me.”

The Lakers plan to put him at power forward, borrowing an idea the Miami Heat used last season. Odom, listed at 6 feet 10 and 225 pounds, might not be bulky enough to withstand the game-by-game banging on defense in the Western Conference, but his speed and outside touch play into Rudy Tomjanovich’s vision of an up-tempo offense.

“I think we’re a better running team with Lamar at [power forward],” Tomjanovich said. “I think you’ll see a lot of it. He’s a versatile guy. I want to cause problems for people. You use your ballhandling, you use all that stuff, they’re going to have a hard time with it. Stretching the floor, opening up the floor is what everybody’s trying to do.”

After playing almost exclusively at small forward in four seasons with the Clippers, Odom averaged 17.1 points and 9.1 rebounds last season for the Heat. But there are more dominant forwards in the West, meaning Odom will be accountable on defense more often this season.

Odom’s appointment to power forward means fewer minutes for veteran Brian Grant, Odom’s teammate last season in Miami. Grant could play center, but Chris Mihm is expected to start in the Lakers’ exhibition opener tonight against Seattle at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. “If anyone can get more out of the position than I can, I’m all for it,” Grant said. “As long as it helps us win.”

It all becomes moot if Karl Malone comes back and retains his rightful position, but for now Odom will get most of his minutes at power forward, which is apparently OK with him.

“I’ll still be getting the ball out on the wing, getting it off the rebound and pushing it,” Odom said.

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Tonight’s game is an exhibition, but Tomjanovich returns to the sideline for the first time since announcing he had bladder cancer in March 2003. Tomjanovich was hired by the Lakers in July.

“I’ve been like a young schoolboy since this thing has happened,” Tomjanovich said of joining the Lakers. “At times I haven’t gotten sleep and it hasn’t been anxiety. It’s been excitement, like, ‘Let’s run that with this guy and that guy.’ I’ve been spending a lot of evenings looking at video and trying to look at some of the skills my guys have got and how we’re going to incorporate that.”

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Small forward Caron Butler sustained a bruised right thigh Monday in practice and said he probably would not play tonight.... Luke Walton remained out because of an ankle injury.