Options no longer weighing on Odom

The trade deadline came and went, and Lamar Odom didn’t have to worry, for once.

Last year, he was rumored to be heading to New Jersey for Jason Kidd. Two years ago, it was to New York for Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Channing Frye.

Three years ago, the rumor mill had Odom going just about everywhere -- to Sacramento for Peja Stojakovic and to Utah for Carlos Boozer. This year? He spent the All-Star break on a tranquil getaway in Santa Barbara, without any anxious phone calls from friends and family.

“These five days were great for me,” Odom said. “It felt a month long.”

The main reason for the Lakers’ inactivity in the days before Thursday’s deadline was their acquisition of Pau Gasol three weeks earlier, their lone venture into a vigorous big-name trade market. Had Gasol not been obtained, Odom probably would have received a few unsettling “here’s what might be happening” phone calls from his agent.

Another reason for the Lakers to stand pat was their curiosity, if not eagerness, to see how a starting frontline of Gasol, Odom and Andrew Bynum would fare in the Western Conference.

Either way, Odom can now afford to relax, in many ways.

He’s in transition from his earlier days as a Laker, when the pressure to perform was nonstop for the Lakers’ main piece from the Shaquille O’Neal trade in 2004. Then, when Phil Jackson was rehired as coach in 2005, Odom was pegged as the next Scottie Pippen in Jackson’s triangle offense.

These days, instead of being a hard-pressed second option, Odom is the third choice in the offense and probably will drop to fourth when Bynum returns from a knee injury next month.

With the pressure on him dissipating almost as soon as the Lakers acquired Gasol, Odom has reacted compellingly.

He has 10 or more rebounds in seven of the last eight games and is averaging 14.6 points, 12.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists since Gasol’s arrival. He is shooting a startling 62.5% over the last eight games, during which the Lakers are 7-1.

“He’s doing a fine job,” Jackson said of Odom, noting Gasol’s addition as an obvious contributing factor. “I think that opens the floor up. [Odom] sees a lot more space available for him out there.”

Odom had 22 points and 11 rebounds Wednesday against Phoenix. He had 17 points and 15 rebounds Tuesday against Atlanta without playing in the fourth quarter. Before that, he had a triple-double against Minnesota -- 10 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists.

“I feel refreshed and my body feels good,” he said. “I’m 28. I want to win a championship.”

If the Lakers do that, Odom’s future with the team is secure.

But if they don’t fare well in the playoffs, Odom could be one of the first to be traded in the off-season.

He will earn $14.1 million next season -- the last year of his contract -- and could be a more palatable version of Kwame Brown in a league where expiring contracts are premium assets to teams wishing to shed future salary, much like Memphis in the Gasol trade.

The Lakers (37-17) have 28 more regular-season games, including a designated road game tonight against the Clippers at Staples Center. Then come the playoffs.

Perhaps Odom said it best: “Winning is the cure for everything.”

Bynum did not experience pain or swelling in his left knee the day after jogging in a swimming pool, a positive sign in the recovery process of the 20-year-old center.

“It responded great from the pool. No extra swelling, and I was able to do everything I needed to do today,” he said Friday. “I think we’ve got about a week and a half of the pool and if I keep doing well and don’t get any more swelling, then I’ll actually be able to get on the treadmill. Once I’m on there, I should be able to get on the court.”

The earliest Bynum would return is March 11 against Toronto, although the Lakers will take their time working him back into game action. Accordingly, he is not expected to return until an unspecified date later in March, although he seemed eager Friday.

“I think I can run,” he said, smiling. “I don’t want to try it right now and hurt myself.”

Bynum has missed 18 games since sustaining a deep bone bruise in the knee and a partial dislocation of the kneecap Jan. 13 against Memphis.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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3-man game

Lamar Odom’s stats since the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol:

*--* DATE OPPONENT PTS. REB. AST. Feb. 20 d. Phoenix 22 11 2 Feb. 19 d. Atlanta 17 15 2 Feb. 13 d. Minnesota 10 16 10 Feb. 11 d. Charlotte 8 10 6 Feb. 10 d. Miami 15 18 6 Feb. 8 d. Orlando 12 6 3 Feb. 6 l. to Atlanta 19 11 3 Feb. 5 d. New Jersey 14 15 5 *--*

Source: nba.com