Bring Lamar Odom Back to Miami

(1) because the most Riles can offer him is five years/$36 million, or slightly more than the mid-level exception. And Lamar Odom is worth $7 million a year and then some. Pritchard is the only guy who can give Odom the money he wants, but where does he fit in a front court that already includes LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden? In Portland, he goes back to being the sixth man, a role he now says he didn't mind, but we all know that's just free agent talk. Odom would be the number two scorer in Miami, a place he loved and excelled playing in. Name another top-five talent player you can get for $7 mil (oh, and one who proves he can show up in the playoffs big-time).

(2) because he's the best free agent available this year and Dwyane Wade is very, very lonely. Would you rather have Carlos Boozer, who, granted, is two years younger but has had a serious injury three of his first seven seasons in the league? A Boozer who, yes, can out-score and out-board Odom but is a much worse defender and doesn't have the length to guard Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Al Horford, or Dwight Howard (four guys the Heat will have to find a way to guard to get out of the second round)?

(3) because you could potentially have both Odom and Boozer (click on the link and read the last paragraph of the column) if you're willing to part with Beasley. I'm not. I think the ceiling on Beaz is too high at this point. But I wouldn't begrudge Riley if he made that move in an effort to win now.

More ideas after the jump.