Mavs GM: Reality show 'never been an issue'

Published Apr. 9, 2012 5:25 p.m. EDT

foxsports

DALLAS — Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson said Monday that Lamar Odom's reality television show was never an issue while the 6-10 forward was an active member of the Mavs.

On several occasions this season, Odom and his wife, Khloe Kardashian, had cameras at American Airlines Center, including in the Mavs locker room, during filming for the reality show Khloe & Lamar, which airs Sunday's on E! Entertainment.

"That really was a very secondary type thing," Nelson said. "As you know, there's no one that understands media more than our owner does. That's never been an issue."

Odom, who won Sixth Man of the Year honors last year with the Lakers, never seemed comfortable as a member of the Mavericks. Following Monday's practice at American Airlines Center, it was announced that Odom and the Mavs had parted ways.

"We've got to know that in the best interests of this basketball team
there's guys on this bench that are ready to go that are more of a known
quantity than Lamar can be right now," Nelson said.

The fourth
overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft averaged 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds
in 50 games with the Mavericks. Last season, Odom averaged 14.4 points
and 8.7 rebounds in 82 games with the Lakers.

Ironically, Sunday night's episode of the reality show was the first that showed Odom's arrival in Dallas. After spending 11 seasons in Los Angeles, the episode showed that a depressed Odom was not happy about the trade or his physical condition following the NBA lockout.

Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota