Is Jermaine O'Neal Going to be Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers?

It appears that the Lakers are trying to make a trade to keep Kobe Bryant happy and in Los Angeles. What better way to do that than by signing O'Neal. No, not Shaq, but Jermaine O'Neal. Reports are that Kobe Bryant would be thrilled to have Jermaine O'Neal come join him on the Lakers and the Indiana Pacers are looking into sending the big man to the west coast.

The New York Post recently reported that the Lakers and the Pacers are i talks to send O'Neal to the Lakers in return for a package involving at least one draft pick (most likely the 19th pick in the upcoming draft), Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum or some combination of the three. There were no specifics but it can be almost guaranteed that if this deal goes through it will involve Lamar Odom, who is set to make $12,348,596 next year and will make $900,000 more per season for the next two seasons. After hearing of the reports, Lamar Odom is very unhappy.

"Of course I'm getting called all the time about that," Odom said in a phone interview, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. "It's flattering. But I want to be a Laker. I'm 100 percent down for the Lakers. But you have to understand that this is a business. Nobody likes to be traded off their team. But if you do, hopefully your game protects you and puts you in a situation where it's comfortable, as far as being accepted by the other organization."

Odom, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, also said that he would seek a contract extension if he was traded.

Interestingly Odom the last time Odom was traded he was also traded for an O'Neal. Odom was traded to the Lakers in 2004 as part of the deal that sent Lakers great Shaquille O'Neal to Miami.

Jermaine O'Neal, much like Bryant, has become increasingly unhappy in his current home and it seems that a trade here would go a long way in appeasing both players and would instantly turn the Lakers back into championship contenders. Jermaine O'Neal would fill the void that Shaquille O'Neal left when he went to Miami. Even more good news for Lakers fans is that if Jermaine O'Neal takes Shaq's old number, which has yet to be retired but soon could be, they won't have to go out and buy new jerseys.