Lamar Odom Talks Khloé, Kris Humphries and Dallas Trade: "It's Hard for Me to Control My Emotions"

Mavericks' newest player talks to Dan Patrick in wake of headline-grabbing team swap, says run-ins with former teammates and brother-in-law will be "awkward"

By Gina Serpe Dec 13, 2011 5:32 PMTags
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There's reality, and then there's reality. Lamar Odom is now intimately familiar with both.

Khloé Kardashian Odom's basketballer hubby has broken his silence in the wake of his headline-grabbing trade from the L.A. Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks while chatting to Dan Patrick this morning, speaking out on everything from his move to Texas, his wife's homey touch, and even what it'll be like playing against both his former teammates and his former brother-in-law Kris Humphries in the coming months.

So what'd he have to say?

"It's a good thing, it's a good thing," he told Patrick on his syndicated radio show when asked about the trade. "I'm looking forward to it."

He cleared up rumors surrounding his move to the Mavs, explaining that he wanted to make the trade on his own terms after realizing his departure from the Lakers was imminent no matter what, saying that if he couldn't stay with the team, "it must've been time for me to go."

"That's when I figured out that it could happen at any given time, they were gonna trade me this year no matter what. They were trying to make the best business move for themselves, which wasn't in my best interest, so I had to take control of the situation and land in a place…like Dallas, like Mark Cuban, and a team like the Mavericks, it was my first choice."

Of course, just because he took control of the decision doesn't mean it was an easy one.

"It was emotional," he said. "Sometimes I think about the situation, it's hard for me to control my emotions…Sometimes you have to put that to the side."

Asked whether he felt more angry or saddened by the move, Odom said neither was entirely the case.

"Shocked, surprised, you know? Took me for a loop, but [Dallas is] a great place to play. Great team and I take pride in helping them try to defend their championship."

Plus, he's already forged something of a kinship with Cuban, whom he says he spoke to over the phone but has yet to meet in person.

"I think he's into the reality thing," he laughed. Speaking of which…

"Khloé'll be here Friday, making my hotel room into a home."

When asked how his wife looked in the Maverick colors, Odom didn't miss a beat: "Khloé looks great in everything." Aww!

And fans will be happy to know that the move from Los Angeles doesn't mean the couple is turning their backs on the reality show cameras.

"It is reality," he said. "On the show, our lives totally unfold, like right there on the spot."

In fact, the upcoming season of Khloé & Lamar—returning Feb. 19—will indeed chronicle the couple as they set up home in Dallas and continue to balance their personal and professional lives.

Meanwhile, there's some reality Odom probably wouldn't mind doing without, and that's the reality of meeting up with both his former Laker teammates and former brother-in-law, New Jersey Nets' Humphries, on the court in the coming year.

First up is his face-off with the Lakers on Jan. 16.

"Yeah, it was pretty quick, huh?" he said of the scheduling of the face-off. "It'll be weird, man…I gotta go out there and have a job to do."

And then, in February, comes his showdown with the Nets.

"That might be a little more awkward than going to L.A.," he laughed.

So, can we can expect Kim Kardashian to be cheering him on in the audience for that particular match up?

"No." Didn't think so.

Still, awkward though it may be, Odom doesn't have any hard feelings for Humphries.

"I mean, I would feel bad for anybody that was put in that position and that happened to him, you know what I mean? That's gotta be pretty tough."

Good luck in Dallas, Lam-Lam! We're pulling for you.