According to The Orange County Register, Odom may supplant Bynum in the Lakers' starting lineup even after the injured Bynum returns to the team.
The 22-year-old Bynum has missed the Lakers' past two games with a bruised right hip, and Lakers coach Phil Jackson says it would be a tough move to make because his team has been successful with Bynum as a starter.
"We won last year with Andrew when he came back at the end of the season, going out there and playing the first quarter and starting the games," Jackson told The Register. "Even though he wasn’t 100 percent when he came back off his injury last year, he still gave us a lot; he gives us a big front. So I have to measure that and see what’s going to happen with this team in the next couple weeks."
Odom says his role is to help his team win, whether it's as a starter or a bench player.
"It doesn't matter," Odom told The Register. "Honestly, it doesn't matter, because I'm about moving forward, getting better individually and as a team. Whatever they decide to do."
The Lakers face an interesting debate regardless of how they decide to use Odom and Bynum. The team faces future salary cap concerns as both players will earn more than $8 million per season in each of the next two seasons.
And Odom, for what it's worth, wants Bynum to stay on his team.
"I want to grow with Andrew and find out how we can keep our chemistry high — the three of us [Bynum, Pau Gasol and Odom] always playing at a high level," Odom told The Register.
As long as Gasol and Odom play at a high level, the Lakers will have a chance to win regardless of who gets the starting nod.
