The Los Angeles Lakers made a three-team trade with the Rockets and Hornets early Friday to possibly bring PG Chris Paul to LA, but was rejected by the NBA.

The three teams decided Saturday to meet again to renegotiate a new trade, hoping it would get approved by the NBA this time around. Surprisingly, the trade wasn't for Chris Paul or Dwight Howard, whom the Lakers have been attempting to acquire, as well.

The Lakers pulled out of the Paul trade on Saturday night, and instead, traded forward Lamar Odom to the Dallas Mavericks, gaining an $8.9 trade exception that the Lakers could use which creates space for the big man-- Dwight Howard.

Howard, however, has reportedly asked to be traded to the New Jersey Nets. It will all come down to the Lakers beating a Nets offer which would include center Brook Lopez and multiple draft picks.

Odom, who is not pleased about being a part of the voided Paul trade did not show up to the first two days of training camp, and only showed up Saturday for a physical. "To me, I would think it's better to stay away," Odom told The LA Times in a telephone interview Friday. "You know, the energy and all. I don't know how it's going to go right now. It's a little weird."

The Mavericks, who lost their free-agent, Caron Butler to the Clippers, could easily restock their frontcourt with Odom.

But the questions we all want answers for are, could the Lakers really pull this off? With Lamar Odom now gone, what if the Lakers can't get Howard as planned? Are they digging themselves deep in trouble?