Dallas Mavericks

Lamar Odom was deep into drugs while he was playing for the Dallas Mavericks and there is evidence he was doing the exact same thing while playing for the Lakers ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to a Westin hotel in Memphis tell TMZ ... in March of 2012, shortly before Lamar was cut from the Mavs, he stayed in one of the guest rooms while his team was in town playing the Grizzlies.

Our sources say when Lamar left, hotel employees found major carpet damage ... including quarter-sized burn marks. The damage was so bad, the hotel had to replace the carpeting in the room.

Our sources say hotel employees also found white powder on the desk blotter and the room reeked of noxious smoke. Our sources say it was obvious there was serious drug use going on in the hotel room.

The Westin is one of numerous hotels where NBA players stay when they're on the road. TMZ has contacted a number of these hotels in various cities. We've learned from several hotel employees ... they had complained about the state of the rooms when Lamar left -- similar to what happened in Memphis -- and this was while he was playing for the Lakers.

Our sources say no one on the Mavs knew Lamar was a substance abuser while he was on the team, but everyone knew something was seriously wrong with him.

We're told that during at least part of the time he was playing for the Mavs, Lamar was smoking Oxycontin and cocaine.

Odom's problems were so severe, he was cut from the Mavs mid-season and paid in full just so he would go away.

TMZ broke the story ... the drug use escalated to crack -- and we're told Lamar's level of crack use is now alarming and life-threatening.

The nasty feud between Mark Cuban and Jason Kidd is officially OVER ... at least for now ... 'cause Mark tells TMZ the two have made up -- and have even started emailing each other again.

Cuban famously TRASHED Kidd in the media last year after Jason decided not to re-sign with Cuban's Dallas Mavericks ... and instead struck a deal with the NY Knicks.

Cuban had said he was "more than upset" with Kidd -- and said there was "no chance" he'd ever honor Jason by retiring his Mavs jersey.

But something happened over the last few months ... 'cause when we asked Mark how he felt about Jason landing the Brooklyn Nets head coaching job this week, M.C. told us:

"I'm excited for him. He has great knowledge on the game so I'm sure he will do well. And yes we have started emailing again so all is well with the world.”

It's only a matter of time before an active NBA player comes out as gay ... so says Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban who tells TMZ he would be honored if the player was a member of his team.

Cuban called in to "TMZ Live" moments ago to discuss how Magic Johnson's support for his gay son will impact professional sports.

Long story short -- the minority owner, a company owned by Ross Perot Jr. -- filed legal papers in May 2010 calling Cuban a "careless and reckless" owner who was running the team into the ground.

Perot begged a judge to remove Cuban from operational control of the squad before it was too late.

Now, Cuban has responded in legal docs with the greatest statement ever ... a photo of the Mavs hoisting the NBA championship trophy.

In the docs, Cuban adds, "Under Cuban's stewardship, the Mavericks have become one of the league's most successful teams and are now NBA champions."

He adds, "Accordingly, there can be no genuine question that [Perot's] claims of mismanagement lack merit and .... should be disposed of."

Hail to the champ.

The caller tells the 911 operator, Stevenson was "extremely loud and mumbling" as he and another man banged on doors at an apartment complex, even though they didn't live there.

As we previously reported, Stevenson was arrested for public intoxication in Irving, Texas Tuesday night after officers felt he was a "danger to himself and others. "

Law enforcement sources tell us, police received a call about some drunk guy wandering around an apartment comlpex in Irving, TX last night -- and when cops showed up, they found Stevenson ... who said he was lost.

Stevenson -- who does not live in the apartment complex -- then flunked a field sobriety test ... and was arrested for public intoxication.

NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, owner Mark Cuban, several other Mavs, and a few celebs like Lil Wayne and Trey Songz ... celebrated at LIV nightclub in the swanky Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel -- where just two months ago, Gloria James was arrested for slapping a valet.

It's tentatively called "The Ladies in My Life" -- and big surprise ... it's all about Shawn and the important women in his day-to-day ... including his mom, sisters and publicist.

One of the featured family members is Shawn's twin sister Shawnett -- who's 6-feet tall and can DUNK a basketball!!

Oh, we almost forgot -- the show is being filmed in the NBA star's 14,000 square foot Dallas mansion.

Obviously, Cuban is referring to the fact that James decided to amp up the drama ... and screw with practically everyone's emotions ... before announcing on live TV last night that he was ditching the city that loved him to try and win a quick championship with a "super team" in Miami.

TMZ spoke with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban -- who tells us he doesn't think he'll have to pull any crazy stunts to get players to want to sign with the Mavs this year ... saying, "This crop of free agents is taking a much more sophisticated approach than other years. I think that helps the Mavs."

Cuban adds, "Less BS and more business."

Everything is back to normal for Mark Cuban -- his biggest problem is once again the floundering Dallas Mavericks bball organization.

A federal judge dismissed an insider trading lawsuit against Cuban this morning, after Cuban was accused of dumping 600,000 shares in an Internet company in 2004 after receiving a dirty tip. Had Cuban kept the shares, he would have lost $750,000.

Carmelo Anthony's fiance LaLa Vazquez has released a statement claiming racial taunts and violent threats from Dallas Mavericks fans incited her at last night's NBA playoff game:

"Obviously the play-off games bring out the best and the worst in fans but what happened on Monday night with the racial slurs/threats, verbal attacks on my son and physical attacks to myself by irate fans was unacceptable. The fans were totally out of control.

What the cameras captured was me defending myself and didn't show the abuse that was taking place."

Footage shot at last night's game showed LaLa cursing and getting hostile as security tried to escort her out of the stands.

The Mavs and the Nugs are set to face off again tomorrow night.

While several "Dancing With the Stars" contestants are limited in one way or another (Mel B. just had a baby, Wayne Newton has been stretched to the limit for some time), it's doubtful any of them have endured what Mark Cuban has.

The outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner had his hip replaced less than seven weeks before he started practicing for "Dancing With the Stars." Ay caramba!

Dallas Mavericks' owner Marc Cuban has lashed out on his blog (natch) at fellow billionaire buffoon, Donald Trump, for essentially getting fired, now that "The Apprenctice" has been left off the NBC fall season. Hey Mark, how'd "The Benefactor" work out for ya?!

Cuban slams Trump's real estate/business ventures (Trump Water anyone?) and gives the Combover King backhanded suggestions for staying in the public eye -- in order to remain even remotely relevant. Besides doing the lecture circuit on How to Single-Handedly Destroy Your Own Brand, Mark suggests Donald should try out for VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" and "I Love New York," or replace his public enemy #1, Rosie O'Donnell, on "The View." Oh lord! And you think Elisabeth is irritating?!