When the Los Angeles Clippers matched Utah's six-year, $42 million offer sheet to swingman Corey Maggette on Tuesday, the Heat may have moved a step closer to signing Clippers forward Lamar Odom.

The Clippers must decide by today whether to match Denver's six-year, $51 million offer sheet to guard Andre Miller. The Heat may be awaiting that decision before issuing an offer sheet to Odom, although the club had no comment on its plans Wednesday.

"It's an ongoing negotiation, an ongoing evaluation and there are some triggers in the next week that will bring some information into the equation," Heat General Manager Randy Pfund said last week. "We've got to play this thing close to the vest.

The Clippers probably will not be able to retain Maggette, Odom and Miller because of salary-cap issues. That means they have to make a choice on which two to keep.

The Heat's best chance at landing Odom is to offer a contract worth more than the Clippers could match.