The Kardashians

Lamar Odom is wearing the stress of his marriage -- and possibly his NBA career -- falling apart as he battles addiction to hardcore drugs ... and TMZ has the first photos of him in several days.

Lamar's face looked gaunt when he was spotted Monday afternoon driving his SUV around the San Fernando Valley ... not far from his home with Khloe Kardashian.

As TMZ first reported ...Khloe kicked Odom out of the house last Wednesday when he rejected her attempt to stage an intervention -- hoping to convince him to get treatment for his addiction to crack cocaine.

But 2 interesting signs from Lamar's outing Monday -- he was still wearing his wedding ring ... and he was spotted driving into the gated community where he and Khloe live.

Lamar Odom will remain a free agent -- at least for now -- because the L.A. Clippers refused to re-sign him in light of his abuse of drugs, including crack cocaine ... TMZ has learned.

NBA sources tell TMZ, team officials really wanted to re-sign Lamar over the summer after he performed well last season, but he was nearly impossible to reach ... and they couldn't make progress on contract discussions.

We're told the Clippers were STILL interested despite Lamar's flaky behavior, but after news broke about the NBA star's issues with drug addiction ... the team closed the book on a new deal, permanently.

Khloe Kardashian has met with Lamar Odom ... and she is desperately trying to save his life -- TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us, Khloe found Lamar and drove to see him at an undisclosed location.

As TMZ first reported ... Lamar has plunged into the dark world of crack cocaine and Khloe effectively separated from him after throwing him out of the house last Wednesday when he rejected a family intervention.

We're told Khloe has not given up on Lamar although she says she will never get back with him until he's clean. On the other hand, we've learned she has taken no steps to file for divorce because she believes there's still a chance Lamar can be saved.

We do not know how Lamar has received Khloe's latest plea.

Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom are separated, but neither has taken any step toward divorce ... sources tell TMZ.

Multiple sources familar with the situation tell us Khloe "effectively" declared separation when she threw Lamar out of the house Wednesday, after he refused her attempt at an intervention. TMZ broke the story ... Lamar has had a crack addiction problem for at least 2 years, and Khloe simply couldn't take it anymore.

We're told Khloe made it clear if Lamar did not get help -- the point of the intervention -- she wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

But we are also told neither Khloe nor Lamar has consulted a divorce lawyer ... at least not yet.

If and when they do file for divorce -- which we're told is likely -- there won't be much to fight over. Sources connected with the Kardashians tell us the couple signed a hard-fought prenup before they married.

We're told Kris Jenner was right in the middle of the prenup battle because she wanted to protect her daughter -- who tied the knot after a 4-week courtship.

Short story ... the fat lady hasn't sung yet, but she's warming up.

Khloe Kardashian kept Lamar Odom's crack addiction secret from her entire family for most of her marriage ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the family tell us ... Khloe did not want to burden her family and jeopardize the Kardashian machine by telling the brood about Lamar's drug issues. We're told Kourtney and Kim Kardashian learned of Lamar's addiction "very recently."

We're told Kris Jenner has known about it for a longer period of time, but was still kept in the dark for many months.

Our sources say even when Khloe reached out for professional help -- for example hiring private investigators to follow Lamar -- she lied about the extent of the addiction. Our sources say Khloe told private investigators Lamar was addicted to "performance enhancing drugs" and that's why she needed their help. She never played the crack card.

When stories started to surface about Lamar sleeping with other women ... and the family started asking questions ... Khloe felt she needed to reveal the real issue. As one source put it, "Khloe was a real trooper. She's been living a nightmare."

The NBA is a "brotherhood" ... and its members will rally to support players like Lamar Odom through good times and bad ... so says Kevin Durant.

Durant was leaving DeMatha High School in Maryland after playing in a Goodman League charity game (he dropped 40 btw) ... when we asked about Odom, who's currently struggling with issues stemming from an addiction to crack cocaine.

Durant made it clear L.O. can count on his fellow players to have his back.

NBA superstar John Wall was also in attendance (though he didn't play in the game) ... and told us he's also rooting for Lamar.

"I just hope he figures it out. That's it."

Lamar Odom has vanished and everyone in his life fears the worst -- that he's off somewhere on a drug binge ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the NBA star tell us people on Lamar's side, and on the Kardashian side have not been able to find Lamar or contact him for nearly 72 hours -- and we're told the main concern is he's hiding out while doing crack cocaine.

As TMZ first reported ... Khloe Kardashian threw him out of the house Wednesday after attempting an intervention which Lamar squarely rejected.

We've already told you Lamar's been battling addiction for at least 2 years -- and even reluctantly agreed to go to rehab in San Diego a year ago ... although he bailed after 3 weeks.

Our sources tell us Lamar has gone off the hinges since basketball season ended and he became a free agent.

We're told his drug addiction is the core reason why his marriage to Khloe has fallen apart.

Short story ... everyone's worried.

3:00 PM PST: We spoke to a rep for Lamar who says Lamar is fine, however he would not say anything about his whereabouts.

Lamar Odom has been deep into crack cocaine for at least 2 years ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... Lamar has gone off the rails with drug use ... which is the principal cause of the crisis in his marriage to Khloe Kardashian. As we reported Lamar went to a rehab facility a year ago this month and stayed for 3 weeks before bailing -- and we're told the problem was crack.

Sources say Lamar's crack use was extreme before he went to rehab, but he cleaned up his act during the basketball season that just ended. Sources say shortly after he hung up his jersey, he started again with a bang.

As we reported ... Khloe threw Lamar out of the house a few days ago after he rejected an attempt at an intervention.

It's unclear how Lamar's problem will affect his basketball career.

The marriage of Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom is in crisis, and TMZ has learned ... the core reason is hardcore drug abuse.

Multiple sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Lamar has had a problem for 2 years. It got so bad, last August Khloe pressured Lamar to go to rehab. Lamar went to a facility in San Diego, but he was so resistant Khloe hired private investigators to secretly stand guard at the rehab place to make sure he didn't leave. The P.I.s stood guard 24/7.

Our sources say Lamar constantly threatened to leave and Khloe made several visits to prevail upon him to stay. We're told after 3 weeks, Lamar left for good.

We're told Lamar actually stayed clean once he left rehab and was able to play well for the Clippers this past season. But when the season was over, sources say Lamar slipped deep back into hardcore recreational drugs.

As for reports that Lamar was cheating recently, we're told Khloe is convinced it happened, and she feels she's been hit with a double whammy ... but drugs are the main problem.

As for divorce ... neither Khloe nor Lamar has contacted a lawyer. As one source put it, "Khloe is more concerned about saving Lamar than ending her marriage."

We're told the situation has become dire. Sources tell us ... within the last 2 days, the entire family staged an intervention, trying to convince Lamar to go back to rehab, but he wouldn't have any of it.

In fact, on Wednesday morning, right after the failed intervention, Khloe threw Lamar out of the house and as you see from the pic (above), one of Lamar's friends is loading Lamar's stuff in his car as Lamar watches.

Here she is for the first time ... the spawn of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

Kanye revealed the photo of baby North West on Kris Jenner's talk show moments ago, a last ditch effort to boost ratings before Fox decides whether to pick the show up for a full series ... something Kim's mother is desperately hoping for.

As we reported, Kim and Kanye had initially debated using the baby's first images to raise money for charity ... but they decided Kris' show was a more worthy cause.

Lamar Odom has just dodged a bullet -- he will NOT be prosecuted for trashing a photog's equipment ... TMZ has learned.

The L.A. City Attorney will not file criminal vandalism charges against Khloe's hubby for destroying a camera guy's equipment last month in Hollywood. Instead, as TMZ reported several days ago, the matter will be set for an informal hearing in the City Attorney's office.

The hearing is basically a sit down with both Lamar and the photog. The hearing office will explain the ground rules when there's a dispute between a celeb and the paparazzi. It's possible ... at the end of the hearing, Lamar could be ordered to attend anger management classes.

But short story ... victory for Lamar.

Kanye West left an innocent photog in crutches after a brutal assault at LAX last month -- when Kanye attempted to wrestle away the pap's camera -- so says the photog himself, and now he's filed a lawsuit against the rapper.

Daniel Ramos appeared with his lawyer Gloria Allred at a news conference Wednesday, where Gloria announced the lawsuit for assault, battery, and interference with Daniel's civil rights (in this case free speech).

Daniel -- who called himself a "filmmaker" -- says he spent two weeks on crutches after the attack, and has been walking with a cane for some time. He says he's still in pain.

Gloria argued the attack sets a dangerous precedent for celebrity-on-photog violence, especially now that various celebs are actually celebrating unprovoked attacks on photogs.

At one point, Gloria went after Kirstie Alley, Cher, and even Kylie Jenner for applauding Kanye's attack on Twitter.

Gloria says she's also asking the court to issue a restraining order against Kanye.

The best part of Kylie Jenner's Sweet 16 party this weekend? LEAVING ... because on their way out, 150+ guests received insane parting gifts -- in the form of luxury goodie bags valued at over $1000 each -- and TMZ has pics of the loot.

Kylie rung in the big 1-6 this Saturday at the AT&T Building in L.A. with her family and other celebs -- like Drake and Big Sean -- and seeing as she's hitting her peak in life, Kylie naturally pulled out all the stops.

But the parting gifts were the coolest part -- the youngest Kardashian family member handed out swag bags filled with 808 headphones, iPod speakers, Kardashian brand makeup, jewelry from her own jewelry line, gift cards, and a bunch of other crap.

Each bag is valued at more than $1000 a pop -- and with over 150 guests at the shindig, that's a big investment in trinkets.

But it probably didn't come out of Kylie's pocket -- fact is, the Kardashian/Jenner name is such a big deal, vendors undoubtedly donated their stuff for free hoping to get their brands in the press. And congrats, it worked.

Still doesn't beat hosting your Sweet 16 in your uncle's friend's Greek restaurant basement. Opa!

Kanye West just revealed a picture of daughter North West ... for the finale of Kris Jenner's talk show.

It's classic Kardashian -- The show will air Friday -- the last day the show is on the air. Kris wants a huge rating that day, because Fox will be making a decision on whether to pick the show up for a full series -- something she desperately wants.

The pic was flashed on the screen for a brief second, so no one in the audience could sneak a pic from the monitor. We're told the pictures will last a lot longer when the show is put together before it airs.

Kim and Kanye had initially decided to either give the first pics to a fancy magazine or release it on social media. They also toyed with the notion of raising money for charity, but ultimately decided that charity begins at home.

Myla Sinanaj's obsession with Kim Kardashian is getting painful -- she's about to undergo a boatload of plastic surgeries ... designed to make her look JUST LIKE KIM.

Myla tells TMZ she's sick and tired of being called the fat version of Kim K -- and going under the knife will fix it. She explains, "I’m obsessed with her body and want mine to be exactly the same."

In order to do that, slicer-and-dicer Dr. Matthew Schulman will perform $30,000 worth of procedures next month, modeled after Kim's assets -- lipo, lip injections and a boob job.

Myla's confident anyone who slammed her body in Vivid's "Myla Sinanaj: The Anti-Kim XXX" will eat their words afterwards... adding "I know it will launch my career."

FYI -- No surgeries have been booked for her face.

And now this:

Kendrick Lamar called mainstream rap on the carpet this week ... and it's clearly pissed off Diddy and his cohorts. Meanwhile more professional athletes are coming out of the closet. So we gotta ask ...