Ron Artest

[Bamboozled]

If Ron Artest is trying to get out of Sacramento, shouldn't the Cavs make a push for him? He's a good ballhandler/great defender, and while he technically plays the same position as Lebron, he can play both forward spots, as well as the 2 guard spot. And even if a team tries to go small, would you really bet on an undersized shooting guard getting a decent shot off on Artest?

What would it take to get him though?

1. Eric Snow's contract
2. Something of actual value to the Kings

[DowJones]

Ron is solid and Cleveland should certainly try to get him. He would be a huge upgrade over Wally, even though Ron isn't a natural SG. He is still a solid 3-point shooter, and he can create his own shot better than Wally ever could. Can you imagine a Mike Brown coached defense with West-Artest-James guarding the perimeter and bigs like Wallace/Z/Varejao patrolling the paint? We would be REALLY hard to score on.

I think we would have to start with expirings for Artest/Thomas. Thomas wouldn't be horrible because he won't hurt our 2010 cap-space and he would be a fairly large expiring next year. He could also provide some insurance if/when we move Varejao. I think Thomas could give us some solid minutes off the bench.

We would then have to throw in something of value. Maybe the 2009 draft pick? Maybe Varejao? Depending on how desperate Sacramento is to move Ron, a deal of 2009 1st rounder/expirings for Thomas/Artest MAY work.

[Gordon Bombay]

i wouldnt mind ron ron...i dont know what the kings would consider actual value on our team tho

btw isnt the cleveland drought only at 44 years and not 58 years because the browns won it 1964 (re: your sig)

[Bamboozled]

You're right, Gordon Bombay. I've always been hesitant to change it, because even though Cleveland kicked serious butt in the 60s, we can't call them Super Bowl champions or anything. But 44 years is still way too long

[rjgraca]

Not really a Ron Artest fan.

I am not sure that Artest would defer to Lebron as the leader.

Other issues are whether Artest would be a one year rental and what role would his loose canon personality at important times in the playoffs -- would it cause an implosion like he did for Indiana?

[KF10]

Artest has said that Lebron his one of his favorite players. Like Kobe, he will settle for #2/#3 option. Knowing that he is in his last year, he won't screw up. He is crazy but not stupid by any means. In the playoffs, arguably, he has his head straight, as evident to the Spurs/Kings series. He SHUT DOWN Ginobli and settled for the defender role and we had Bonzi as a primary scorer (Killed the Spurs). Even though, the Cavs don't have the ideal assets to gain Artest but I would take them over ANY deals of the Lakers. (Odom and etc) And the Cavs are in the East. If the Cavs deal is somewhat respectable, I take them.

[Benedict_Boozer]

I would trade for Artest. Like kingsfan10 said we may not be able to put together the best package in terms of actual talent, but Petrie would prob rather deal with us than their arch rivals where they play Artest 4 times a year + playoffs. We could also offer quality in large expiring deals.

I'm sure they also realize handing the Lakers Artest pretty much guarantees them a championship for the next 3-4 years so..

[Gordon Bombay]

Artest has said that Lebron his one of his favorite players. Like Kobe, he will settle for #2/#3 option. Knowing that he is in his last year, he won't screw up. He is crazy but not stupid by any means. In the playoffs, arguably, he has his head straight, as evident to the Spurs/Kings series. He SHUT DOWN Ginobli and settled for the defender role and we had Bonzi as a primary scorer (Killed the Spurs). Even though, the Cavs don't have the ideal assets to gain Artest but I would take them over ANY deals of the Lakers. (Odom and etc) And the Cavs are in the East. If the Cavs deal is somewhat respectable, I take them.

obviously we have to take back thomas (which is fine) and i would think varejao would be included, but what else would have to be included for an artest deal in your eyes? i kno we dont have the best value but at least we're not the lakers

[gflem]

This is the kind of deal that Ferry has to make if it is at all possible. Artest can play some 4 if needed, and so can Lebron if necessary when we would go small. He is borderline crazy, but that wouldnt really be a bad thing with the flatliners we have on our roster anyway.

And it would be an intimidating team with him and Ben on the floor. Artest, while selfish to a degree, does add scoring as well. I wouldnt hesitate to throw in a first and take back Thomas contract since he doesnt have many years remaining. Thomas may not play D, but he can score also, and would be decent coming off the bench.

If I recall correctly, Sac had some interest in Sasha, but maybe that was before his awful play this past season. I would be okay with moving Andy and Sasha and a pick if necessary to get this done.

[Da_James_Gang]

Well the only thing we can really offer them is cap relief, and maybe a pick....

Wally and Salmons can share the minutes for them at sf, salmons averaged like 17ppg last season when he started. Remember av would have to agree to go there which i dont think he would, so the only think i can really think of is this....

wally
dj
future first

for

artest
thomas

The good thing about kenny's contract is that it expires in 2 seasons....

[rjgraca]

The following new link is about Artest still acting like a loose cannon and it comes from the Sacramento Bee no less:

Co-owner lashes out after latest Artest comments


Kings co-owner Joe Maloof had a message for his conflicted player.

"He has to balance the way he acts," Joe Maloof said by phone. "He's got to control his emotions a little better. You've got to try and keep your cool a little bit.

"Take a deep breath and quit flying off the handle with comments that don't make sense. I hate to say it that way, but that's how I feel. It doesn't make sense to me."

He's not alone.

Artest's latest public venting came just six days after he had apologized to the Kings for "being mistakenly frustrated" by their stance. He not only e-mailed The Bee and ESPN to get his message out but reiterated the remorseful sentiments via text messages to Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie. Less than a week later, Artest pointed to the Maloofs as the root of his frustration.

"I was blinded by friendship," he wrote to ESPN. "Even Mama Maloof (Joe and Gavin's mother, Colleen) told me she wanted me to stay. I never knew that meant one more year. I thought it meant several. When Mama (Maloof) talks, you listen."

http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1082869.html

I still believe Artest is a one year rental and is looking for a big payday that I don't believe the CAVs would risk on his explosive personality.

Ron Artest: It's apparent that Artest no longer wants to be a Sacramento King. A focused, happy Artest can be huge for a franchise. When he first came to Sacramento, he led the team to the postseason and helped give the San Antonio Spurs a scare in the first round.

Conversely, when Artest has an issue - he can be impossible to deal with.

The Kings have a nice group of kids they're trying to develop into playoff material in the West. Last season Artest was not a great influence - with his blasting of rookie Coach Reggie Theus throughout the year.

He hasn't been in the Kings' long-term plans for some time and somehow just realized it.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9480

[sackings916]

Artest is perfect in Cleveland IMO. He's an ideal 2nd option to LeBron. He gives Cleveland another iso player which would be huge for Cleveland's offense and take a lot of pressure off LeBron, a 3 pt shooter, defense and toughness. Not to mention Artest and Mike Brown's relationship, and Artest saying Lebron is his 2nd favorite player behind Kobe. The Cavs can put Artest and LBJ on the wings and cause mismatches at the 2 and 3 which there is no team in the league that can match up with those 2 at the same time, or they can go small ball and with a more quicker,athletic lineup with LeBron and Artest at the forwards which would also cause a lot of mismatches. LeBron and Artest are 2 of the hardest players to match up with in the entire league mainly because of their combination of speed and strength.

As a Kings fan I would favor Cleveland's expiring contracts to players such as Odom and Marion, assuming Cleveland takes players who no longer fit in our plans (KeThomas,SAR,Moore, possibly Miller)

Some lineups Cleveland could try out- West/Artest/LBJ/Smith/Z, West/Gibson/LBJ/Artest/Z

[DowJones]

I am sort of frustrated that we aren't mentioned in any trade talks for Artest. Now I fully understand that things could be in the private, but I would have to think that we can offer something better than L.A. would offer. Odom means nothing to the Kings because he is just an expensive expiring contract. It isn't like the Kings will re-sign him at the end of the year and if anything he will (Please Use More Appropriate Word) their re-building plans by contributing more towards wins this year...which means a lower draft pick.

The Cavs could take back Thomas (something it is "reported" that L.A. doesn't want to do) and give Sacramento expiring contracts and a 1st round draft pick...which is something L.A. can't offer until 2011. And I KNOW that the Kings would rather deal with us than the Lakers.

Artest would probably re-sign with us anyway. Remember that if he is traded, we get his bird rights...meaning that we can sign him to a larger deal than the MLE. The teams with cap-space for 2009 are few and far between so he won't be getting a deal worth about 11 million a year or anything close to that. We could probably re-sign Ron to a 4 year deal worth about $36 million....which is good value for a 20ppg scorer and a guy that can play GREAT defense. Plus a move like this would show LeBron that we are about winning right now. I think by adding Artest to the team, we would be the 2nd best team in the East....and we all know how close we were to beating Boston last year.

I know that Artest can be a loose cannon, but he hasn't done too much since he was traded. He seems to of calmed down. Also remember that Mike Brown and Ron were close when Mike was in Indiana. I think playing next to LeBron and under Brown will make Artest happy...as would a decent extension.

[bcortell]

I'm right with you. I think Ron Ron would be a great addition to our team. and i would take him over Redd or VC any day of the week. He might score a couple less points then those two but he shuts down the other teams best defender while Redd is horrible on defense and VC is alright (I know redd is not getting traded but it was to compare ron to other guys- proving that he has a more complete game and that it benefits us more than simply having a scorer). I'm just hoping that it's getting done in private..

[LeQuitterNotMVP]

I think by adding Artest to the team, we would be the 2nd best team in the East

We already are the 2nd best team in the east.

[DowJones]

I mean clear 2nd best team in the East. I think Detroit is right there with us and now Philly will be tough. Getting Ron would put us over Detroit, and with Boston losing Posey, we would have every chance of beating them in a best of 7.

[LeQuitterNotMVP]

Oh, I agree we have to make a move. Artest would do just fine. Heck, adding anyone that can score would make this team probably the best in the league. We're very close; we were the toughest challenge to the Celtics. We are also better than the Pistons, period.