RealGM

RANK PLAYER VOTES


1
Zach Randolph
Power forward
Memphis Grizzlies
Last season
New York/L.A. Clippers
20.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg

T-2
Ron Artest
Small forward
Los Angeles Lakers
Last season
Houston Rockets
17.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg

T-2
Rasheed Wallace
Power forward
Boston Celtics
Last season
Detroit Pistons
12 ppg, 7.4 rpg

T-4
Trevor Ariza
Small forward
Houston Rockets
Last season
Los Angeles Lakers
8.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg

T-4
Shaquille O'Neal
Center
Cleveland Cavaliers
Last season
Phoenix Suns
17.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg

T-6
Vince Carter
Shooting guard
Orlando Magic
Last season
New Jersey Nets
20.8 ppg, 4.7 apg

T-6
Hedo Turkoglu
Small forward
Toronto Raptors

Artest (6 votes)
The thinking here is easy: Why mess with a good thing? The Lakers just won the championship with Trevor Ariza at small forward. Why replace him with one of the most combustible players in the league?

Yes, Artest is an upgrade over Ariza, but his unpredictability on and off the court might become a huge distraction for the Lakers -- one that could jeopardize their chances of a title repeat.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=OffseasonPredictions09-WorstNewcomer

Just noticed the best newcomer list..

Best Newcomer...

Artest (3RD)
To gain this honor, Artest is in a tough spot. When you join the defending champs, there are plenty of opportunities for downward mobility. Ordinary things can derail any title favorite (hello, injuries), perhaps a far more likely event than Ron-Ron Twittering Kobe & Co. into a funk. But with his drive and focus to earn a first title, it could be time to paint the portrait of Artest as a champion.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=OffseasonPredictions09-BestNewcomer

Ya I saw this ish too, I think this is the fuel that will fire R-test. I mean the whole world is basically counting on this guy to screwup our rotation and our chemistry. I think thats why R-test is so fired up and doing everything possible to prove to everybody including his teammates and the Laker nation that he is here to play and he's about to light up all these docuhe bags that are counting him out.

Honestly this is where we are going to witness Kobes leadership as well as P.J coaching ability to turn players around. I can see a strong bond growing as we progress between R-test and our leaders of this team starting with the coaching staff down to Fisher.

Lets do this ish and prove all the haters wrong, thats my take on all of this negativity. I think in reality the doubters and the haters are more afraid of R-test working out for the better than the worst, and if it does workout then the rest of the league is screwed for a few years to come.

Lets do this ish, FTW and FTC. I cant wait for this dam season to begin and we start tearing some ish up.

Couldnt agree with u more brotha

Why does every sports writer in the world think that Ariza is only going to get better? He had a great year, no doubt about it, but let's not forget that he was playing for a contract. Does anyone need to be reminded about how Vujacic played in his contract year? After signing that big contract, there is a very good chance that Ariza might not improve at all or even regress a bit from his stellar performance last year. Artest, on the other hand, is much more of a sure bet to be a contributor to a team given his basketball skills. Seriously, I know Artest has some haters around because of his personality, but this is ridiculous.

slifersd wrote: but this is ridiculous.

In no shape or form would I ever compare Artest heart and desire to win to anyone else other than players like Magic, KAJ, Shaq, and the latest player who dedicates a lot and is commited to winning than Kobe. Let me clearly explain "Im taking about heart" nothing more nothing less. When it comes to R-test, I dont look at contract, showboating, trouble, bad chemistry.
I look at him like this.
He is Bitbull that will die for you and protect your kids and commited to you and only you.
Now surround him with a bad owner, place him in a cage with other pitulls and use him for dog fighting. Thats what he was in the past. Now take that bitbull and place him in a good house a big yard and a good trainer and a good owner. Guess what NOBODY WILL DARE TO UCK WITH YOU or STEP IN YOUR YARD........... NOBODY.
Thats what I see in R-test, and me and him and everybody who is a true fan and knows this game and has a decent heart and realizes that everybody makes mistakes and we need to move along and forgive and forget will support him until he proves us wrong. Until then, skip everybody and let them comeup with every lame arse excuse to comeup with garbage trying to bash this guy and our team. Like I said it only makes ish more interesting.

Lakers wanted to resign Ariza, he or his agent screwed up. Going from a champ to a team that might not win 40 is not a smart thing to do. Artest was the best we could do with keeping the team in a position to resign LO. One reaction created the other. Whatever he did in Houston should not apply to next season. Kobe will not allow him to stop his quest for a 5th ring. You know he wants to at lease time MJ with 6.

" H A T E R S " . . .

One Love wrote:" B * * * * A R S E H A T E R S " . . .

Every team in the league has and will continue to get better. That whole if it ain't broke dont fix it crap does not work anymore. Either you sit around and watch teams get better than you or you make upgrades to consistently compete and thats what we did by adding Ron Ron.

He's better overall then Ariza. A strong 3 who can match up with 4's as well. He can also post up and shoot the 3. He brings a lot to the table. I will miss Ariza as he had a nose for being around the ball at all times. But Artest will do fine.

People just have a perception that he will come in and all hell will break loose. It won't.

This is a stupid ranking dont even take this serious the dude said artest is an upgrade and hes a bad fit on the team lol well see next year when we win AGAIN

there's probably going to be a twitter on this somehow sooner or later hehe

low risk, high reward

you cant argue that artest isnt a combustible personality

It makes me laugh how is on the worst and best new comers list.

One Love wrote:" H A T E R S " . . .

yea +1 and they're running out of BS stuff to say to us

Magic fan here... Im getting sick and tired of the constant hating on Orlando and LA from magazines and the media... They wanna make excuses discrediting us saying ohhh if LeBron had more talent... Well wait didnt the media say they were gonna win this year and such... Also Boston fans say ohhh KG was hurt... Doesnt matter, they almost got beat by Chicago and it will be a Lakers vs Magic finals again... May the best team win... The only way the Lakers dont make the finals is that someone kidnaps Kobe... Kobe is the toughest player in the league and is so tough that if someone shot him hell still play... Nevertheless... Magic and Lakers final... Ron Artest was a great acquistion and i wish we coulda got him... Lakers always getting the great players.... But we will see yall in the finals..

TonyMontana wrote:Ya I saw this ish too, I think this is the fuel that will fire R-test. I mean the whole world is basically counting on this guy to screwup our rotation and our chemistry. I think thats why R-test is so fired up and doing everything possible to prove to everybody including his teammates and the Laker nation that he is here to play and he's about to light up all these docuhe bags that are counting him out.

This is what I'm hoping.

I've seen Artest play enough to know that he can be a cancer to a team by his play on the court (ballhogging, poor shot selection), so I hope this inspires him to accept his role as a defender and 3rd/4th option guy that helps us space the floor.

If he can accept that role and not screw up our chemistry in addition to us staying relatively healthy, then I fully expect us to 3-peat again, at a minimum. We have way too much firepower to not win another few championships.

semi-sentient wrote:

TonyMontana wrote:Ya I saw this ish too, I think this is the fuel that will fire R-test. I mean the whole world is basically counting on this guy to screwup our rotation and our chemistry. I think thats why R-test is so fired up and doing everything possible to prove to everybody including his teammates and the Laker nation that he is here to play and he's about to light up all these docuhe bags that are counting him out.

This is what I'm hoping.

I've seen Artest play enough to know that he can be a cancer to a team by his play on the court (ballhogging, poor shot selection), so I hope this inspires him to accept his role as a defender and 3rd/4th option guy that helps us space the floor.

If he can accept that role and not screw up our chemistry in addition to us staying relatively healthy, then I fully expect us to 3-peat again, at a minimum. We have way too much firepower to not win another few championships.

I think he will. I think when it came to the other teams he never had a true leader and he felt the need to be the GO TO GUY, but you have to think that he knows he isnt the leader of this team and that he is only job and main focus is defense. Like you said we have a lot of fire power so he's offense isnt really a big concern when you have players like Kobe, Pau, Fish, etc. If he doesnt realize or understand that, then we are screwed. But I think we're okay. Plus we all know he can score too, we know he has a pretty good offensive game and he has a decent shot. I think were fine.

TonyMontana wrote:

semi-sentient wrote:

TonyMontana wrote:Ya I saw this ish too, I think this is the fuel that will fire R-test. I mean the whole world is basically counting on this guy to screwup our rotation and our chemistry. I think thats why R-test is so fired up and doing everything possible to prove to everybody including his teammates and the Laker nation that he is here to play and he's about to light up all these docuhe bags that are counting him out.

This is what I'm hoping.

I've seen Artest play enough to know that he can be a cancer to a team by his play on the court (ballhogging, poor shot selection), so I hope this inspires him to accept his role as a defender and 3rd/4th option guy that helps us space the floor.

If he can accept that role and not screw up our chemistry in addition to us staying relatively healthy, then I fully expect us to 3-peat again, at a minimum. We have way too much firepower to not win another few championships.

I think he will. I think when it came to the other teams he never had a true leader and he felt the need to be the GO TO GUY, but you have to think that he knows he isnt the leader of this team and that he is only job and main focus is defense. Like you said we have a lot of fire power so he's offense isnt really a big concern when you have players like Kobe, Pau, Fish, etc. If he doesnt realize or understand that, then we are screwed. But I think we're okay. Plus we all know he can score too, we know he has a pretty good offensive game and he has a decent shot. I think were fine.

Bingo...now all the haters STFU, or at least just focus on how great of acquisitions VC and JR were