For those who are hoping artest would come here.

[Ballings7]

Now, things are getting interesting...

In an e-mail to the Bee just minutes ago, Kings small forward Ron Artest indicated he may indeed opt out of his contract before the Monday deadline and become a free agent.
Asked about a NY Post column in which Peter Vecsey said Artest would be opting out, Artest had the following to say.
"I never knew so many teams would be coming after me," he wrote. "All I can say is I made a hundred degree turnaround."
Of course he may have meant a 180-degree turnaround, but you get the idea. As I mentioned on the Rise Guys this morning, Artest opting out can't be that shocking to anyone who knows him well. While he would most certainly make more money by becoming a free agent next summer, his name is hot at the moment and numerous championship-caliber teams appear to see him as their missing piece. If there is one player in the league who would be willing to lose money for the chance to go deep in the playoffs and get a ring, it's Artest. For all his complexities and his penchant to distract, he is a beast of a competitor who truly wants to win. Stay tuned for more throughout the day.

http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/sports/kings/

Basically up in the air with what he'll do now... but the change is that opting out is a legit possibility again.

I think we need to pursue him hard if he opts out, especially with us having the best overall spot for him to come in and play. Interest has already been established, as well.

Like I said, things can change with Ron, and they have, again.

Also in the case he opts out like I said that Ron said - winning is priority over money.

[Ballings7]

Decision day for Ron Artest, by 9pm tonight.

Beyond the Lakers, there is no shortage of teams with a desperate need to strengthen perimeter defense and add a proven scorer. There's San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and perhaps even Denver. The Nuggets passed up a chance to trade for Artest in February, and their first-round playoff exit against the Lakers showed how he could have helped.

With Artest's expiring contract (for $7.4 million) and his 2007-08 season in which he set career highs in scoring, field-goal percentage and three-point percentage, the risk isn't what it used to be. The Kings are well aware of this, hoping to reap the rewards for their patience.

Opting out makes little financial sense for Artest. The Lakers, for example, might be able to offer a shot at the title, but they would be restricted to a midlevel exception offer (approximately $6 million per season) for a contract - a plight shared by most of the league. Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, said it was "obvious" opting out would result in a midlevel exception deal.

If Artest opts out, the Kings, who hold Artest's Bird rights, could execute a sign-and-trade deal in which he can sign a sixyear deal rather than the maximum five with other teams.

In an e-mail to The Bee last week, Artest sounded as if the allure of joining a title contender was enough to lose money. "I never knew so many teams would be coming after me," he wrote. "All I can say is I made a (big) turnaround."

Yet after the exchange with Artest, Stevens reiterated opting out remains unlikely. He was asked about a recentNewYork Post column that reported Artest would opt out.

"(Teams) are coming after him, but at the end of the day, people make comments all the time, reporters like yourself," Stevens said. "But like I've said, the Maloofs have been good to Ron and to us, and we want to try to do the same to them (by not opting out)."

In a later e-mail, Artest said he agreed with his agent's assessment.

"Yes, (Sacramento) is where I'm staying," he wrote. "But I still think about all my critics. ... (There) will come to a time when I can go where I want, basically. "It's a major turnaround. Everywhere I go, somebody or some fan wants me to play on their team - from San (Antonio) to Boston and even Detroit."

http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1049033.html

Up in the air.

If he opts out, though, I think this team knows how ridiculous the Lakers (likely) would be with Artest added. Fisher-Farmar/Kobe/Artest/Gasol/Bynum - assuming they stay healthy (which is more than an ordinary thing with the Lakers history recently), wow.

That said, i like us having the advantage over the Lakers because they have a glut of significance at SF (Odom/Ariza/Radmanovic/Walton; with Radmanovic and Walton on multi-year, 5-6 million deals). Ariza if he can develop his range out to three, I think he'll be the answer for them at SF. Maybe look at James Posey, also. Having a more true role-player would allow for minutes, also. Not sure how they're going to deal with that, in improving at SF (shooting and defense in one player). Be interesting to see, though.

I don't quite see Dallas or Houston or Denver being ahead.

[lukeridenour]

i believe we have a noticable advantage over the lakers, however, i think the hornets have a noticable advantage over us. Lakers are unlikely for reasons you have mentioned, but if i were artest, i think the most appealing could be the hornets.

With the hornets, hes guaranteed to start, he fills a need for them both defensively and offensively. hornets will no longer have trouble against the outstanding wings in this lead, and he gets to play with arguably the best point guard in the NBA. for the MLE, i think the hornets are most appealing.

[Ballings7]

I don't think Hornets are as appealing because the team isn't going to be as good. Also they have Julian Wright who will need to get more time, Artest will take a lot of his minutes.

I'd lean to Ron starting with us over Bruce, and if not, then he'll play good minutes off the bench.

[Ballings7]

The Lakers are looking to keep both Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf in town, according to The Los Angeles Times.

They don't have the cap space to sign any big-name players, but the Lakers still want to retain both Vujacic and Turiaf. They are both restricted free agents, meaning L.A. can match any offer sheet they sign with another team.

"A lot of it's going to depend on the progress we make with Sasha and Ronny," Kupchak said of what other moves they might make. "I think we feel if we can bring those two players back, and we get Trevor [Ariza] and Andrew [Bynum] back, we'd be happy going into training camp with that group. If we run into a roadblock . . . then we'll have to look in other directions."

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... nd_turiaf/

I think that may play a factor with Artest, as well.

[bmw42690]

If Artest came here wouldnt he start and Ginobli would come off the bench like last year? Starting wise, we would have the 2 best perimeter defenders in the league. That would be pretty awesome!

[Ballings7]

Ron stays with the Kings - http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3468447

Even with a trade, I don't quite think the Lakers will get help from the Kings in getting Ron (Artest for Odom). Certainly a possibility, though.

[lukeridenour]

lol at artest regretting his decision.