RON ARTEST A NEW MAN

["THE" MoSav]

Artest's decision looms
He either will stay with the Kings for the final year of his deal or opt out for free agency.
By Sam Amick - samick@sacbee.com

Last Updated 12:07 pm PDT Monday, June 30, 2008
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1

Print | E-Mail | Comments (30) |

The Sacramento Kings' Ron Artest

Photo Gallery: The Sacramento Kings' Ron Artest

The saga will soon be over, with Ron Artest's immediate future decided and the Kings back in control again.

Pardon Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie for the audible exhale.

By 9 tonight, Artest either will be in the final season of his contract with the Kings or an intriguing member of the free-agent market. The decision is his until the deadline passes, just as it has been since the season ended.

Though the prospect of Artest opting out remains unlikely, the uncertainty remains until it's official. Artest is in the driver's seat for one more day, and Petrie is stuck without a steering wheel.

Artest remains a most vital piece of the Kings in ways beyond the spot he fills, a major element of the organization's eventual structure. If he remains, he instantly becomes one of the more tradeable players in the league whose value might have risen substantially since the Kings considered moving him in February. On the heels of Boston's title and the reinforcement of the "defense wins championships" credo, Artest remains a specialist on that end and is coming off his first season averaging 20 points. During theNBA Finals, he even appeared at Game 6 in Boston and was trailed by speculation in the following days that the Lakers wish he had been in a Los Angeles jersey.

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."


I agree he has really changed and last year was def his best year yet, he could def help a title contender and probably put them over the top, but dont surprsied if the Kings are a top team again in a few years..I am glad we stayed patient and kept him

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

I hear there's a chance he takes less money to come to LA.


If so, Lamar Odom=6th man of the year.

["THE" MoSav]

I hear there's a chance he takes less money to come to LA.


If so, Lamar Odom=6th man of the year.

yeah hes mentioned that, even in the article he says that, he doesnt say just LA he says LA detroit boston etc. But u can tell teams are way more intrigued by him now more then ever. I think he has a good thing in sac with alot of young talent and he knows that.
with him in LA, Lakers win it all hands down. LA with Artest would have easily beat Boston IMO. He can shut down and hes such a load offensivly now more then ever as well, and hes become such a better shooter...

["THE" MoSav]

When he Posts up he DEMANDS dbl teams, and when he drives same thing, either that OR GET OUTTA THE FUCKIN WAY!!!

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

I hear there's a chance he takes less money to come to LA.


If so, Lamar Odom=6th man of the year.

yeah hes mentioned that, even in the article he says that, he doesnt say just LA he says LA detroit boston etc. But u can tell teams are way more intrigued by him now more then ever. I think he has a good thing in sac with alot of young talent and he knows that.
with him in LA, Lakers win it all hands down. LA with Artest would have easily beat Boston IMO. He can shut down and hes such a load offensivly now more then ever as well, and hes become such a better shooter...

LA is his only other option, IMO...he's homies with Kobe and Odom is his boy from back in the day...he was on KLAC a few days ago talking about the possibility of signing with the team.

["THE" MoSav]

I hear there's a chance he takes less money to come to LA.


If so, Lamar Odom=6th man of the year.

yeah hes mentioned that, even in the article he says that, he doesnt say just LA he says LA detroit boston etc. But u can tell teams are way more intrigued by him now more then ever. I think he has a good thing in sac with alot of young talent and he knows that.
with him in LA, Lakers win it all hands down. LA with Artest would have easily beat Boston IMO. He can shut down and hes such a load offensivly now more then ever as well, and hes become such a better shooter...

LA is his only other option, IMO...he's homies with Kobe and Odom is his boy from back in the day...he was on KLAC a few days ago talking about the possibility of signing with the team.

well it better happen within a few hrs or hes under contract for the year

[Turf Hitta]

the sooner he leaves the Kings, the better. he's great from a talent standpoint but he's a damn distraction with all his bullshit.

["THE" MoSav]

the sooner he leaves the Kings, the better. he's great from a talent standpoint but he's a damn distraction with all his bullshit.

\

he hasnt caused any problems with the kings yet

[OG Hack Wilson]

lakers should trade Odem for him

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

lakers should trade Odem for him

Fuck that...we had many chances to do that. Odom is way too vital to our team to lose him.

["THE" MoSav]

^^^Yeah I dont want Odom. Id much rather have Artest

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^^^Yeah I dont want Odom. Id much rather have Artest

You'll be lucky to land Odom, because Artest is not staying with the Kings after this season...mark it.

[Turf Hitta]

the sooner he leaves the Kings, the better. he's great from a talent standpoint but he's a damn distraction with all his bullshit.

\

he hasnt caused any problems with the kings yet

He's a distraction with his off court bullshit though. Plus he looks for his own shot too much. Watching him pull up for that brick 3 pt shot in transition is a thing of beauty isn't it? The Kings haven't had anybody making bonehead plays like that since Jason Williams.

["THE" MoSav]

the sooner he leaves the Kings, the better. he's great from a talent standpoint but he's a damn distraction with all his bullshit.

\

he hasnt caused any problems with the kings yet

He's a distraction with his off court bullshit though. Plus he looks for his own shot too much. Watching him pull up for that brick 3 pt shot in transition is a thing of beauty isn't it? The Kings haven't had anybody making bonehead plays like that since Jason Williams.

u must not have watched him last year, that shit was alot less common last year, hes getting better still..

[Turf Hitta]

^^^actually I watched him all last year. he did that type of thing all the time. not to mention his little domestic violence issues were a distraction.