Just to throw this idea in the mix -- if Ron's defense is better than league average to a comparative degree that Kobe and TMac's offense is better than league average, could that make him a franchise player? Could a defensive star be a franchise player? Ron hasn't looked as motivated on defense in Sacramento as he did in Indiana, but if he stepped it up to DPOY levels again along with his stats in a good year (about 20 pts, 6 reb, 3 asts, 2 stl, 1 blk) is that a franchise player? I think it is provided he can take over a game with his defense, which he has shown he can do on occasion. But then the question with Ron is always how motivated is he? I don't think anyone, not even Ron himself, knows the answer to that.
I want Artest to stay because I think he does have good chemistry with a lot of our young players and I think he can be an All-Star and a franchise player with the talent he has. But if it's going to take moving to New York to actually get him motivated, than I hope he does get traded because I'm a basketball fan first and a Kings fan second and I like to see basketball players fulfilling their potential.