Consolidated Artest rumor thread

ParniValjak · Feb 20, 2008

I don't think its posturing. If anything I think it might be a salary dump type of trade that gets them out of Nene's contract for a couple of expirings.

If this trade goes through then I think Nuggets want Artest and they want him bad. Trading Nene for expirings would give Nuggets some room to re-sign Artest over the summer and a core of AI-Artest-Melo-Camby to build around!

If they don't dump Nene's salary, it gives them no flexibility to re-sign Ron in the summer if they trade for him.

This deal is good news for the Kings IMHO!

LPKingsFan · Feb 20, 2008

nbrans said:

Ah, knew I was missing something. Artest for Head, Snyder, Francis, Brooks and the 1st works, though. Is adding Head's $1.9 million contract next year a deal breaker for us? We lose cap space, but do end up with Brooks and the pick still. Taking on that many guys would be rough, though. We'd have to waive Lue, Johnson and Wright, unless we ended up shipping them somewhere for a TPE.

I guess it's Denver or bust right now.

The Hammer · Feb 21, 2008

If our goal is to get something for Artest that will help our "rebuild", I think we will end up going about it this way: I think we'll resign him this summer, and then possibly trade him this summer too. He will have had a good rest of the season statistically, and possibly have settled a little mentally being the so called main guy on this team. No doubt his value will be higher then, if he's already hooked to a contract, say around 11-12 mil a year. People at least won't be getting a rental. Artest may be a nut, but his agent is proabably no dummy, and knows that there just aren't any teams that can sign him to that amount should he walk on this. So, he walks, we resign him, then trade him. That will net us more than what we could have gotten now. Agree or disagree?

Big Cuz 15 · Feb 21, 2008

The Hammer said:

disagree. i'd rather take what we can get for him now than have him on the hook for long term. what if he decides to have one of his moments and absolutely destroy his value. then we're the fools on the hook w/ his horrible contract. no thank yoooouuuu sirrrr

he cant' seem to commit to anything, why should we commit to him?

TheRaven · Feb 21, 2008

The Hammer said:

Why do you assume his value will be higher later? He has already proven his value on the court with games like this past night against Atlanta and others. He hasn't had any wacky outbursts lately other than a few technicals and some clippings in the papers related to his insecurity about his long-term future. If anything waiting is more risky because your keeping him on a team that will not be competing in the playoffs that he knows will probably not be re-signing him in the offseason, and you never know what sort of incident could happen between now and then.

Also, right now your working with a little more leverage than you might otherwise have. Your dealing with teams that know for sure they are making the playoffs, but are unsure that they will be able to keep up with other teams that have made big moves. The only downside as far as our trade leverage goes is the "rental" aspect if Artest walks for the team he is traded to in the offseason. Still, they would be in the same situation as we would in the offseason if we had Artest since they will have his bird rights, giving that team the best chance possible to get back some value in a possible sign & trade deal. Who knows, if he liked the team and they were a contender he might (though unlikely) even decide to stay for the MLE or whatever they could offer.

If we get back picks/young talent and expirings for Artest before the deadline, it means that we both get something back for Artest AND see that money freed up for any deals we might want/need to get done this offseason. Any expiring contracts/exceptions we acquire for an Artest Sign & trade during the offseason, which keep in mind isn't a given since he COULD walk for the MLE to a contender if he really wanted to, obviously means we have to wait another year for that money to get freed up.

So all things considered, I think our shot at getting back the best value possible for Artest is now.

Dime Dropper · Feb 21, 2008

Well, looks like we're stuck with Ron. I had that feeling all along. I just pray he opts out and we don't re-sign him.

BritishColumbia · Feb 21, 2008

with all due respect to Ron and his talent, if we have a chance to get a first round+expiring contracts, we should do it ....

The Hammer · Feb 21, 2008

KMart23 said:

I wonder if there is some kind of opt-out-re-sign-and-trade thing that can happen, preventing us from being on the hook for any period of time, which, yeah, I know what you mean.

AleksandarN · Feb 21, 2008

Čarolija said:

Maybe the trade is a possible three way trade with us. I am thinking a Artest/ Kenny thomas trade in the works for Nets expirings.

Bricklayer · Feb 21, 2008

The deal the Rockets would be nuts not to propose after their trade yesterday:

Sura $3.84mil (ender) -- basically retired (but critically is this still available? -- does nto work if its not)
Snyder $2.36mil (ender) -- out of rotation and seeking trade (might get a little time with Bonzi gone)
Brooks $0.98mil (rookie, 26th pick) - they like, we apparently like too
#1 pick
---------------------
$7.2mil

for

Ron Artest $7.8mil

Leaving the Rockets, right now the #3 defensive team in the league, with this rotation:

C-Yao
PF-Scola
SF-Artest
SG-TMac
PG-Alston

6th- Battier
7th- BJax
8th- Head
9th- Landry
10th- Hayes
11th- Deke
12th- Novak, Francis or whoever.

And hello to serious title contender with a Yao/TMac/Artest trio.

And yet such is the nuttiness of the NBA, where every peanut of an asset is clung to like gold, and such is Ron's rep, that odds are very high such an offer is never made.

Bricklayer · Feb 21, 2008

nbrans said:

Do they not still have Sura's deal sitting around?

Bricklayer · Feb 21, 2008

The Sports Guy's suggestion BTW (part of a much larger article):

TRADE 2A: Sacramento trades Ron Artest and Shareef Abdur-Rahim to Golden State for Brandan Wright, Patrick O'Bryant and Austin Croshere.
Why Sacramento does it: The Kings save $8 million this season, pick up a valuable trade exception, dump Shareef's contract and pick up a lottery pick in Wright. That's a no-brainer. In fact, you'd have give Geoff Petrie a standing ovation for turning Artest and $18 million of washed-up guys (Mike Bibby and Shareef) into two high lottery picks (Shelden Williams and Wright) and expiring contracts. That's how it's done. By the way, I would sell high on Artest if I were running the Kings -- he's never played better and he's never seemed more sane, but deep down, we know he's not sane. That's why you trade him right now.
Why G-State does it: Because Artest fits in with everything else happening there -- he's crazy, he can play multiple positions, he can play any style, and he'd be absolutely devastating in NellieBall because of his unparalleled talent for guarding bigger players. At crunch time, the Warriors could trot out Biedrins, Artest, Jackson, Ellis and Davis and match up with any team in the West. ... Better yet, they'd be intimidating and nuts and unpredictable and everything else you'd want from a lower seed. I wouldn't want to go anywhere NEAR THESE GUYS if they had Artest. Besides, could you put a price on the emotional Artest/Jackson reunion, even if it only lasted for a few months? We'd have to put stun guns underneath the seats of the first few rows for every Warriors game. I can't handle the thought of Artest playing for Golden State; it's so exciting and crazy that I think I just peed on myself.
(By the way, I'm tired of reading the rumor that Denver could give up Linus Kleiza, Eduardo Najera's expiring deal and a No. 1 pick for Artest. Have you watched Kleiza? He's legitimately good and the Nuggets have him locked in at a cheap price. Yeah, Artest is a better player, but look at the strong personalities on that Denver team: Melo, Iverson, J.R. Smith, Nene, K-Mart ... and now you're throwing Artest into the mix and asking George Karl to somehow handle all of these guys? It sounds like a sick psychological experiment or something. I'd rather have Kleiza, Najera and my No. 1 over rolling the dice with that emotional rollercoaster of a team every night. We've seen what Karl does with crazy, headstrong teams. The results aren't pretty.)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?name=simmons&entryDate=20080220

=LarryLegend= · Feb 21, 2008

We need to just get Najera/Jr/1st

Why let Ron Ron walk away!! get a freaking pick atleast.

Rockmeister · Feb 21, 2008

There was an article in the denver post:

Artest deal likely would cost Kleiza

By this afternoon, the Nuggets could have Ron Artest on their roster, but it would likely mean Linas Kleiza would be on the Kings' roster, a source close to Artest said.
With the NBA trade deadline at 1 p.m. today, the Nuggets could nab Artest for the affordable, 23-year-old Kleiza and a handful of add-ons. For instance, the Nuggets have Eduardo Najera, a hard-nosed forward who has an expiring contract, as well as an enticing first-round draft pick this year, which could be packaged in a deal.

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_8320262

nbrans · Feb 21, 2008

Bricklayer said:

Sura was waived so they can't trade him.

Big Cuz 15 · Feb 21, 2008

if i were the suns, i'd highly consider artest. you see kobe torch the suns last night? he went off.

nbrans · Feb 21, 2008

^Chad Ford says they're considering it, but what they would likely have to offer (trade exception and a 1st) doesn't beat Denver's possible inclusion of Kleiza. But if Denver balks by 11:30 and Phoenix's offer is on the table I'd have to think trade exception and Atlanta's 1st beats Najera, Smith and Denver's 1st.

Vlade4GM · Feb 21, 2008

nbrans said:

Hopefully we'll have our choice of those two deals, but I doubt it. Denver really should do it because they have to do something, that's my honest unbiased opinion; both sides need to get this deal done. I doubt Phoenix is still a player because they got Ross it seems.

Big Cuz 15 · Feb 21, 2008

taking a nap and hopefully a trade will be done when i wake up

allrightythen · Feb 21, 2008

So how many of us here actually like the Denver deal with Kleiza? I admit I haven't seen much of him so I'm just curious if it makes sense that he is a deal breaker?

Circa_1985_Fan · Feb 21, 2008

allrightythen said:

I'm clueless as to what the heck is going on with this Artest thing, just like the rest of us...at this point, I think for some reason that both sides have backed away from the table and arent talking...and probably wont be until the offseason, when Ron will cost Denver, or whoever, alot more money. The way Ron has been playing, teams would be stupid NOT to bring him in for their playoff run. But...tis' life in the world of NBA wheeling and dealing...and thank God we have a guy that has one of the better poker faces in the NBA in Geoff making decisions...at least MOST of the time, that is, unless the Maloofs are in a gambling mood.

Dime Dropper · Feb 21, 2008

allrightythen said:

I can see why Geoff would hold off for Klieza - he's a good player and he's young. But I seriously hope Geoff snaps if Nugs won't give in. An expiring and a pick and whatever else to make it work (JR) is better than no trade.

Still have a gut feeling nothing will go down.

Sptsjunkie · Feb 21, 2008

allrightythen said:

In theory it makes sense if Denver's only concern in making a trade is to ensure that they do not lose in the talent department over time. In other words, they don't want to give up two solid pieces (LK and a 1st) for a one year rental. However, given that the Nuggest have a small window to win a championship with Iverson and Camby both in their mid-30s, it makes absolutley 0 sense whatsoever. Why you would not take this risk, when you are maybe one more season away from having to blow everything up and rebuild around Carmello makes no sense to me.

Variant · Feb 21, 2008

I dunno, I don't want to give up Ron for nothing (or very little). Best worst-case scenario would be we resign him at the end of year to some sort of reasonable deal and then have him available for trade once again. Someone will still want to take a swipe at him next year, guaranteed.

nbrans · Feb 21, 2008

Amick update:

(9:50 a.m.)
Chirp, chirp, chirp...
While the waiting continues, let's hit on a few conversation topics for a moment. It really is quiet on both ends, I'm told. For what it's worth, the Kings folks left a pretty clear message on their way out last night that they really didn't think Artest would be moved today.

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

He also runs through the Artest to Phoenix possibility and concludes it's not likely based on what he's heard.

Circa_1985_Fan · Feb 21, 2008

Sptsjunkie said:

EXACTLY!! That's what I've been saying all along...I think if Kiki was still running the show in Denver this deal would have been made back around Christmas time.

Variant · Feb 21, 2008

Sptsjunkie said:

The same goes for Phoenix and their ATL first rounder and their big 'ol $8 mil exception. With Shaq they have a small window too, and honestly, I think Artest would be a better fit in Phoenix than in Denver.

I have a friend in Denver and keep trying to tell her to take Artest, but she wants no part of him. And I have to agree, Artest in Denver would be disaster.

Melo, Iverson AND Artest all fighting for shots???

Still, I won't complain if Denver pulls the trigger.

Jerichoholic · Feb 21, 2008

Does anyone know what teams will have salary cap space this offseason? I can't imagine it would be a contending team that Artest would be interested in. If that's the case then the Kings would hold all the cards unless Artest would be willing to sign for a contender for the mid-level, which I highly doubt.

Variant · Feb 21, 2008

Jerichoholic said:

Yeah, that's just it. What rebuilding team or team that's a few years away from contending is going to be interested in picking up Ron? The main suitors are always going to be teams that are "close". They won't have the $$ to sign him outright, so even if the Kings end up keeping him, we have a good shot to resign him and still trade him to a contender.

nbrans · Feb 21, 2008

Jerichoholic said:

I believe it's just Seattle and Philadelphia at this point. Atlanta was going to, but they took on Bibby. So it would seem that we would have leverage. But the thing is, you never know who's going to trade for a trade exception to get under the cap, or have a player with a huge contract opt out unexpectedly.

There's always the Cuttino Mobley scenario where Artest bolts to a team we weren't expecting, and the Bonzi Wells scenario, where Artest doesn't have a better deal waiting but still refuses to sign.

I think it's really risky to try and deal with this in the offseason. We seem to have the upper hand, but you never know what's going to happen.

Consolidated Artest rumor thread

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