Here’s hoping Kobe Bryant understands how different his life is about to be with his new teammate. I hope Kobe caught Ron-Ron’s ESPN interview on Thursday night. If Kobe is wondering if Artest really is that strange, I don’t want to be the one to deliver the news.
As for the Rockets, Artest will not be missed by the coaches or players. There was just too much craziness, too many wild mood swings, too much selfishness.
If the Rockets have to line up and play with Landry, Brooks, Shane Battier and Ariza next season, so be it. I’ll take fast, scrappy and energetic over Artest and his myriad issues any day.
The odd thing about Artest is that he was nothing like I thought he’d be. He’s not a thug. In fact, he’s a caring, thoughtful man with a charitable heart and a winning smile. He also has talent, gobs of it. If he were inclined, he could be one of the NBA’s best low-post players. He’s so strong that he’s virtually unstoppable around the basket. He’s on the short list of NBA players who can impact a game on both ends of the floor.
If the Rockets thought they’d get that Artest, if they thought he’d play around the basket and consider following the game plan, they would have signed him to a max contract.
The Rockets are a team in transition. They’re likely to be young next season and to struggle to make the playoffs. This isn’t the kind of team you want Artest on. It would bring out the worst in him. He’d stop the ball, throw up silly shots and run pretty much whatever assignment he felt like running.
Two different Artests
He was on his best behavior in his one season with the Rockets as he auditioned for a new contract. There were nights when he played like one of the NBA’s 10 best players. There were way too many nights when his focus and behavior were off the charts.
He screamed at the young point guards so much that he finally was told to stop. He would agree he shouldn’t do it and would promise to stop. Then a game or two later, he’d be back out there on the perimeter, demanding the ball, then dribbling away the 24-second clock or bulling his way into the lane.
Adelman’s offense — based on motion, passes, screens and unselfishness — is a thing of beauty at its best. When one player stops everything or thinks it’s about him, it doesn’t work. Adelman was brilliant with Artest. He explained why he was doing certain things, never showed his anger when Artest didn’t do them. He was exactly the right coach for Artest, yet Artest simply wasn’t worth the trouble.
The Rockets are better off with Ariza.
