A couple notes about Hart and Artest

[DocHolliday]

From the ESPN Insider:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/features/rumors

Kings Mistreating Hart?
Jan 16 - Agent Bill Neff is steaming at the way he says his client, veteran guard Jason Hart, is being treated by the Kings.
Neff said Monday that he has received mixed messages regarding Hart.
After speaking with Eric Musselman and Geoff Petrie, Neff said he initially believed both men were lying to him, then wondered if they were both telling the truth.
"Maybe 'upper management' was one or either both of the Maloofs," Neff said of Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof. "So I called them about a week or 10 days ago, and they haven't returned my call yet." Neff said the Kings have bypassed three opportunities to trade Hart. -- Sacramento Bee



Artest: 'I Like Sacramento'
Jan 16 - Ron Artest was bombarded with questions about whether he still fantasizes about being traded to his hometown Knicks - "not traded, I have a contract with the Kings. I like Sacramento."
He also was asked if he was nervous about his return to Auburn Hills. But the 6-7 bruiser hardly showed much concern.
"I think it will be a fun environment," Artest said of Saturday's game. "I'm looking forward to it. I can't see (a brawl) happening. That was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I'm not worried." -- New York Daily News
"I don't want to get traded," Artest said after the game. "I'm under contract right now with the Kings, and I like Sacramento. I'm definitely happy in Sac." -- Newsday

 

[most_casual_observer]

With the level of Oodling and White Noise increasing (how long did it take for Peja to leave after he insisted he wanted to retire with SAC?), I am becoming convinced that we are in for a very interesting flurry of personnel moves in the near future. This cauldron is beginning to simmer nicely. Let the real games begin!

 

[BJax24]

^^^word

 

[NikateeN]

Have you noticed he says "im under contract" before he mentions "i like it here in Sac",?

 

[VF21]

So what? Now you're going to try to read something into the order in which Artest says something?

Please remember the first rule of having Ron Artest on your team: Do not listen to anything he says. Let his play on the court do his speaking and disregard everything else.

 

[fnordius]

Neff said the Kings have bypassed three opportunities to trade Hart.

Sounds like we aren't the only ones who are valuing low-utility players with expiring contracts.

If it were possible for the NBA to collectively win less than half of their games, I bet they'd be doing it this year.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Please remember the first rule of having Ron Artest on your team: Do not listen to anything he says. Let his play on the court do his speaking and disregard everything else.

There's a point where that becomes a bit like playing the ostrich, which is in my opinion every bit as dangerous as grossly overreacting to everything that he says.

Jan 16 - Ron Artest was bombarded with questions about whether he still fantasizes about being traded to his hometown Knicks - "not traded, I have a contract with the Kings. I like Sacramento."

That quote jumped out at me when I read this the first time as being a very clear statement that he'd be interested in playing for the Knicks when his current contract is up, but that he isn't actively seeking a trade. Not particularly troublesome, but doesn't indicate a tremendous loyalty to Sacramento. Obviously, there was something said that wasn't quoted so it's hard to gauge his meaning, but it's notable nonetheless.

 

[LPKingsFan]

Let his play on the court do his speaking and disregard everything else.

And what does 12 points on 4-15 shooting tell you?

 

[VF21]

There's a point where that becomes a bit like playing the ostrich, which is in my opinion every bit as dangerous as grossly overreacting to everything that he says.

Assessing the value of the order of comments, especially when you're reading an article where the quotes may have easily been combined, is just as dangerous.

That quote jumped out at me when I read this the first time as being a very clear statement that he'd be interested in playing for the Knicks when his current contract is up, but that he isn't actively seeking a trade. Not particularly troublesome, but doesn't indicate a tremendous loyalty to Sacramento. Obviously, there was something said that wasn't quoted so it's hard to gauge his meaning, but it's notable nonetheless.

To each his/her own... That's almost like those who took Miller's comments last year to mean he didn't want to play for Sacramento any longer and was hoping to be traded to Indiana.

 

[VF21]

And what does 12 points on 4-15 shooting tell you?

Nothing particular. People are so desperate to find some meaning for the current woes that they are reading too much into comments, trying too hard to make sense of statistics, etc.

 

[GoGoGadget]

To each his/her own... That's almost like those who took Miller's comments last year to mean he didn't want to play for Sacramento any longer and was hoping to be traded to Indiana.

No. There's a slight difference.

Brad Miller said that if there was an opportunity to play with, or finish his career in, Indiana, that he'd take it.

However, IF Ron was asked whether or not he'd like to be traded to the Knicks and IF his quote was accurate, the "not traded" disclaimer could be significant and would indicate an active interest in someday playing for the Knicks.

Like I said, lots of if's there, and it's not something that I'm losing sleep over in either case, but it did catch my eye. No question Ron's a nut, and no question that Ron's the kind of nut whose position and point of view fluctuates wildly from moment to moment, but that doesn't mean that what he says is insignificant or unimportant.

 

[Bricklayer]

I would never never never under any circumstances allow Ron Artest to become a FA for us. Never. If he's nto willing to sign an extension (if we dare) well before the trading deadline next year (if he's even here) -- that's jsut an insane chance to take. Nearly as nutty as Ron is. How could you EVER trust somebody as strange as ron to make the choices you are hoping he would make? He is not contrained by the normal rules of human behavior.

 

[Gary]

Wow... Anyone catch Hart's agent? what an idiot. He was on Grant's show about 30 mins ago. Just called out of the blue.

 

[most_casual_observer]

No. There's a slight difference.

Brad Miller said that if there was an opportunity to play with, or finish his career in, Indiana, that he'd take it.

However, IF Ron was asked whether or not he'd like to be traded to the Knicks and IF his quote was accurate, the "not traded" disclaimer could be significant and would indicate an active interest in someday playing for the Knicks.

Like I said, lots of if's there, and it's not something that I'm losing sleep over in either case, but it did catch my eye. No question Ron's a nut, and no question that Ron's the kind of nut whose position and point of view fluctuates wildly from moment to moment, but that doesn't mean that what he says is insignificant or unimportant.

Here's the reality: Ron will leave the Group W Bench the moment he can get a hall pass.