Artest makes gallant offer (merged)

"Artest insists he would play for free next season if it guaranteed the Kings would keep Bonzi Wells and coach Rick Adelman. Wells, the Kings' leading scorer in their first-round series, is a free agent on July1." San Antonio Express-News

"Adelman is in the final year of his contract, too, and Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof have given no hint to his future with the team. "I'll give up my next year's salary to keep Bonzi Wells," Artest said. And Adelman? "I'll give him my salary, too," Artest said." San Antonio Express-News

This isn't so much about being confident we will resign Bonzi and Rick (which I have mixed feelings about) but moreso about showing Rons passion for the game, winning, and his new HOME. Ron seems to truly appreciate Sac, and to be very happy. If he truly ment these things, then it means that he wouldn't mind signing a long year extention with a pay cut in order to help our franchise right? (well lol we shall see when the time comes...) :) But for now, I am so extatic to have him as the face of our franchise...

It makes my heart even happier to know our team has a defensive identity due to our new defensive face in Ron. Kobe said it in tonight post game when he was responding to a question that he was asked about Raja Bell guarding him: "Well I dont really think about him... it's not like he is Bruce Bowen or Ron Artest, who make you think differently about what your doing out there." (It was a paraphrase... but the point is there...)

I love this team! This time, the future really has a chance... because we are building around what matters... D!
 
IMO those were the perfect comments to make. It shows the Maloofs that he wants them back without making a demand that would send his critics into a frenzy. The guy knows they're an important part to this team and if he can let them know he wants them to be his teammates/coach then maybe that will make them want to come back even more. That was a great display of leadership right there.
 
yeah, they mentioned that on the espn broadcast. and then they joked that "well, artest is not used to having a salary anyway (cause of the suspensions)."

obviously that would never happen, but i love Artest! He's just telling the Maloofs he'd be happy of Bonzi and Rick stay. I hope the Maloofs get busy trying to re-sign them now!
 
Ron is the man !
as a kings fan i'm really excited about the situation !
we've got a real team, a men team liking each others etc
Great players, great coach, best fan in the league
And those stupid maloofs are trying to screw everything !
They are full of money but if people living in sacramento dosn't pay a lot for a new arena they want to go to vegas ! **** it ! The best fan of the NBA are right here right now in sactown but they wanna move to vegas
stop thinking about money !
Besides they want a new coach, they 're creating a difficult climat to live in, not telling clearly that they will resign Bonzi and Rick
Bonzi is a must have !
i know Adleman is not the best coach of the league, but i know he's the best coach available ! it would not be fair to tell him goodbye now after this great rebuilding season, especially to get somebody not far better!
 
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Kings notes: Artest makes gallant offer

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14252731p-15068779c.html

Kings notes: Artest makes gallant offer

He says he'll forgo his salary if Wells and Adelman are brought back.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer

Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, May 7, 2006


The Maloofs might make this some sort of binding verbal agreement.

Ron Artest claims he would play next season free of charge if the Kings bring back coach Rick Adelman and bruise brother Bonzi Wells.

Adelman does not have a contract extension, never mind the eight consecutive playoff berths and near-miraculous turnaround this season when the campaign looked lost in January. Wells will be a free agent and is sure to draw considerable interest from teams after he took San Antonio to task in the first round. He also was the Kings' most steady performer in the regular season when he wasn't hurt, according to team president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie.

"I'll give up my next year's salary to keep Bonzi Wells," Artest said.

Then he added about Adelman, a coach who put the ball in the man's hands and allowed him to create and attack, all while maintaining his penchant for defense: "I'll give him my salary, too."

Danger signs - Two players who needed to have big playoff series in order for the Kings to survive were veterans Mike Bibby and Brad Miller.

Both struggled. Bibby shot 33 percent (he struggled in the playoffs last year, too). Miller's scoring average dipped from 15 a game in the regular season to 9.2 against the Spurs, and he managed just 18 rebounds in six games.

"I'm upset and mad," Bibby said of his performance.

Bibby's salary swells to $12.5 million next season, and Miller's goes up to $9.6 million.

Carril status - Pete Carril, the longest-tenured Kings assistant coach, is not exactly sure where he will be next season.

He'll either return to the Kings and continue mentoring young players such as Kevin Martin, or he'll retire in or near his beloved New Jersey, where he coached at Princeton.

Carril, 75, has maintained all season that he wants to return to the Kings only if he feels "wanted." The players want him back, to a man, as do the coaches and Petrie.

"I feel wanted, yes," Carril said. "But I haven't made up my mind yet if I'll come back."

Wells on his status - Wells said he will not return to his native Indiana, where he runs camps and clinics, until June at the earliest. His kids are in school, and he'd like to stick around long term, all things considered.

"It's a business, and I can't take it personally (if he is not re-signed or is traded)," Wells said. "I've been part of trades before, but I've told (management and ownership) that I don't want to go anywhere. I'm very happy here. I love the community, I love the city and I love the fans.

"They can sign me if they want to."

Rick on scheduling - Adelman was more than willing to speak on behalf of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich about the quick turnaround for the defending champions, who closed out the Kings late Friday, flew back to Texas on Saturday and had to prepare for the Dallas Mavericks in an early game today.

"It's a travesty they play Sunday afternoon," Adelman said. "Who in the world thinks that's fair to play another game within 36 hours with the travel? I know Pop won't say anything, but it's a travesty." Adelman then paused, smiled and said, "I don't think they can fine me for that, can they?"
 
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Hey, that's fun and great for team morale if Bonzi and Rick do come back. But of course if they don't...
 
SacKings384 said:

Wow is right. Artest shouldn't have to make this statement. He is unbelievable. We really need to reevaulate our highest payed players in Bibby and Miller before we not pay our most valuable players who bring it in Artest and Wells. Cannot we flip the salaries around giving Artest 12.5M & Bonzi 9.6M? Bonzi deserves more than that how he has played, but it's a start. They deserve it. :D

It's a shame that Artest is so not making the mega big bucks and still feels he has to forgo his salary next year to keep Adelman and Wells. Is this scary or what? We do have the Maloffs as owners you know, just open that check book and start writing out contract/checks to Bonzi & Rick. We have something good here and need to keep this thing going we have from this season and tweak it a bit. Let's get rid of that stupid Princeton offense, no offense to Carill, but I think his time has come and we are not the run and gun team we once were, we need the change, but Adelman is calm and easy going enough to work well with Bonzi and Ron....it's a big statement for Ron to say he'd give us his salary for Rick and Bonzi so you know Ron's happy with his role. I think this really opens up the flood gates to people considering Sacramento because look at how Webber and Artest changed their tunes about Sac from not wanting to coming here to loving it here.
 
french_Kingsfan said:
Ron is the man !
as a kings fan i'm really excited about the situation !
we've got a real team, a men team liking each others etc
Great players, great coach, best fan in the league
And those stupid maloofs are trying to screw everything !
They are full of money but if people living in sacramento dosn't pay a lot for a new arena they want to go to vegas ! **** it ! The best fan of the NBA are right here right now in sactown but they wanna move to vegas
stop thinking about money !
Besides they want a new coach, they 're creating a difficult climat to live in, not telling clearly that they will resign Bonzi and Rick
Bonzi is a must have !
i know Adleman is not the best coach of the league, but i know he's the best coach available ! it would not be fair to tell him goodbye now after this great rebuilding season, especially to get somebody not far better!

Um, bottom line is those "stupid Maloofs" OWN the team and the team is a business. Of course they're thinking about money. That's what business owners do. BUT to say that's all they're thinking about is wrong, plain and simple. The Maloofs bought this team and spent MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS to get players here who would take us from being perennial cellar dwellars into the rarefied atmosphere of the NBA elite.

The Maloofs do not want to move the team. They may have to move it, however, if a new arena deal cannot be reached. They won't reach that decision lightly ... you do not leave a fanbase like Sacramento at the drop of a hat.

Don't buy into the hype that the Sacramento Bee has, until recently, put out there about the Maloofs.
 
Well I think the maloofs are smart in watching money... I think Players should less greedy and if they want championships... they need to see that they have to allow for further team growth. Look at the spurs... they are in the middle of the teams for salary... not a bloated team like the mav's(which is the only good team with a really high salary). Boonzi should say "Ill take 5 mil a year with a 10 percent increase for 6 years" if he wanted a championship
 
We definately need a new stadium and need it to be worked out quick. We do have an awesome fanbase that is known around the league. I was so proud to be part of the crowd in my only game so far in Game 6 eventhough we lost, it was still awesome to be part of something like this. Ron shouldn't have to make statements like he will forego his salary. The guy is already underpaid big time, it is his fault, but that's behind him now.

It would be awesome if we could flip salaries and pay Ron and Bonzi, Bibby's and Miller's salary because they deserve it. I still have faith in Bibby, but for the big bucks he is making now and into the future, he has to show up and this series was a major let down, he was guarded by Bowen a lot so that is somewhat understandable...Miller on the other hand showed his lack of wanting to play on the Kings and didn't do himself well for the US National team either, what a choke. :mad:
 
SacKings4Life21 said:
Well I think the maloofs are smart in watching money... I think Players should less greedy and if they want championships... they need to see that they have to allow for further team growth. Look at the spurs... they are in the middle of the teams for salary... not a bloated team like the mav's(which is the only good team with a really high salary). Boonzi should say "Ill take 5 mil a year with a 10 percent increase for 6 years" if he wanted a championship

We live in a capitalistic society. Players are going to make what the traffic will bear.

These guys have to feed their families, you know...

;)
 
VF21 said:
We live in a capitalistic society. Players are going to make what the traffic will bear.

These guys have to feed their families, you know...

;)


Oh ya I forgot milk and bread costs 2.2 million a peice for nba players. hehehe greed!!!!! Vanity!!!! bahhh

I love how SHAQ took a pay cut to 20 million... a pay CUT? to 20 million? lol down from 30... i guess lol.
 
Keep in mind that if fans didn't idolize players and put them on pedastals, making them such valuable commodities, they wouldn't be able to command those salaries.

It's a vicious cycle but as long as the fans continue to pay - and buy all the related merchandise, etc. - the players' union will continue to work to make sure their members get a piece of the pie.

And Shaq's paycut? Smoke and mirrors. He took a lower salary in Miami but his contract extends out further. In essence, the length of the contract itself more than makes up for the one-time cut.
 
VF21 said:
Keep in mind that if fans didn't idolize players and put them on pedastals, making them such valuable commodities, they wouldn't be able to command those salaries.

It's a vicious cycle but as long as the fans continue to pay - and buy all the related merchandise, etc. - the players' union will continue to work to make sure their members get a piece of the pie.

And Shaq's paycut? Smoke and mirrors. He took a lower salary in Miami but his contract extends out further. In essence, the length of the contract itself more than makes up for the one-time cut.

I just cannot stand how a player can get the big deal and then not show up and still be guaranteed the $. Many players getting the good deal and know they are set for life and just give 50% or less like Miller is doing now for us.

It should be..do the job...get paid like the rest of us have to live with in the real world. Look at the NFL, if you choke you get the axe and don't get your $.
 
I agree there is a gross inequity in the guaranteed contract. The name Brent Price ring a bell? Nice guy but we paid him for an entire year even though he was physically unable to even step on the court.

It would be nice to see some performance clauses in those sweetheart contracts but it's highly unlikely the players' union would vote for them.
 
Works both ways -- our own franchise benefitted for years from basically screwing over Peja and Bobby with undervalue guaranrteed deals which coould not be altered or escaped from.
 
I don't think the question is if Artest is willing to take less money, it's is Bonzi. Because it will take less than or equal to 8-9 mil or else he isn't coming back. You must question one thing. Bonzi has come out and been a great energy player, said all the right things. Up goes the pay possibility. Then he comes out and says "I want to stay here and finish my career here." Well, that's two things. One, that means he wants a long term contract. Two, now that puts all the pressure on the Maloofs to bring him back, because the fans will know it was their decision and not Bonzi's. I just a quick statement, he has put the ball in the Maloofs court to give him a long term contract. He has put the ball in the Maloof's court to re-sign him. He has endeared the fans. The only question is, is it all fake? It's tough to know Bonzi's REAL motives, until next season. I will know his real motives, if he takes a pay-cut.
 
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1st post!!

Nice to be here. WOw this is a gr8t website and its really nice to be amongst kingsfans.

GO RONRON GO KINGS
 
VF21 said:
Keep in mind that if fans didn't idolize players and put them on pedastals, making them such valuable commodities, they wouldn't be able to command those salaries.

It's a vicious cycle but as long as the fans continue to pay - and buy all the related merchandise, etc. - the players' union will continue to work to make sure their members get a piece of the pie.

And Shaq's paycut? Smoke and mirrors. He took a lower salary in Miami but his contract extends out further. In essence, the length of the contract itself more than makes up for the one-time cut.


Ya i know... I was being sarcastic that his pay cut wasnt a cut at all lol
 
quick dog said:
Thirty million dollars for Bibby and Miller. Wow.
yes, but you have to remember a couple years ago when scenarios were ALOT different, when they signed their deals...and everyone was singing Petrie's praise for signing them, even if for these large sums.