USA Today - If the agent for disgruntled forward
Ron Artest gets his wish, his client will remain with the
Indiana Pacers . Artest went public with his desire to be traded last weekend, and the
Pacers are trying to accommodate him.
"Hopefully, it won't get done, and we can iron out the differences and work past this," said Mark Stevens, Artest's agent. "Indiana is a great city, a great organization. Both entities need each other."
Stevens acknowledges that he's engaging in wishful thinking, and stopped short of saying that Artest shares his feelings.
"Ron, in his heart, loves
Indianapolis," said Stevens, who hadn't talked to Artest prior to his client going public with his wish to be traded. "He has stated that he wants out. However, with frustration, sometimes things are said that are not the gut intention but are expressed in a manner that can be viewed as a gut intention."
Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh says nothing has changed as far as the team is concerned, and he will continue to seek a trade.