Kreidler: Artest a problem for Kings that won't go away easily

[Elise10]

Artest a problem for Kings that won't go away easily

By Mark Kreidler
Special to ESPN.com
Archive


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=kreidler_mark&id=2789994

The wording from Sacramento Kings GM Geoff Petrie was just vague enough to cover the bases. Ron Artest, Petrie said, was being "excused … indefinitely from any further participation with the team" following the player's arrest Monday on a domestic violence charge.

With Artest not scheduled for a court appearance until his March 22 arraignment, Petrie's comment, couched to avoid the use of "suspension" and the ire of the NBA players union, appeared to give both Artest and the Kings time to decide where their professional relationship goes from here.



In fact, though, the relationship between Artest and the Sacramento team has been strained for some time, and its slow dissolution has roughly coincided with the Kings' descent into mediocrity. One of Petrie's problems now is that, because Artest has erased most of the goodwill he appeared to build after last season's trade from Indiana, the Sacramento GM is stuck with a player whose trade value is shrinking even as the psychic cost of keeping him rises.

"He's ours for a while," said one member of the organization.

Artest is owed more than $16 million over the two seasons that follow this one, with the 2008-09 figure of more than $8.4 million written under a player option. For obvious reasons, Artest is no longer likely to opt out of that year of his contract.

But the Kings have larger problems. At a time when the Maloof brothers are grinding for a new arena and meeting fierce taxpayer resistance in Sacramento, the bloom is off the rose that was their NBA team's great run of success. The Kings prior to this season had made eight straight playoff appearances, all of them under coach Rick Adelman; but the Maloofs jettisoned Adelman last spring despite Adelman turning the Artest trade into a 26-12 surge to the finish and another postseason berth.

The Maloofs' choice to succeed Adelman, Eric Musselman, was hit with a DUI charge during the Kings' exhibition schedule, and the season itself wobbled almost from the start. Musselman has at times struggled to retain control of his veteran team, conspicuously failing to resolve simmering tensions between Artest and guard Mike Bibby. (Artest recently said he and Bibby had worked out their differences, with Bibby running the offense and Artest focusing on defense.) The Kings as a whole have been uninspired, playing to a 27-32 record that had them 2 ½ games out of the eighth playoff spot in the West heading into Tuesday night's game against the Pacers.

Bibby has been alternately unhappy and confused, struggling through some of the worst shooting slumps of his career, and he was rumored to be on the market at the trade deadline. But it is Artest who for weeks has been sending signals large and small that things are not altogether fine.

Though the domestic violence charge officially swung Artest back into the national view, several sources say the Kings have been privately worried for some time, possibly dating back to November of 2006, when Artest's wife, Kimsha, placed a 911 call to authorities claiming Artest had vandalized their Placer County home. She did not file a complaint, but asked that the incident be documented.

In all, according to police records, authorities have been called to the Artest home six times since last August. Artest was not at home on at least one of the occasions, and no charges were filed in any of the previous incidents.

Artest also was the subject of action involving Animal Control, which determined that a dog living on the couple's five-acre property was starving.

Artest blamed the development in part on inadequate help when he was on the road.

But Artest has been erratic in basketball-related matters as well. It became clear early in the season that he wasn't enamored of Musselman's style, a sentiment shared by some of the other veterans on the roster, and he and Bibby appeared to be less willing to play together than they had been under Adelman. Artest also missed seven games with injury and an eighth -- last month's Pacers game in Indianapolis -- when he was excused to fly to New York to deal with what he called "family issues."

The Kings often look more cohesive with Artest off the floor, which allows Bibby and shooting guard Kevin Martin to play a more open offensive style. In games Artest had missed prior to Tuesday's contest at Arco Arena, Sacramento was 4-4.

But none of that is to suggest that the team is better off without the services of one of its most talented, albeit obviously troubled, players.

Artest, recovering from back and knee injuries earlier in the season, turned in a solid February, averaging 22.4 points, and he was a major factor in Kings victories over the Lakers and Portland last weekend. As Musselman told the Sacramento Bee, "Ron has been playing at an all-league level lately, so a player of [his] caliber is tough to replace."
He's also the player whom the Maloofs pushed Petrie to acquire last year -- and he unquestionably was instrumental in Sacramento's late turnaround and subsequent playoff run. But, as a Kings official put it, "With Ron, you sort of know the bill's going to come due." The Maloofs, and Petrie, are now stuck with the tab.

 

[BMiller52]

I wish we could void his contract

 

[fnordius]

I wish we could void his contract

If only such things were so easy!

But it could be a lot worse. His contract isn't that big, he's a good player, and he may well play again. It's not as if we had a gimpy Penny Hardaway sucking up max or something.

 

[hrdboild]

I can't find the words to express how ridiculous this whole storyline is to me. I wish the Sacramento Bee would just stop covering the Kings altogether because clearly they've abandoned even the pretense of impartiality at this point. "The bloom is off the rose"? Yeah no kidding, because you guys seem to want it that way. You say something often enough and it starts to become true, if not in fact than at least in perception. Ron Artest's domestic troubles haven't been a problem to the team before now. The only thing that has changed is that now they are public. So now he's tearing the team apart? Give me a break.

 

[chelle]

Actually, Kreidler works for ESPN now, not the Bee. He was always among the most objective of them all. I must admit that I agree with much of what he said.

 

[hrdboild]

ESPN is even more bias than the Sacramento Bee, but the point is the same. These journalists have formed a particular perception of what's going on and then they fit the evidence into their pre-existing perception rather than the other way around.

though, the relationship between Artest and the Sacramento team has been strained for some time, and its slow dissolution has roughly coincided with the Kings' descent into mediocrity

Based on some mysterious unnamed sources in the Kings organization who for all I know are some gossipy teenagers working the refreshment booth. And there are several reasons why the Kings have lost games which have nothing to do with Artest. How about Bibby having the worst shooting percentage in the league for half the season? How about Kenny Thomas' continued ineffectiveness? The absence of Brad Miller (both on and off the court)? Inexistent play calling from the bench, particularly in game ending situations. Kriedler is insinuating a connection here which may or may not exist.


Artest also was the subject of action involving Animal Control, which determined that a dog living on the couple's five-acre property was starving.

Artest blamed the development in part on inadequate help when he was on the road.

If this were anyone else it's an easily excusable misunderstanding, but somehow when Artest is involved it's posited as more evidence of his mental instability. These two statements are just inserted into the story, look Kriedler's just stating facts, but within the context of the article he's cleary suggesting a connection. A pattern of troubling behavior. Which is completely circumstantial. Ever read Albert Camus' "The Stranger"? Something similar happens to the character in that book. The only reason to connect the two events is if you're actively looking for a pattern of questionable behavior.

It became clear early in the season that he wasn't enamored of Musselman's style, a sentiment shared by some of the other veterans on the roster

Artest has done nothing but support Musselman publicly. The grumblings about Musselman's style have come from other players, none of whom we supposedly need to get rid of at all costs. It's not like Adelman's tenure was completely free of player criticism either.

Artest also missed seven games with injury and an eighth -- last month's Pacers game in Indianapolis -- when he was excused to fly to New York to deal with what he called "family issues."

Seven games? Missing seven games makes for a relatively healthy season around here. What is with this perception that Artest might be faking an injury to avoid playing? Where does that even come from? Clearly in Artest's case it's guilty until proven innocent. He missed one game for "family issues"? How is that incriminating or distracting? One game?

as a Kings official put it, "With Ron, you sort of know the bill's going to come due." The Maloofs, and Petrie, are now stuck with the tab.

That's it. That's exactly it. It's only true because people believe it. Because people are waiting anxiously for the next blow up. It's like we've been told the "big one" is coming, the earthquake which is going to kill us all, it's coming sooner or later so we panic every time the room starts shaking. And it's just some construction going on across the street. Was Artest ever really given a clean slate? Not when every little thing he does gets blwon out of proportion like this.

I think this article is a terrible excuse for journalism. It's heavy on insinuation and unsubstantiated accusation and light on facts. The whole thing is engineered to produce a certain reaction -- the Kings are in trouble and Artest is the reason. In a word, muckraking.

 

[chelle]

Artest is not THE reason the Kings are in trouble. He is merely ONE of the reasons they are in trouble. His recent actions off court have many people frustrated with him. There have also been some on court incidents as well, but no more than with others. I do not think that he is the doom for our team. I did not want him on the team at first, but I did change my opinion of him since he came. However, I do think that he is one of the many reasons that fans are not overly thrilled with our team right now. I am not impressed with his behavior, but I do not feel that he is destroying the team either.

 

[kennadog]

Kreidler is a terrific journalist. You can call out a lot of the writers at the Bee, but not Kreidler (a former Bee reporter). I'd say Kreidler is about as unbiased a sportswriter as you will find anywhere. He is also very well-acquainted with the Kings organization.

Also, this is an "opinion" piece, not a news report. Some people will not like his opinion, some will, and some won't care. Opinion pieces are always written to cause readers to think and discuss. However, given what I know of Kreidler, I give his opinion a good amount of weight.

BTW: Most journalists would be proud to be called a muckraker: "to search out and publicly expose real or apparent misconduct of a prominent individual or business."

 

[VF21]

ESPN is even more bias than the Sacramento Bee, but the point is the same. These journalists have formed a particular perception of what's going on and then they fit the evidence into their pre-existing perception rather than the other way around.

though, the relationship between Artest and the Sacramento team has been strained for some time, and its slow dissolution has roughly coincided with the Kings' descent into mediocrity

Based on some mysterious unnamed sources in the Kings organization who for all I know are some gossipy teenagers working the refreshment booth. And there are several reasons why the Kings have lost games which have nothing to do with Artest. How about Bibby having the worst shooting percentage in the league for half the season? How about Kenny Thomas' continued ineffectiveness? The absence of Brad Miller (both on and off the court)? Inexistent play calling from the bench, particularly in game ending situations. Kriedler is insinuating a connection here which may or may not exist.

Wrong. Mark Kreidler is very well respected by both fellow journalists AND the Sacramento Kings. He has excellent sources.

Artest also was the subject of action involving Animal Control, which determined that a dog living on the couple's five-acre property was starving.

Artest blamed the development in part on inadequate help when he was on the road.

If this were anyone else it's an easily excusable misunderstanding, but somehow when Artest is involved it's posited as more evidence of his mental instability. These two statements are just inserted into the story, look Kriedler's just stating facts, but within the context of the article he's cleary suggesting a connection. A pattern of troubling behavior. Which is completely circumstantial. Ever read Albert Camus' "The Stranger"? Something similar happens to the character in that book. The only reason to connect the two events is if you're actively looking for a pattern of questionable behavior.

Kreidler is pointing out an obvious fact. There are problems. It's part and parcel of the whole picture about Ron Artest right now. To not bring it up would be silly.

It became clear early in the season that he wasn't enamored of Musselman's style, a sentiment shared by some of the other veterans on the roster

Artest has done nothing but support Musselman publicly. The grumblings about Musselman's style have come from other players, none of whom we supposedly need to get rid of at all costs. It's not like Adelman's tenure was completely free of player criticism either.

How many games have you actually watched? Artest has shaken off Musselman's attempts to take him out of the game more than once. It's no secret that a number of Kings have been less than happy at times with the somewhat unorthodox approaches Musselman took, especially earlier in the season.

Artest also missed seven games with injury and an eighth -- last month's Pacers game in Indianapolis -- when he was excused to fly to New York to deal with what he called "family issues."

Seven games? Missing seven games makes for a relatively healthy season around here. What is with this perception that Artest might be faking an injury to avoid playing? Where does that even come from? Clearly in Artest's case it's guilty until proven innocent. He missed one game for "family issues"? How is that incriminating or distracting? One game?

He's again presenting facts. Artest has missed games for a variety of reasons. I don't think he said Artest was faking. You're trying way too hard to build some kind of case against Kreidler for doing his job...

as a Kings official put it, "With Ron, you sort of know the bill's going to come due." The Maloofs, and Petrie, are now stuck with the tab.

That's it. That's exactly it. It's only true because people believe it. Because people are waiting anxiously for the next blow up. It's like we've been told the "big one" is coming, the earthquake which is going to kill us all, it's coming sooner or later so we panic every time the room starts shaking. And it's just some construction going on across the street. Was Artest ever really given a clean slate? Not when every little thing he does gets blwon out of proportion like this.

Dude, you can continue to act as though Artest is an innocent victim all the way around. A lot of Indiana Pacer fans used to do the same thing. What Kreidler is putting forth is there is mounting evidence to support the dread some fans - and most likely the front office - are feeling.

I think this article is a terrible excuse for journalism. It's heavy on insinuation and unsubstantiated accusation and light on facts. The whole thing is engineered to produce a certain reaction -- the Kings are in trouble and Artest is the reason. In a word, muckraking.

Terrible excuse for journalism? Sorry, but you're way off base. Kreidler is, as I've said above, one of the best around.

The point is there is a real possibility this whole situation could become even more costly for the Kings. IF - and it's just an IF at this point - Artest is in fact guilty of those charges, that's serious. Especially the one about him preventing the woman from making the 911 call. This is serious stuff. T

The Kings aren't going to treat this lightly. And they shouldn't. And Kreidler has quite decently summarized the situation. You can choose not to believe the allegation or to believe Artest is innocent and being falsely accused, but you cannot deny the situation.

 

[kennadog]

I would also add that Kreidler hardly has to manufacture a pattern of "mental instability" for Ron. (I'd rather call it emotional instability, but...that's not th point.) Ron has a long and very well documented history of problems, primarlity anger management issues. He's been in and out of therapy and on and off drugs for treatment of anger management issues since the age of ten. To pretend otherwise would be to ignore the elephant in the room. To ignore that history would not be good journalism. The Kings took a risk with Artest when everyone knew it was a risk. Hopefully, its not going to turn into the risk that really bites the organization. There's no doubt that recent incidents cannot help the team in way, shape of form. We can only hope the damage isn't too bad and that there isn't more. Its still a risk, every day.

 

[sloter]

So when will the problem go away? That is, when does Artest's contract expire ?

 

[hrdboild]

I would challenge all journalists to take some responsibility for their actions. You can't just print something about somebody and then withdraw into the background and say "don't shoot the messenger, I didn't do anything but report what I saw". The fact of the matter is that a journalist is enormously influential since they are the arbiter of public perception. As they write it, so will people see it. You're right, journalists probably are proud of the "muckraking" label -- and that's what makes them poor journalists. Their job is to report the facts and put them into context, remaining as objective as possible. A true journalist doesn't make the news, they simply report it. Muckraking is all about making news. It's a subtle difference in tone perhaps, but it is rather significant in my opinion. One is honest, the other is not. And it's not just Kriedler I'm critical of. I'm critical of everyone jumping on the bandwagon writing their version of the "Artest as villain" story before there's even been any evidence to support it. Somebody has to write the minority opinion, which is also supported by the facts, that Artest has currently done nothing to warrant dismissal from the team. And furthermore, the problems with the Kings this season extend well beyond Artest. I haven't seen that article written yet.

Dude, you can continue to act as though Artest is an innocent victim all the way around. A lot of Indiana Pacer fans used to do the same thing. What Kreidler is putting forth is there is mounting evidence to support the dread some fans - and most likely the front office - are feeling.

I don't believe that Artest is innocent or guilty because I don't know what happened. I'm not taking a personal stake in this one way or another. That's not my responsibility, that's the responsibility of the court. But I do believe in the principle of innocent until proven guilty, and every human being should be afforded that right -- regardless of reputation. If you sit back and look objectively at just what has happened so far, what the actual facts are, and remove Ron Artest's reputation from the equation, you can see that there isn't even anything worth reporting yet. I'm repulsed by the sensationalism of it all. "Breaking News -- Artest Arrested!" It's misleading. It's opportunist because it exploits an individual's misfortune to generate attention, to bring in viewers/readers.

I brought up the Kobe Bryant example earlier, not because I want to talk about Kobe Bryant but because it's a similar example of sensationalism. It's front page news everywhere that Kobe has been accused of rape, everyone wants to get their hands in the 'breaking news' pot and what now? Old news is no news. And in that whole months long dibacle, with stories about who Kobe's accuser is and how his wife is reacting, the one storyline which got the least attention is how it's culturally acceptable in the NBA for players to sleep with other women, so long as they don't get caught. Does anyone really believe anything changed? Nothing changed. It's going to come up again and people will be outraged and then people will forget again. This kind of reporting does nobody any good. Nobody. It's the same sort of thing with Barry Bonds. We all know what he did by now, and we know others were doing it too. Why is it always this sensationalism? Baseball is scarred! The game has been tainted! Stick to the facts I say, leave the muck to the tabloids.

That's my objection in a nutshell. I don't think Artest is a saint. But I don't think he's a wife beater either. But what do I really know about it? And what does Kriedler even know about it? There's hasn't been enough time for any substantial evidence to be uncovered one way or another. There's an excellent movie in the theaters right now, Zodiac. If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend it. It's particularly relevent in this case because it's a story about a media circus and a criminal investigation and eventually, by the time enough of the facts are uncovered to start to put together a picture of the truth, nobody cares anymore. It's no longer news. In other words, I wish everybody could chill out long enough to see that this is not our problem, it's Ron Artest's problem, and we know very little about it. Certainly not enough to pass judgement or label him a nuisance to the team. If it turns out a serious crime has been commited, I would hope people are mature enough to respond rationally rather than emotionally.

 

[VF21]

So when will the problem go away? That is, when does Artest's contract expire ?

I think I read in one of the articles that he has two years, with a player option the second year.

 

[piksi]

I think I read in one of the articles that he has two years, with a player option the second year.

16+ millions left too

 

[fnordius]

So when will the problem go away? That is, when does Artest's contract expire ?

His contract lasts until the end of next season, player option for a year after that. Which nobody expected him to exercise until now.

 

[kennadog]

You're right, journalists probably are proud of the "muckraking" label -- and that's what makes them poor journalists.

No "muckraking" is something to be proud of. It is when journalists uncover corruption. It was a term applied to them by the scoundrels they exposed. I'm assuming you mean "yellow journalism."

At any rate, I think you are way over-reacting to a pretty bland article. And as I said, Kreidler is a fine and well-respected journalist. A reputation he has earned over many years. You are really picking on the wrong writer.

 

[VF21]

hrdboild - I don't know how long you've followed the Kings or read articles by Mark Kreidler. If you want to think he's a poor journalist, feel free to do so but you aren't going to find many here that will agree with you. Kreider has, as I've said before and you've chosen to ignore, an excellent reputation among his peers AND among the sports teams he's covered. That's a pretty good sign of competent journalism.

You can't remove Artest's reputation from the equation, BTW. And that's why he's sitting at home right now, pending further evaluation of facts by Petrie and the Maloofs. They'll make the determination of Artest's future but don't expect journalists to quit writing about it.

 

[The Hammer]

I think I read in one of the articles that he has two years, with a player option the second year.

Yes, but according to Ric Bucher, we might be able to move him at the end of the season. Miami and the Lakers were interested when he was traded to us, and as Mr. Bucher points out they both have strong and experienced coaches who know they can do what Mussleman failed to do with Artest.

I tend to agree. I don't necessarily see his trade value plummeting as much as others around here. Keep in mind we tend to have a small town atomosphere when it comes to moral standards for our players, meaning that the impact of immoral behavior is larger in this town than in bigger cities. I would even offer the point of view that for some teams/towns gettting an Artest would create the kind of media hype that can inject some juice and drive attendance. And if you have the coach who can manage him, you could do ok. Miami and LA I can see as being a good fit for him, and for both teams.

I do think we'll be able to get something decent for him, and I think we should. I just hope we goet some kind of big man who can play defense. And maybe some draft picks or expirings. I'd be totally happy with that.

There will always be a market for his kind of talent. That's if the NBA doesn't ban him for life!

 

[The Hammer]

hrdboild - I don't know how long you've followed the Kings or read articles by Mark Kreidler. If you want to think he's a poor journalist, feel free to do so but you aren't going to find many here that will agree with you. Kreider has, as I've said before and you've chosen to ignore, an excellent reputation among his peers AND among the sports teams he's covered. That's a pretty good sign of competent journalism.

You can't remove Artest's reputation from the equation, BTW. And that's why he's sitting at home right now, pending further evaluation of facts by Petrie and the Maloofs. They'll make the determination of Artest's future but don't expect journalists to quit writing about it.

Mark Kriedler is on of the best sportswriters I have ever read. Period.

 

[VF21]

Yes, but according to Ric Bucher...

Oops. Sorry. I quit reading after those four words.

 

[The Hammer]

Oops. Sorry. I quit reading after those four words.

Oh come on! pff whatever. Will you hate me if I happen to agree with him this time?

 

[VF21]

Oh come on! pff whatever. Will you hate me if I happen to agree with him this time?

I just thought it kind of funny that Ric Bucher's name would come up in a thread that had drifted into journalistic integrity.

Bucher has never let the facts get in the way of a good rumor.

But nah, I don't hate you. And I would LOVE for him to be right. It's just too early to tell ...

 

[hrdboild]

At any rate, I think you are way over-reacting to a pretty bland article. And as I said, Kreidler is a fine and well-respected journalist. A reputation he has earned over many years. You are really picking on the wrong writer.

You're right, my response is not warranted by this article in particular. It's just one more example of the same phenomena for me -- a phenomena which I feel warranted criticism.

hrdboild - I don't know how long you've followed the Kings or read articles by Mark Kreidler. If you want to think he's a poor journalist, feel free to do so but you aren't going to find many here that will agree with you. Kreider has, as I've said before and you've chosen to ignore, an excellent reputation among his peers AND among the sports teams he's covered. That's a pretty good sign of competent journalism.

I don't disagree with your assesment of Kriedler in general. And given your involvement in the Kings community, I'm inclined to take your word for it. But in so far as this article seems to be piling onto the general consensus -- a consensus which I feel to be unwarranted -- I think this article is an example of poor journalism. I don't think people in real life are charicatures and the bulk of the media insists on treating Ron Artest as a charicature, not a human being. I suppose given the instantaneous nature of our news now in the information age, something needed to be said on the matter even if there isn't much to be said yet. And journalism is a job. If you're contracted to write an article on a topic, you have to write it whether you like it or not. That's significant here as well. You can't place journalism on some idealized plane -- you can't seperate the job aspect from it. And the job aspect of it is sometimes dishonest. I recognize that reality, but I still don't have to like it.

You can't remove Artest's reputation from the equation, BTW. And that's why he's sitting at home right now, pending further evaluation of facts by Petrie and the Maloofs. They'll make the determination of Artest's future but don't expect journalists to quit writing about it.

You do in the court of law, you absolutely do have to take reputation out of it. I don't know that to ever be the case, particularly in a jury trial, but I'm a philsopher. I believe in the purity of justice divorced from reputation and "character". And I agree with you fully. The reason Artest is sitting at home right now instead of playing ball is because of his reputation. And almost entirely because of his reputation. And I think that's unfair. It's somewhat excusable on the part of the Kings organization considering the need to protect their "corporate image". A little shameful and hypocritical in my opinion, considering that they stood behind Musselman in his DUI arrest, but still excusable. They do have vested interest. But on the part of journalists, I think it's stereotypical and lazy at the least and borderline racist. I know journalists are going to keep writing about it. They have to. It's their job. But I really really wish some of them would step outside of that job just long enough to realize the impact of what they are saying and question whether they believe more strongly in the truth or in some job.

 

[VF21]

But this isn't a court of law. And even if it were, some prior bad acts are admissable. And please don't even begin with the "borderline racist" comments. This is clearly not the place for that...

Musselman's DUI was a first offense, BTW, for whatever it's worth. This isn't Artest's first time at the dance, if you catch my drift.

In case you've never done it, go to PacersDigest and check out some of their threads. They went through a lot more with Artest than we have and they have posters who have a lot of background information about him.

I just posted a comment over there that I think bears repeating. Ron Artest could be the stereotypical Shakespearean character. He's extremely talented but quite possibly fatally flawed...

have a good evening.

GO KINGS!!!

 

[piksi]

Oops. Sorry. I quit reading after those four words.

me too

 

[SacKings384]

They interviewed Ric Bucher today on ESPN News... But it was so funny... They're like "What do you know about the Ron Artest situation?" And he's like... "Uh...uh...I don't....Really...Know much about it...or anything new..." And then all of a sudden babbles for 5 minutes about what is going to happen...