Lets give Ron Artest the benefit of the doubt here..

[FrenchConnection]

The Pacers think that they were too forgiving to Ron:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060125/COLUMNISTS01/601250478

We need to avoid making the same mistake. How do we react the first time he explodes? Maybe just ignore him, unless it translates into poor on-court performance. Then bench him.

I think that you are missing the point. If you had seen the press conference, you would have understood that DW/LB were acting like parents who's child had just been sent to jail. Perhaps we did something wrong...

Listen, I hope all this works out for the Kings, I really do. But I have to say that I am glad that I no longer have to be a Ron Artest fan. And I think that he is a great basketball player.

 

[joejoe]

I think that you are missing the point. If you had seen the press conference, you would have understood that DW/LB were acting like parents who's child had just been sent to jail. Perhaps we did something wrong...

Listen, I hope all this works out for the Kings, I really do. But I have to say that I am glad that I no longer have to be a Ron Artest fan. And I think that he is a great basketball player.

I did see the press conference, and I don't think that we disagree. This is the age-old question--what do you do with a problem child? Tough love? Coddle him? Or kick him out of the house?

That will be a tough call for RA.

 

[Indianapolis King]

Sometimes there is really nothing you can do, but sit back and hope for the best--both as a parent, and now as Kingsfan.

 

[Sacto=Slappo]

I think that you are missing the point. If you had seen the press conference, you would have understood that DW/LB were acting like parents who's child had just been sent to jail. Perhaps we did something wrong...

Listen, I hope all this works out for the Kings, I really do. But I have to say that I am glad that I no longer have to be a Ron Artest fan. And I think that he is a great basketball player.

Hey FC, good stuff. Enjoy Peja, when he's on fire, there's not a lot that opposing teams can do. Plus I think he'll go into Indiana with a reinvigorated thirst for competition.

As for Artest, I think that he wont be the "community bowler" that Peja's been but it's the easy way out to just say that he's going to destroy the franchise like he did in Indiana. I agree with a lot of folks in this thread. Clean Slate. Let him be the fire in the Kings' collective a** and start some trouble. We've had a make-over (and that always changes things) but this season we've a pretty lethargic squad. I'll miss Pedrag but man, I haven't been this excited about playing the Celtics since .... well .... never!

 

[love_them_kings]

He's played more games than he has missed. Peja has played more, but shown up less.

not in the past two years.

 

[PFFFT!!]

Im just glad we played our 2 games against Detroit this season. :\

Nice avatar BTW Indy King.

 

[jacobdrj]

I seem to remember another team who took "risks" on players with very questionable personalities.

That didn't work too good.

See the Jailblazers...

Why didn't Artest just punch back? None of this wouldda happened...

I hope Artest cools off, I would love to see what he could do in the West.

 

[Yoda]

We are mirror images of the Blazer orgination. We are just two years behind.

 

[piksi]

We are mirror images of the Blazer orgination. We are just two years behind.

I think I agree with You - god I have to stop drinking !

 

[bcfy]

I more want to know how the hell are we going to give him 30 shots a night

 

[SacKings4Life21]

Artest needs complete support

Ron Artest is hands down the best man defender in the game... Bowen is good sure... but Artest is a Psycho... on and off the court, and the kings need that more than anything... I am the biggest kings fan in the word. I have a tatoo on my chest, and i can't focus on my girlfriend at dinner if they are playing because I must check the score... so I know my stuff.

Artest's ability can save the kings and bring them back to the elite. The problem here should be the reaction to the other players, not what ROn brings to the table. Ron will work hard and fight for his career. I am worried about Mike, and how he will be able to just step aside and let Ron into the spot of "Franchise Player." I have been waitin for this trade for 3 years. It is everything we need, but it does present the chemistry problem. If we as the fans, and the team, welcomes him with open armss (like we did webber even when he hated it), ron will rise to the top and take the kings with him.

 

[Sparky]

I think I agree with You - god I have to stop drinking !

I'm sure all the Adelman bashers will be overjoyed when Maloofs hire Mo Cheeks.

 

[BMiller52]

I'm sure all the Adelman bashers will be overjoyed when Maloofs hire Mo Cheeks.

The funny thing is I heard philly/webber isn't too happy with Mo.

 

[Rookie]

Sacramento has always been a place about second chances: Chris Webber, Vernon Maxwell, Jimmy Jackson and Bonzi Wells...to name a few. It's naive to say that this WILL be the turning point in Artest's career...but until he shows us otherwise (on the court), lets give him a chance to succeed.

Remember that when Webber was traded to the Kings, he was very upset and only reported to the team when his father lectured him. True, Webber didn't have the extensive baggage that Artest does. It's up to us how much we let the past bother us. I believe in looking forward. Sometimes in what appears to be the darkest times, a light can appear. Lets hold off on judging Ron Artest..."judge not lest ye be judged"

And, given the way our team has played this season, I don't think we have anything to lose.

GO KINGS!

Nice post, lets move on and hope for the best

 

[Yoda]

I think I agree with You - god I have to stop drinking !

Thinking the same thing

 

[Gary]

This is how I feel on the trade (I have not voiced an opinion yet). I feel it makes us better but at the same time makes us more volitile. It could make us worse down the road and thats what I am afraid of.

If it brings us a vocal leader that will kick our guys in the ***, and make them want to strive for something better than the bottom than I am all for the trade.

If Artest and Wells can hold down players on D, and rebound the ball than that will make us better as well.

 

[4cwebb]

It could make us worse down the road and thats what I am afraid of.

OK, I know that there are levels of "worse" than where the Kings are sitting right now, but imho the drop is not that far.

It seems to me that Artest's impact on Indy was so great b/c with him that team could have potentially been a special team. Artest would have to first drag the Kings up out of the NBA gutter to even have an opportunity to derail anything, and whether or not he can lead the charge to accomplish that is questionable at best.

 

[Gary]

OK, I know that there are levels of "worse" than where the Kings are sitting right now, but imho the drop is not that far.

Worse meaning skipping practice, mouting off to Kings brass, coaches, and players. Basically the same thing he did in Indy.

 

[Bricklayer]

I really think having Artest as your "leader" is just disaster waiting to happen. He can lead in hustle and bark at guys who aren't bringing it and that's all good, but if we're ver in a position where everybody is looking to him to lead them and show them the way...oh my.

As a slight aside, this move actually changes my stance on Corliss a bit. Still consider him a complete waste of salary, but he is a damn nice guy, a solid lockerroom presence, and with that ring and toughness maybe a guy Artest would respect. So I'd rather we held onto him if we could now just to try to help contain Artest's instability. Might in fact send him in there on a super secret agent mission to earn his money -- talk to Ron. Be his confidant. Hang in there no matter how scary it gets and try to keep him from doing anything we all might regret.

 

[scarlet_steph]

I think that having Artest in the team will add spice in terms of offense...but I hope he doesn't add any of his drama...

He has a rough and tumble like playing style (well, based on my POV) and I think it will add a little more dimension to the Kings' game. Plus, I think his being a King will help make Kings image tougher...

 

[4cwebb]

Worse meaning skipping practice, mouting off to Kings brass, coaches, and players. Basically the same thing he did in Indy.

That's true, and if he does that, it will certainly seem as if the Kings moved Peja for nothing, but as I've mentioned before, the Kings weren't going anywhere with Peja, and I have to believe that Petrie couldn't pry a guy like Luol Deng away from Chicago with Peja, so in all likelihood Peja would've just walked at the end of the year, and the Kings would have nothing to show for him, with or without this Artest trade.

If Artest turns his game around, huge victory for the Kings. If not, Kings just go back to being the worst team in the Pacific. Oh well.

 

[VF21]

As a slight aside, this move actually changes my stance on Corliss a bit. Still consider him a complete waste of salary, but he is a damn nice guy, a solid lockerroom presence, and with that ring and toughness maybe a guy Artest would respect. So I'd rather we held onto him if we could now just to try to help contain Artest's instability. Might in fact send him in there on a super secret agent mission to earn his money -- talk to Ron. Be his confidant. Hang in there no matter how scary it gets and try to keep him from doing anything we all might regret.

And, most importantly perhaps, make sure Ron takes his meds.

 

[scarlet_steph]

And, most importantly perhaps, make sure Ron takes his meds.

Hahaha! My thoughts exactly.

 

[Tyler]

But seriously, Larry Bird said that Artest is the best player in the league on both sides of the ball, or something like that. For Larry Bird to say something like that, that is one helluva compliment.

"Ron is a heck of a player but a little bit different," says Brad Miller (third time being his team mate).

"He's a teammate," Corliss Williamson told ESPN. "We know what kind of player he is. & [He] can help us out, especially on defense. & [For him] it's a fresh start."

"I know he might put us over that hump that we need," guard Mike Bibby said. "The way he plays, he plays good defense, he can score too. Maybe that can pick up the intensity in everybody else."

Three quotes, three players, if they are encouraged, we should be too.

 

[atxrocker]

But seriously, Larry Bird said that Artest is the best player in the league on both sides of the ball, or something like that. For Larry Bird to say something like that, that is one helluva compliment.

"Ron is a heck of a player but a little bit different," says Brad Miller (third time being his team mate).

"He's a teammate," Corliss Williamson told ESPN. "We know what kind of player he is. & [He] can help us out, especially on defense. & [For him] it's a fresh start."

"I know he might put us over that hump that we need," guard Mike Bibby said. "The way he plays, he plays good defense, he can score too. Maybe that can pick up the intensity in everybody else."

Three quotes, three players, if they are encouraged, we should be too.

I am going to be optimistic about this, judge the guy for his actions going forward. However to base anything off media quotes from professional players is meaningless cause I really wouldn't expect them to say anything different about such a controversial player coming to their team.

 

[RDub21]

I personally like the trade, but it won't be anytime soon when people are going to be able to say this was a good or bad trade. For the time being though, sit back and hold on tight, because no doubt there will be some bumps along Ron's rollercoaster of fun!