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http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/grizzlies/article/0,1426,MCA_475_4446923,00.html
Kings' huge gamble on Artest paying off, but there's plenty more basketball to be played
By Don Wade
Contact
February 7, 2006
Indianapolis was no longer big enough for both Ron Artest and the Pacers. That much was certain. Where Artest would land, however, was a game of speculation and guesswork.
And then the Pacers and Sacramento Kings finally made a deal, a simple one-for-one: Artest to the Kings and Peja Stojakovic to the Pacers.
One man's view of the trade is that in Sacramento, Artest has a real chance for a story that ends happily ever after.
"If he plays hard and he shuts up, that's the best place for him," said Grizzlies guard Bobby Jackson, who came from the Kings in the off-season in a trade for Bonzi Wells. "That's a loving community and a great organization.
"If he just concentrates and plays hard (he'll be accepted), but if he talks about he wants this or needs that, anywhere you go they're not going to accept you very well."
Early returns have been positive, with Artest on Sunday playing through a painful hip pointer in the Kings' win over Utah, which upped Sacramento's record to 20-27 going into tonight's game at ARCO Arena against the Grizzlies.
"I don't know how he played and fought through that," Kings coach Rick Adelman told reporters after Sunday's game. "(On Saturday) he was hardly walking, and then he came out here (and played). He doesn't care that he had nine points, he had a real presence on the floor defensively."
Defense is as much a part of Artest's history as erratic behavior. A former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the 6-7, 252-pound Artest is as tough as it gets at small forward.
"He can dominate a game because he's so strong, so big," the Grizzlies' Pau Gasol said. "It's just if his mind stays focused and where it needs to be."
If ...
That's the wildcard, isn't it?
Will Artest "lose it" in a big way, like he did last season when he went into the stands at the Pacers-Pistons game in Detroit and commissioner David Stern suspended him for the remainder of the year?
Will he let other interests, such as his music, tune him out?
Will he become the daily disturbance in Sacramento that forced the Pacers to send him far from Indianapolis?
To listen to Artest is to alternately think that, yes, he could change ... and no, he probably can't. When he's saying things like "my public perception is what it is" and "I'm not trying to be something I'm not" there is room for considerable doubt.
At other times, he sounds almost reasonable. "Before, I was doing music," he said. "I'll let that take a back seat now and put basketball first and do things that are not controversial or a distraction to my team."
Whenever Artest can find that port amid his personal storms, there is no denying his talent or the challenge he presents those unfortunate enough to be matched head-to-head with him.
"When you play Ron, you know it's going to be a physical battle," said Shane Battier. "He's probably the most physical perimeter player in the league.
"You have to match his energy. He's a guy that plays as passionately as anybody in the league, and then he's got tremendous ball skills. He can take you off the dribble and shoot it."
So far, Artest seems to have found a comfort zone. And those Sacramento fans have helped.
"They're already embracing him," said the Dallas Mavericks' Jerry Stackhouse. "I saw on the highlights a lot of the signs they got there and I think he's a guy that's been searching for that. He's always been on a team where he didn't feel he received enough credit.
"They're going to pour accolades his way out there and he's got teammates who don't really need that, so I think it's going to be a good fit."
The Kings are just 2-3 since Artest joined their starting lineup, but he's been solid each game and three times has scored 19 or more points in addition to playing tough defense. Which is what Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof were counting on Artest delivering.
"The Maloofs decided to gamble," Artest said. "That's about as honest as you can be. I wanted to be at a place where they were willing to take the gamble.
"Other (teams) were iffy, iffy, iffy. They were nervous or scared. But (the Maloofs) said, 'We think you can make a difference. I said, 'Yeah, that's cool.'"
And so this story has a happy ending ...
So far.
"You hope he can take all the energy he's built up from not being able to play throughout last year and this year, and channel it into a positive thing," Stackhouse said. "You get somebody with that much talent, you need them on the court playing.
"Our league needs Ron." -- Don Wade: 529-2358
http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/grizzlies/article/0,1426,MCA_475_4446923,00.html
Kings' huge gamble on Artest paying off, but there's plenty more basketball to be played
By Don Wade
Contact
February 7, 2006
Indianapolis was no longer big enough for both Ron Artest and the Pacers. That much was certain. Where Artest would land, however, was a game of speculation and guesswork.
And then the Pacers and Sacramento Kings finally made a deal, a simple one-for-one: Artest to the Kings and Peja Stojakovic to the Pacers.
One man's view of the trade is that in Sacramento, Artest has a real chance for a story that ends happily ever after.
"If he plays hard and he shuts up, that's the best place for him," said Grizzlies guard Bobby Jackson, who came from the Kings in the off-season in a trade for Bonzi Wells. "That's a loving community and a great organization.
"If he just concentrates and plays hard (he'll be accepted), but if he talks about he wants this or needs that, anywhere you go they're not going to accept you very well."
Early returns have been positive, with Artest on Sunday playing through a painful hip pointer in the Kings' win over Utah, which upped Sacramento's record to 20-27 going into tonight's game at ARCO Arena against the Grizzlies.
"I don't know how he played and fought through that," Kings coach Rick Adelman told reporters after Sunday's game. "(On Saturday) he was hardly walking, and then he came out here (and played). He doesn't care that he had nine points, he had a real presence on the floor defensively."
Defense is as much a part of Artest's history as erratic behavior. A former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the 6-7, 252-pound Artest is as tough as it gets at small forward.
"He can dominate a game because he's so strong, so big," the Grizzlies' Pau Gasol said. "It's just if his mind stays focused and where it needs to be."
If ...
That's the wildcard, isn't it?
Will Artest "lose it" in a big way, like he did last season when he went into the stands at the Pacers-Pistons game in Detroit and commissioner David Stern suspended him for the remainder of the year?
Will he let other interests, such as his music, tune him out?
Will he become the daily disturbance in Sacramento that forced the Pacers to send him far from Indianapolis?
To listen to Artest is to alternately think that, yes, he could change ... and no, he probably can't. When he's saying things like "my public perception is what it is" and "I'm not trying to be something I'm not" there is room for considerable doubt.
At other times, he sounds almost reasonable. "Before, I was doing music," he said. "I'll let that take a back seat now and put basketball first and do things that are not controversial or a distraction to my team."
Whenever Artest can find that port amid his personal storms, there is no denying his talent or the challenge he presents those unfortunate enough to be matched head-to-head with him.
"When you play Ron, you know it's going to be a physical battle," said Shane Battier. "He's probably the most physical perimeter player in the league.
"You have to match his energy. He's a guy that plays as passionately as anybody in the league, and then he's got tremendous ball skills. He can take you off the dribble and shoot it."
So far, Artest seems to have found a comfort zone. And those Sacramento fans have helped.
"They're already embracing him," said the Dallas Mavericks' Jerry Stackhouse. "I saw on the highlights a lot of the signs they got there and I think he's a guy that's been searching for that. He's always been on a team where he didn't feel he received enough credit.
"They're going to pour accolades his way out there and he's got teammates who don't really need that, so I think it's going to be a good fit."
The Kings are just 2-3 since Artest joined their starting lineup, but he's been solid each game and three times has scored 19 or more points in addition to playing tough defense. Which is what Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof were counting on Artest delivering.
"The Maloofs decided to gamble," Artest said. "That's about as honest as you can be. I wanted to be at a place where they were willing to take the gamble.
"Other (teams) were iffy, iffy, iffy. They were nervous or scared. But (the Maloofs) said, 'We think you can make a difference. I said, 'Yeah, that's cool.'"
And so this story has a happy ending ...
So far.
"You hope he can take all the energy he's built up from not being able to play throughout last year and this year, and channel it into a positive thing," Stackhouse said. "You get somebody with that much talent, you need them on the court playing.
"Our league needs Ron." -- Don Wade: 529-2358
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