Ron Artest please make up your mind!!!!
- Thread starter GeraldWallace#3
- Start date
Purple Reign
Starter
The best part about all of this is he does not have to make up his mind until June 30th. Until then he can continue to be Ron 
. But he said emphatically a couple of days ago at the Boston Garden that he was 99 percent sure he was "not" opting out. They have been pretty consistent in saying that, everything else is speculation in my opinion.
. But he said emphatically a couple of days ago at the Boston Garden that he was 99 percent sure he was "not" opting out. They have been pretty consistent in saying that, everything else is speculation in my opinion.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
This seems to be a one site crusade from maybe the least reliable rumor site on the web. Less than two weeks until we know.
Given that his agent's fantasies aside, Ron is not going to get that mega payday unless we are even stupider than I think we are, you can make an argument that the smart move would be for him to opt out. As a MLE guy he could set himself up pretty on whichever contender/pretender decides to take a chance on him, and make all the idiotic playoff predictions he wants with a good chance of them actually happening.
Given that his agent's fantasies aside, Ron is not going to get that mega payday unless we are even stupider than I think we are, you can make an argument that the smart move would be for him to opt out. As a MLE guy he could set himself up pretty on whichever contender/pretender decides to take a chance on him, and make all the idiotic playoff predictions he wants with a good chance of them actually happening.
A
AriesMar27
Guest
man wouldnt it be funny if he did opt out and go to the spurs? a team couldnt get any luckier.... i dont know about houston... they have battier and they need a pf almost more than we do...
Packt
Starter
Money wise, the smart move would be to not opt out. Play for the remaining 7 mill, and keep his bird rights intact. Wait and see if he gets traded some where, be on his best behavior for a few months and hope his new team gives him the extension. Worse comes to worse, he ends up taking a mid-level extension next summer collecting this years salary, and extending a new contract possibly for one extra year. An injury could change things.
From a Kings perspective, it'd be best for him to stay also. As an expiring he is a different, possibly more attractive trade piece. If we can get something good back for him we do it. If not, there is little to lose.
Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
While its not truly clearcut, moneywse that might be best...but really only in the fantasyland where Ron is in line for a massive payday. There is a very limited and shaky market for Ron Artest, and no market at all for him as a $13mil a year franchise cornerstone. That money is just not coming. And if its not, his reputation isn't going to get cured playing on a losing sqaud in Sacto. And if he gets traded, it could be anywhere (well, not really, but quite possibly a team desperate precisely because things are not working out). Now he opts out and MLEs his way onto a legit contending type team...helping that team to a deep run, let alone a title, COULD actually up his long term financial fortunes. And in the short run you are only losing $1-$2 mil ("only" being a relative term in NBA land).
This makes the most sense by a long shot.
Opt out and sign a 1+1 (w/PO) MLE contract with LA and form the missing piece (D & toughness) of the start of another possible Laker dynasty. Risk $2M now to possibly get more later in a long-term deal that cannot be consummated at present, as Brick points out. Play for a known winner. Play for a HOF coach. Play with Odom and Kobe. Be in the la-la land spotlight. Utilize this, the best, opportunity to completely recover from your image problems. Have MORE fun.
Sounds like Ron-Ron heaven to me...
RonRon isn't going anywhere. By giving him on-camera exposure at Monarchs games along with becoming a regular guest on the Carmichael Dave show, people have made it clear to Ron he's got a home here. He's not going to give that up. And he's not going to risk $2M now for some hypothetical contract in the future.
We can hypothesize about it all we like, but #93 will be on the court for the Kings for the 2008-2009 season.
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As an aside, why do people keep posting links to Hoopsworld? It is, far and away, the least reliable and most laughable "rumor site" around. Come on, folks. Why are we boosting their hits?
We can hypothesize about it all we like, but #93 will be on the court for the Kings for the 2008-2009 season.
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As an aside, why do people keep posting links to Hoopsworld? It is, far and away, the least reliable and most laughable "rumor site" around. Come on, folks. Why are we boosting their hits?
quick dog
Starter
I would not be surprised to see Artest choose to quit the Kings and get picked up by the Lakers for an NBA song. He could be as good a deal for LA as was Gasol. I think it would be a very nice fit. They could use another tough player.
Also, I think his days of causing social problems are long gone. He is just a good player with some emotional baggage who needs a permanent home. I suspect that he will go for the ring, especially after the example set by Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Even Scot Pollard and Eddie House got rings.
I predict that Ron Artest will be the next former-King to earn an NBA championship ring while we are still screwing around with mid-ranking lottery picks, struggling to make the playoffs, and trying to get a new arena somewhere north of Las Vegas.
Also, I think his days of causing social problems are long gone. He is just a good player with some emotional baggage who needs a permanent home. I suspect that he will go for the ring, especially after the example set by Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Even Scot Pollard and Eddie House got rings.
I predict that Ron Artest will be the next former-King to earn an NBA championship ring while we are still screwing around with mid-ranking lottery picks, struggling to make the playoffs, and trying to get a new arena somewhere north of Las Vegas.
Artest is savvy enough to realize the Lakers AREN'T a guarantee of a ring. They still have a lot of problems and his presence wouldn't automatically solve them. Gasol was traded to the Lakers; he didn't forgo a good paycheck to sign with LA for what would amount to chump change.
No one is talking about his "social problems" at this point, I don't think, as much as they're complaining about his style of play, apparent preference for offense despite talking constantly about his defensive presence, etc.
A number of Laker fans are drooling all over themselves at the possibility of obtaining Artest, but there is absolutely NO indication that he's ready to put the quest for the holy grail ahead of financial security for his family.
No one is talking about his "social problems" at this point, I don't think, as much as they're complaining about his style of play, apparent preference for offense despite talking constantly about his defensive presence, etc.
A number of Laker fans are drooling all over themselves at the possibility of obtaining Artest, but there is absolutely NO indication that he's ready to put the quest for the holy grail ahead of financial security for his family.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Hey, if Artest wants to go to Texas, why not trade him to Houston for Bobby Jackson and their first round pick. Gives us a little insurance at the pt for one year and we aquire another first round pick. Bobby would be a popular pickup here in Sacramento.
All this assumes that he doesn't opt out or is in agreement to a sign and trade.
All this assumes that he doesn't opt out or is in agreement to a sign and trade.
Yeah HW is pretty much a joke. The only thing they have going for them is their draft workouts section. They keep saying stuff that sources told them supposedly, and they are wrong 99% of the time. Either they make stuff up or they need new sources, or both.
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Nikefutbolero
Guest
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bajaden
Hall of Famer
I found this question/answer with Phil Jackson on real GM.
Q: So are the Lakers really going to pursue Ron Artest as part of that rebound?
A: I believe so.
Let's face it. The Lakers are suddenly answering to a "soft" label and have undeniable defensive and toughness issues on the perimeter that Pierce repeatedly exploited. Factor in Jackson's proven ability to handle personalities like Artest, Artest's friendship with Bryant and the Lakers' known interest in acquiring him before Gasol's arrival and the Sacramento swingman becomes a natural target.
But there are basketball issues involved -- does Artest fit in offensively in Jackson's triangle? -- and bigger obstacles than the X's and O's to making that move. Artest told ESPN.com earlier this week that he's "99 percent sure" he won't be opting out of the final year of his contract by the June 30 deadline. Assuming he doesn't change his mind, Artest would thus be available to the Lakers only via trade, which would then require two old rivals to come together on a deal … with Sacramento likely to insist on holding out for Odom's expiring contract in exchange for Artest and Kenny Thomas.
Artest followed up our Tuesday interview with an e-mail Thursday in which he said: "Even if I was to opt out, which probably won't happen, I will never accept a mid-level exception. So people trying to figure out possibilities should get that out of their heads."
Translation: Artest is strongly against opting out largely because he knows that the Lakers (and any other interested party) likely would offer him a free-agent contract starting at no higher than the mid-level, which was $5.4 million this season. He'd rather play next season at $7.4 million for Sacramento or whomever -- knowing that the Kings are virtually certain to get various trade offers if he elects to play out the final year of his contract -- then see what kind of deal he can command on the 2009 free-agent market.
"Next summer can be a bigger [free-agent] summer for me if the Kings win big," Artest said, "which is … anything else is a failure."
Q: So are the Lakers really going to pursue Ron Artest as part of that rebound?
A: I believe so.
Let's face it. The Lakers are suddenly answering to a "soft" label and have undeniable defensive and toughness issues on the perimeter that Pierce repeatedly exploited. Factor in Jackson's proven ability to handle personalities like Artest, Artest's friendship with Bryant and the Lakers' known interest in acquiring him before Gasol's arrival and the Sacramento swingman becomes a natural target.
But there are basketball issues involved -- does Artest fit in offensively in Jackson's triangle? -- and bigger obstacles than the X's and O's to making that move. Artest told ESPN.com earlier this week that he's "99 percent sure" he won't be opting out of the final year of his contract by the June 30 deadline. Assuming he doesn't change his mind, Artest would thus be available to the Lakers only via trade, which would then require two old rivals to come together on a deal … with Sacramento likely to insist on holding out for Odom's expiring contract in exchange for Artest and Kenny Thomas.
Artest followed up our Tuesday interview with an e-mail Thursday in which he said: "Even if I was to opt out, which probably won't happen, I will never accept a mid-level exception. So people trying to figure out possibilities should get that out of their heads."
Translation: Artest is strongly against opting out largely because he knows that the Lakers (and any other interested party) likely would offer him a free-agent contract starting at no higher than the mid-level, which was $5.4 million this season. He'd rather play next season at $7.4 million for Sacramento or whomever -- knowing that the Kings are virtually certain to get various trade offers if he elects to play out the final year of his contract -- then see what kind of deal he can command on the 2009 free-agent market.
"Next summer can be a bigger [free-agent] summer for me if the Kings win big," Artest said, "which is … anything else is a failure."
Because we are over the salary cap already and him leaving will not free up lots of $$$ under the cap.
According to Hoopshype we have $63.1 mil (with Ron) on the books for next year. The salary cap was at $55.6 last year, it should go up a little, but is an unknown at this point. Ron is due to get $8.4 mil. You do the math.
Here, I'll help:
63.1 - 8.4 = 54.7 mil. We will essentially be right at the salary cap next year if it is relatively unchanged from the last.
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Just to clarify: There is a different between the salary cap and when the luxury tax kicks in. That's the gray area the Kings have been in. We're over the cap but not far enough to have to pay the penalty. As Warhawk points out, Artest's salary would get us further away from the penalty area but not far enough under the cap to do anything with.
Kingfanpaul
Starter
If we were close to contending I could see them paying luxury tax to help us win......but not with this team.
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