Ron Artest's Agent Goes on the Record

[Mike0476]

Saw this story linked else where and didn't see it posted here. Below is one item I found very interesting...

http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/...n=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Ron Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, updates all the trade rumors surrounding his client:

Stevens spoke with Fox31's Josina Anderson.

Josina: Well how should one quantify Ron’s worth?


Mark: Ron easy is a 13million dollar player 14 million dollar player, but he is not getting paid that. Remember Ron was 7 million when he started.
And right now Stevens believes Artest is getting paid about half below his market value.


Mark: Based on the numbers [Ron] puts up, (and Stevens emphasized-based on Artest’s current numbers) his averages and his percentages, and if you do a comparison analysis, [Ron’s current worth is] 13 or 14 million on his numbers…I don’t see [Sacramento] taking a 7 million dollar player back for Ron….Denver would have to just give up a “C” player for that. Ron is a “A” player…Sacramento knows [Ron’s] value is more than [his current contract].

Good luck getting $13 million per season in the near future.

 

[AleksandarN]

Good luck getting $13 million per season in the near future.

If Pedja and Rashard can get that amount and more why not Ron?

 

[creAtivetfh]

If Pedja and Rashard can get that amount and more why not Ron?

peja and rashard aren't psycho though

 

[diggining]

I doubt that any team would be willing to gamble $13-15 million on Artest.

Well, maybe Isiah, if he had cap room. But I don't see any sane GM doing it.

 

[reid1boys]

I have been saying that over the last few weeks in the trade talk discussions on this board. This is why there is a chance you will see Ron staying in Sac. I dont care what all the RUMORS are. Nobody is going to be able to afford that kindof money for Artest, and the Kings could possibly get him for even less.

No way the kings trade Ron for a player making what Artest is making in Sac. That kind of player would not even start in Sac.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

yea.. rons NUMBERS say he deserves that much money.. but look at what else you get with him.

 

[fnordius]

No way the kings trade Ron for a player making what Artest is making in Sac. That kind of player would not even start in Sac.

Eh?

Aside from Brad and Mike, no post-CWebb Kings player, starting or otherwise, has gotten paid more than Ron. In fact, two of our current starters combined (Mikki and Kevin) make about the same as Ron. And there are a lot of GOOD players out there who make $7M a year, + or - 25%.

Ron's agent argues that he should make twice what he is, and on his merits as a player alone, he could be right. On his merits as an employee, however, Ron might well be FIRED. I don't think his current pay is a bad compromise.

 

[Peja]

If Pedja and Rashard can get that amount and more why not Ron?

I am risking to get some bashing,but maybe because they're better players?Or at least they have better stats than Ron.I mean,I undestand Ron more as a deffender than anything else.Plus he has that problematic history with his behaviour.Orlando and New Orleans gave huge contracts to these 2 guys and they are in the strong position on the table and Kings aren't.Also,I don't believe Ron was ever the 1st option in Indiana or Sacramento,Peja was that when C-Webb got injured and Lewis also at some point during his time in Seatle.That's how I see it,maybe I am wrong...

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

At this point, I hope we trade Ron this week, just to get it done and over with so we can put this behind us, trade talks and stuff...same with Bibby, too. If Denver wants him, and offers us Nene...I say we do it.

 

[Rockmeister]

At this point, I hope we trade Ron this week, just to get it done and over with so we can put this behind us, trade talks and stuff...same with Bibby, too. If Denver wants him, and offers us Nene...I say we do it.

Personally, I would rather have Petrie be patient. Nene is too much of an injury prone.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Personally, I would rather have Petrie be patient. Nene is too much of an injury prone.

Well, he definitely has a strong body, and it isnt his fault that he contracted testicular cancer, and he is recovering from that. The injuries Nene has had have not been his doing, and were freak occurances that he has come back from...i.e.: the knee. I'd still do this trade in a heartbeat, as I think that he can give us 13pts/9-10 rebs a game, AND he's still only 25 yrs old, too. I wanted to get him 2 years ago, even.

 

[fnordius]

Personally, I would rather have Petrie be patient. Nene is too much of an injury prone.

I tend to agree. Nene has missed all but 77 out of his last 236 games, and is probably going to miss the next 35 or so. Maybe that was flukish stuff which will never happen again, but I don't get a good feeling about trading for someone who is always... out of service. Our record, when it comes to making gambles on the knees of PFs, is just abysmal. I'd rather try for someone who has no sort of ticking going on at all.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Our record, when it comes to making gambles on the knees of PFs, is just abysmal.

I feel you on the abysmal trade history, but the PF's we've traded for over the years have actually been one of our bright spots, i.e.: Wayman Tisdale, Antione Carr, Chris Webber...not too shabby...now if we were talking centers, we need go any further than one Ralph Sampson. Now, I know Nene might seem fragile because he hasn't played much the last two seasons, but he's only 25, has recovered from his injuries(he's beating cancer, thank God), and has a lot of very good basketball yet to be played, and I guess I'm in the obvious minority in thinking that we SHOULD go through with an Artest-Nene deal if it's offered. I just think he's exactly what we're looking for in a PF, a banger on both sides of the court who can give you 10-15 pts and 10-12 rebounds. In my mind, its worth the risk.

 

[SCKingsfan]

I feel you on the abysmal trade history, but the PF's we've traded for over the years have actually been one of our bright spots, i.e.: Wayman Tisdale, Antione Carr, Chris Webber...not too shabby...now if we were talking centers, we need go any further than one Ralph Sampson. Now, I know Nene might seem fragile because he hasn't played much the last two seasons, but he's only 25, has recovered from his injuries(he's beating cancer, thank God), and has a lot of very good basketball yet to be played, and I guess I'm in the obvious minority in thinking that we SHOULD go through with an Artest-Nene deal if it's offered. I just think he's exactly what we're looking for in a PF, a banger on both sides of the court who can give you 10-15 pts and 10-12 rebounds. In my mind, its worth the risk.

I absolutely agree. I wanted this trade a couple of years back as well. And I think Nene has gotten better since then. There is the injury thing, yes, but if we are going to compare risks in our current situation, then........

 

[fnordius]

I absolutely agree. I wanted this trade a couple of years back as well. And I think Nene has gotten better since then. There is the injury thing, yes, but if we are going to compare risks in our current situation, then........

Depending on whether or not they exercise their player options, Ron is a risk of $3M-$10M, and Nene is a risk of $30M-$40M. There's no way of knowing whether either, or both, will end badly, but seeing SAR on the bench has got to make Geoff think twice about damaged goods with long contracts.

 

[Kingzrool]

link

Ron Artest: Likes Sacramento, Might Stay

RotoWire.com Staff
Sunday, February 10, 2008

"Everybody is going around saying, 'Artest doesn't want to be in Sacramento. He wants to be traded.' But I like Sacramento," Artest said. "You just want to know what's happening. Geoff said he didn't know, either. My agent says I should (command) something like $14 or $15 million this summer,"

 

[fnordius]

Gotta love agents who give gullible players unrealistic expectations.

My one word summary: Ronzi.

 

[Superman]

Eh?

Aside from Brad and Mike, no post-CWebb Kings player, starting or otherwise, has gotten paid more than Ron. In fact, two of our current starters combined (Mikki and Kevin) make about the same as Ron. And there are a lot of GOOD players out there who make $7M a year, + or - 25%.

Ron's agent argues that he should make twice what he is, and on his merits as a player alone, he could be right. On his merits as an employee, however, Ron might well be FIRED. I don't think his current pay is a bad compromise.

Kevin Martin just signed an $11 million a year contract that kicks in next season.

 

[fnordius]

Kevin Martin just signed an $11 million a year contract that kicks in next season.

Yep! But he's cheap right now, just like the other 150 or so players in the NBA who are still on rookie contracts are all cheap.

But even when you're talking about vets, $7M is not a bad paycheck. People in the $6M-$8M price range include players like G. Wallace, Okafor, Camby, Maggette, Turkoglu, Harpring... I don't think "that kind of player wouldn't even start in Sac" applies.

 

[VF21]

Gotta love agents who give gullible players unrealistic expectations.

My one word summary: Ronzi.

Okay, just to make sure we're on the same page? That one word summary should be BONZI, right?

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Okay, just to make sure we're on the same page? That one word summary should be BONZI, right?

So...could Ron end up with the MLE, or $2 million a year, like BONZI, if he takes his agents advice?? Stay tuned...

edit: Mr. $14-$15 million does NOT play for the Kings at this current time.

 

[fnordius]

My guess would be that Ron's agent isn't going to end up getting any offers much better than MLE, most teams can't afford more than that without being extremely motivated, and I don't think Ron generally elicits that sort of reaction. The question is, will his agent let him know that, or is his agent going to make some sort of big bonus no matter what contract he signs?

It's not as if anyone would ever choose Ron to make their business decisions, but when you think about a Ron who is being fed bad information... ugh. If his agent doesn't straighten him out, he's going to be like a little kid waiting for Santa Claus. If his agent suddenly becomes honest, we're faced with the possibility of Ron's exercising his player option.

Since I know nothing about his agent, or the terms under which he receives payment, I'm not even going to try to guess how all of this will end, except that it won't end in a doubling of Ron's pay. Other than that... get out the magical 8 ball.

 

[Spike]

Hey, if Ron wants to go out and get 14-15 million, more power to him. This guy might have some advice about playing the FA market, though:

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Hey, if Ron wants to go out and get 14-15 million, more power to him. This guy might have some advice about playing the FA market, though:

Spree got some GREAT advice, didnt he? Ron might want to hire former Atlanta Hawk Jon Koncak, he pretty much wrote the book on 'how to drive up your own worth in free agency, even when you're not worth it'...or perhaps former Sonic Jim McIlvaine...

 

[Superman]

Spree got some GREAT advice, didnt he? Ron might want to hire former Atlanta Hawk Jon Koncak, he pretty much wrote the book on 'how to drive up your own worth in free agency, even when you're not worth it'...or perhaps former Sonic Jim McIlvaine...

Brian Cardinal did a pretty good job a few years ago to "get paid".