The Conundrum: To Trade or Not To Trade Ron Artest?

[VF21]

thats just stupidity. what is his motive? can't he discusss this behind closed doors? doesn't he have his wife or teammates to talk to about this? if he wants to be traded wouldn't this destroy the teams bargaining position ala pacers when they sent his a** home bc he couldn't keep his trap shut.

I think you're missing the whole point. Ron isn't stupid; he's impulsive. AND he also feels if someone asks him a question, he should answer. And he answers from his heart.

You can fault him for not being able to simply walk away from the media when they shove microphones in his face and ask him questions, but you're asking questions about his actions based on what you might do.

Have you ever been the focus of as much attention as Ron Artest? He's one of the most open and impulsive people I've ever seen and that's the crux of his problem. But it doesn't make him stupid.

 

[bajaden]

Just as I was beginning to think that Ron was a player that should be kept, he goes and has a game like the one against the Warriors. The sad part is that he doesn't think he was wrong, and he would do it again. He, perhaps singlehandedly lost the game for us. Its a shame. He's a very skilled athlete and should be a asset to any team. But, as it is right now, I think he would fit nicely in the Knicks organization. Who knows, in a year or two, he could be the GM or coach. Might be an upgrade.

 

[Glenn]

thats just stupidity. what is his motive? can't he discusss this behind closed doors? doesn't he have his wife or teammates to talk to about this? if he wants to be traded wouldn't this destroy the teams bargaining position ala pacers when they sent his a** home bc he couldn't keep his trap shut.

...... and motives have nothing to do with it. That's the problem. That's also why I doubt that the people who know him better than you or I, his team mates, will take him seriously unless a few days have passed and he sticks to his same story.

______

This just struck me. Is this why people think he won't be with the team after this year? I have already ignored that comment.

 

[VF21]

Okay, I'm confused. Are some of you saying that Artest has RECENTLY asked to be traded??????? If so, I guess I need to up my medications because I certainly haven't heard anything like that.

 

[Glenn]

Okay, I'm confused. Are some of you saying that Artest has RECENTLY asked to be traded??????? If so, I guess I need to up my medications because I certainly haven't heard anything like that.

If you're low, I can loan you some of mine.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

You may be correct in the fact that KMart could flourish without Artest in the fold but it doesn't make us better. He's our best player. He's our toughest player. He's playing defense against just about anyone, including centers. If and I stress if, Petrie gets the right offer in place for him, meaning talent coming back, then I would trade him. I do not want to see him traded for expiring contracts. Your throwing away a highly talented player if you do that.

We've already been as good as we're going to be with Artest as our best player; we might as well see what we can be without him.

 

[Rookie]

We've already been as good as we're going to be with Artest as our best player; we might as well see what we can be without him.

You can't put it all on Ron when the coach and team change dramatically every year.

If you going to compare then compare Ron of this year with last year and the year after. (no fact just what I've seen) I find that the guy is getting better and playing how I want most Kings to play. Try super hard on both end and play with a lot of excitement and emotion. Not like a bunch of zombies last year.

As for the trade, I would like to keep him but if there is a high percentage chance that we might lose him for nothing than yes trade him. As for Bibby trade, I would like to see how well he played (especially with Theus) before I ship him off.

 

[Bibby_10]

Ron is a stud. Keep him.

 

[Jerichoholic]

This seems to be a very goo debate, pretty 50-50 at this point. Is there a way we can add a poll to this thread?

 

[PurpleHaze]

I think you're missing the whole point. Ron isn't stupid; he's impulsive.

I agree Ron Artest isn't stupid, compared to Bonzi Wells. Turning down a 5 year $38.5 million contract with the Kings to test his "lucrative" free agency can only be described as dumb, especially considering what he finally got - $2 million this season from Houston.

It will be interesting to see what kind of "big" offers Artest gets after this season. I'm all for keeping Ron-Ron for the time being, unless GP is handed a deal that's great value in return. Still, I expect he'll be traded around the trading deadline - same with Bibby.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

You can't put it all on Ron when the coach and team change dramatically every year.

Regardless of whether you "put it all on" Artest or not, a team built around Artest is not going to be competitive once the playoffs rolls around. Artest needs to be Robin (or possibly Nightwing) to someone else's Batman, and he needs to play for a team that already has a strong culture, with a coach/star that can keep him in line. Artest's trouble is that he thinks he's Batman... and he ain't.

This team's future does not reside with Ron Artest; better to trade him now, while he still has value.

 

[Kingster]

There's no conundrum. He's a headcase. They should have never traded for him to begin with. He and Bibby (for different reasons) should be traded. Go young, go athletic, go high draft picks, go lins, go young up and coming physically gifted raw athletes who aren't insane.

 

[Kingster]

If you are going to rebuild a team, it is customary to rebuild around someone. Artest is our best athlete. Is that debateable?

I'd like to hear the scenario of Artest leaving without us getting anything in return. If that happens, he loses his Bird rights and the opportunity to make more money than he is now. It is the rare team that is under the cap enough to give him the kind of money he can make by retaining his Bird rights. He is active in the community. The organization has expressed their appreciation of him. His coach has called him the anchor of the team.

But first there is the money. It is the very rare athlete that will jeopardize the possibility of making a lot of money.

It's a tiresome subject for me because I will bet a lot of money that no one will change their mind or even considers that Ron could do ANYTHING that would cause them to change their mind.

Sure, the org just loves him... And the coach too... And they sure as heck want to trade him by the February deadline! It would be fascinating to know just what has been offered for Artest. Regardless of their religious affiliation or lack thereof, Petrie and the Maloofs have got to be praying every night for Ron-Ron to remain sane until February so they can finally unload him!

 

[kennadog]

I'd rather see Ron go before Bibby, but that's just the sentimental side of me. I'm going to hate seeing the last player of "that team" go.

Having said that, I'm for trading both of them. I don't think either of them are players for a team that isn't likely to be any good for a few years (if then, please bball gods). I'd like to see a young core growing into a team together.

 

[VF21]

This seems to be a very goo debate, pretty 50-50 at this point. Is there a way we can add a poll to this thread?

Done. I kept it as simple as possible...

 

[John Galt]

I think he is a tremendous two way ballplayer. Keep him.

Unless he is the ticket to unloading KT's contract... then he has to go

 

[ZZE916]

I think it depends on Reggie's ability to convince him he is not Kobe. If Ron understands he should not be the team's first offensive option (and plays accordingly), keep him. He has so many other skills this team sorely needs.

If he keeps jacking up jumpers (and being unappologetic afterward), and stagnating the offense - trade him.

 

[John Galt]

I think it depends on Reggie's ability to convince him he is not Kobe. If Ron understands he should not be the team's first offensive option (and plays accordingly), keep him. He has so many other skills this team sorely needs.

If he keeps jacking up jumpers (and being unappologetic afterward), and stagnating the offense - trade him.

He is third in the NBA with 54% from the 3 point line.

He is eighth among small forwards with 49% from the field.

Just how apologetic do you want him to be about shooting them?

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

He is third in the NBA with 54% from the 3 point line.

He is eighth among small forwards with 49% from the field.

Just how apologetic do you want him to be about shooting them?

Artest's career average is .326. The best he's ever shot in a year where he played at least thirty games is last season, when he shot a whopping .358, so I hope you don't mind if some of us don't actually believe that he's going to make that number stand up all season.

 

[John Galt]

Artest's career average is .326. The best he's ever shot in a year where he played at least thirty games is last season, when he shot a whopping .358, so I hope you don't mind if some of us don't actually believe that he's going to make that number stand up all season.

I don't mind.

Maybe he can just shoot lights out for 29 games - that will be fine. Right now I don't see the urgency to turn off the spigot or to start in on the guy. He's playing well imo.

 

[The Hammer]

Agreed. I'm down to trade Artest for an athletic big man, but I want to see how the Bibby/Beno, Martin, Artest, Moore, and Miller line-up ends up doing.

It really looks like a powerful lineup with Beno backing up Mike Bibby.

Players like Artest aren't easy to find. I'd hang on to Ron Ron for a while and see where that takes us

Are you serious? As in "see what they can do to try to win the championship?" I honestly don't think he has the personality to be the central piece of a winning team. And, unfortunately I don't think he has the capability to recognize that about himself. He still thinks he needs to be "the man". The stuff he was pulling late in the Warriors game indicates to me he has mental and emotional issues that are making him unable to mature as a person. Kind of the opposite feeling you get from a Spencer Hawes type of player. Of course there are all the qualities of toughness, giving 100% all the time, etc. But personalities are complex, and I see deeper issues here. Basketball team dynamics and learning to play together and communicate on the court are one of the things that distinguish basketball from other sports. I think many people don't realize quite the importance of this. Artest is skilled at looking like a "team player" with his leave-it-all-out-there performances, but if you go a little deeper I think he is a very self-centered player and unwilling to communicate and meld with players and coaches. Which means being willing to listen to feedback as well.

 

[The Hammer]

I think it depends on Reggie's ability to convince him he is not Kobe. If Ron understands he should not be the team's first offensive option (and plays accordingly), keep him. He has so many other skills this team sorely needs.

If he keeps jacking up jumpers (and being unappologetic afterward), and stagnating the offense - trade him.

Listen, the guy is not a rookie. He's what, 28? How can you not have learned to listen to coaches by then? C'mon man, he's got serious issues! Let him work them out somewhere else. If ever.

 

[ZZE916]

He is third in the NBA with 54% from the 3 point line.

He is eighth among small forwards with 49% from the field.

Just how apologetic do you want him to be about shooting them?

This was in reference to what happened in the 4th quarter against the Warriors, and the post-game comments from Ron and Reggie. The Warriors were in the penalty, and had 3 players with 5 fouls. Coach T asked the team to drive to the basket, but jumpermania reared its ugly head. Last night's game against the Rockets yielded much different reults in a similar situation. For one game, at least, the team responded by doing the correct thing and puled out a win.

 

[Entity]

Artest's career average is .326. The best he's ever shot in a year where he played at least thirty games is last season, when he shot a whopping .358, so I hope you don't mind if some of us don't actually believe that he's going to make that number stand up all season.

???? WTF so in the past he hasn't shot at a high percentage. So that automatically means that because he is now that he shold stop shooting because history tells us he isn't going to continue???? Lets say that makes sense to anybody. Now why wouldn't you let him shoot as long as he is.

I don't give a damn if he shot 0% for six years straight if he is shooting over 50% right now why not let him shoot. If KT came in shooting 50% i would say let. Basketball is about riding the hot hand. Some assume that just for 1 game or 1 quarter. Maybe its a year.

 

[Bricklayer]

Maybe its a year.

Just no. Nobody does that for a year, certainly not Ron Artest. It will plummet. May still end up his career high, but he's got 100pts to lose easy. 150 most likely. Players are who they are by the time they are Ron's age. He may have improved, but he's not suddenly going to lead the league, or come close.

There is something to be said for riding it while its going though. The main difficulty being that as a coaching staff you can not design a gameplan or an offense counting on it, or when the correction happens, you are screwed.

 

[Entity]

Just no. Nobody does that for a year, certainly not Ron Artest. It will plummet. May still end up his career high, but he's got 100pts to lose easy. 150 most likely. Players are who they are by the time they are Ron's age. He may have improved, but he's not suddenly going to lead the league, or come close.

There is something to be said for riding it while its going though. The main difficulty being that as a coaching staff you can not design a gameplan or an offense counting on it, or when the correction happens, you are screwed.

I understand that but, as a coach you can't just ingonre the fact that he is hot. You have to put the ball in his hands while he is. It don't matter who it is. Kinda like KT on Luke Walton that year. Under MOST circumstances KT would not be the goto guy but, he was killing Luke and we went to him 3 or 4 times down court. Ron is hot right now and we are beating playoff teams as a coach you have to ride that as long as possible. You basically have 2 players that you can count on that is Kevin and Ron. It has to be 1 of them in the end. Kevin has often made bad decisions in the end of games and even missed both FT's at times in the crunch. Ron takes the shot where Kevin tries to get a foul where he jumps into somebody. Kevin does not want the ball in his hands at the end. If he did he would take the shot and not try to let the refs decide the game. As a fan I want the player with confidence such as Ron or Bibby when he comes back. As a side note if I needed 2 points to win the game my pick would actually be John Salmons at this point in time.

 

[CruzDude]

Regardless of whether you "put it all on" Artest or not, a team built around Artest is not going to be competitive once the playoffs rolls around. Artest needs to be Robin (or possibly Nightwing) to someone else's Batman, and he needs to play for a team that already has a strong culture, with a coach/star that can keep him in line. Artest's trouble is that he thinks he's Batman... and he ain't.

This team's future does not reside with Ron Artest; better to trade him now, while he still has value.

Well, agree-agree-disagree. Thinking he is Batman is great metaphor and very true. A Jason Bourne he is not......... he could be but not alone. But who, now anyway, can step up to be the Batman to his Robin?? Thats what I thought. But when Bibbs gets back, now RonRon can become an enforcer type of Robin to Bibbs' Batman leadership.

But do NOT agree to trade RonRon now or later, as there is no one in the league who can be the enforcer he is, who can take on and beat anyone on offense as long as he has Batmans choker chain on at all times. But hey, maybe Batman is Coach Reggie???? From his out-of-control late 4th vs. Warriors to his apparent in-control self vs. Rockets.......... maybe, just maybe Coach Reggie is getting control. Let's see if he can for next 4 games, a small step. Then lets see how he and the team do on the east coast trip against relatively weak teams (save for Boston).

 

[JoMama]

Since Artest has a player option on his contract next season, seems like good business to trade him now while his value is high and before he self destructs one more time. We get nothing if he opts out, right? I like him as a player but the chicken bones say "trade."

 

[Entity]

Kevin can hold his own vs. Allen and Ron can do the same on Pierce. We hope Garnett has one of those off nights like back when SAR held him to 12pts 8reb.