We really dodged a bullet on this one!

[QueensFan]

I know everyone is really angry about the trade falling through. I am too. I was really excited to see new blood brought in, and I thought the trade was a really great one.

But this latest development has brought me back to reality, and I now realize that we dodged a huge bullet. This proves that Artest is still a headcase. How much arrogance can one guy have, that he thinks he can hold his employer hostage to his demands. This guy is the NBA's TO. Remember what TO did to the 49ers? EXACTLY THIS. Now see what he has done?

We are MUCH better off finding this out now rather than after the deal has gone through. If Artest wouldn't be happy here, he wouldn't play hard here because he is an unprofessional whiner. He is completely unmotivated and unmoved by the fact that he is a highly paid professional - he plays hard when HE wants to play hard.

And don't say you didn't see this coming. From a guy who flat out said he would only be happy in New York, it's no surprise that he thinks he's too cool for lowly Sacramento. It's a shame for him, though, because I think that he has no idea what he's missing out on. He would have come to a place where fans would embrace him. I hope he enjoys going to New York, screwing things up, then becoming hated by all in the biggest, most unforgiving city in sports.

I love the Kings for many reasons, and one VERY important one is that they have always been a classy organization. I was skeptical when we brought in Webber and he proved to be the epitome of class. I am still skeptical of Bonzi, but things seem to be working out rather well. Still, neither of these guys have the history that Artest does. This guy is bad news. Good riddance.

 

[SacTownKid]

I am inclined to agree, in my state for strike-osis!

 

[VF21]

Word!!

 

[PFFFT!!]

Marbury was sort of the same. I don't think the NY crowd is clamoring his name every game. Hell, even Thomas said hes tradeable. Whats so great about playing for NY or LA? Ahhh of course, sitting on good old Jack's lap and having a post game chat with Spike Lee...wow. :\

 

[SkinnerBox]

Some of us have been saying this for a long time. You don't have to be a Peja shill to prefer him to Artest.

What we didn't dodge is Peja pouting now that he knows he was going to be traded. Either that or responding, but something tells me....

 

[BibityBobtyBoom]

i just want peja out of here for basically anyone or a pick. We are a better team without him, i really wanted artest but whatever.

 

[BibityBobtyBoom]

i just want peja out of here for basically anyone or a pick. We are a better team without him, i really wanted artest but whatever.

 

[QueensFan]

Some of us have been saying this for a long time. You don't have to be a Peja shill to prefer him to Artest.

What we didn't dodge is Peja pouting now that he knows he was going to be traded. Either that or responding, but something tells me....

True. And this is why they like to keep these things quiet. We've got a mess to clean up, but I still don't think it's as big a mess as we would have had with Artest.

 

[Gargamel]

Half true. Artest is clearly insane and would've almost assuredly caused his own exit from Sacto. However, Peja now knows they just tried to trade him. And he's a FA.

 

[arwen undomiel]

Some of us have been saying this for a long time. You don't have to be a Peja shill to prefer him to Artest.

What we didn't dodge is Peja pouting now that he knows he was going to be traded. Either that or responding, but something tells me....

If Pouty Princess Peja slips into a sulk, sit his *** in favor of a youngster.

Or maybe (just maybe) PPP might finally get the wake-up call we've been waiting for.

 

[piksi]

one VERY important one is that they have always been a classy organization.

not anymore

 

[thesanityannex]

At least we know Peja will be traded. (for those of us who wanted him traded).

 

[Warhawk]

Agreed - I always knew he was nuts, glad he pulled his tricks before we got him and not after.....

 

[bench_blob]

Artest is a loser. And so is his agent for not knocking some sense into him.

Even if you come to hate Sacramento, you are here 6 months out of the year. Live wherever you want during the off-season. Half the time you are traveling on the road during regular season.

Play out your contract and go where you want. Re-establish your value in the league. This is what his agent should be telling Artest, as an advisor looking out for his best professional interest.

I still anticipate a 3-way trade....more than 50-50 odds of it happening.

 

[bench_blob]

At least we know Peja will be traded. (for those of us who wanted him traded).

No we don't.

All we know is the Kings are willing to trade him.

 

[QueensFan]

No we don't.

All we know is the Kings are willing to trade him.

True. And they aren't necessarily "desperate" to trade him either - it's not like they were giving him up for peanuts.

 

[QueensFan]

Artest is a loser. And so is his agent for not knocking some sense into him.

Even if you come to hate Sacramento, you are here 6 months out of the year. Live wherever you want during the off-season. Half the time you are traveling on the road during regular season.

Play out your contract and go where you want. Re-establish your value in the league. This is what his agent should be telling Artest, as an advisor looking out for his best professional interest.

I still anticipate a 3-way trade....more than 50-50 odds of it happening.

Yup. In fact, even though I highly doubted that Artest wanted to play in Sacto, I figured that it was in his best interest and in the best interest of his career to just shut up and play here. But apparently he doesn't care.

 

[mcsluggo]

B.S. The knigs just suffered from a self-inflicted shot-gun blast to the belly.

Either make the trade and follow through-- What, were they surprised by the fact that Artest is a flake?

Or DON'T make the trade.

THis abortion is the worst of both worlds, we have the same players, but with brusied egos.



Pathetic.

 

[QueensFan]

B.S. The knigs just suffered from a self-inflicted shot-gun blast to the belly.

Either make the trade and follow through-- What, were they surprised by the fact that Artest is a flake?

Or DON'T make the trade.

THis abortion is the worst of both worlds, we have the same players, but with brusied egos.



Pathetic.

If Artest wasn't going to get on the plane to Sacramento, then you CAN'T make the trade. And he's crazy enough to do just that.

 

[bench_blob]

I would not be the least bit surprised to see David Stern and the league intervene here.

Artest cannot be allowed to hijack the plans of two franchises. He has caused enough trouble already.

The Kings should have held their ground. If Artest refused to report, the trade could have been rescinded and Artest banned from the league for life.

 

[Bibby_10]

B.S. The knigs just suffered from a self-inflicted shot-gun blast to the belly.

Either make the trade and follow through-- What, were they surprised by the fact that Artest is a flake?

Or DON'T make the trade.

THis abortion is the worst of both worlds, we have the same players, but with brusied egos.



Pathetic.

Totally agree. Honestly, it didnt cross peoples minds that Artest may say no deal? Of course he is going to say that. He wanted to go to LA or NY. If the Kings would just follow through Artest would have calm down a bit and realize that this is what is and he would accept it.

 

[QueensFan]

I would not be the least bit surprised to see David Stern and the league intervene here.

Artest cannot be allowed to hijack the plans of two franchises. He has caused enough trouble already.

The Kings should have held their ground. If Artest refused to report, the trade could have been rescinded and Artest banned from the league for life.

Nahh - he would have eventually reported and just not tried - you can't force a guy to try. And he would have been a real *** about it. There's really not much you can do in a situation like this.

 

[piksi]

I would not be the least bit surprised to see David Stern and the league intervene here.

Artest cannot be allowed to hijack the plans of two franchises. He has caused enough trouble already.

The Kings should have held their ground. If Artest refused to report, the trade could have been rescinded and Artest banned from the league for life.

that doesn't do us any good

 

[bench_blob]

Totally agree. Honestly, it didnt cross peoples minds that Artest may say no deal? Of course he is going to say that. He wanted to go to LA or NY. If the Kings would just follow through Artest would have calm down a bit and realize that this is what is and he would accept it.

Exactly. When you make a bold move like this, you have to anticipate every variable, and plan accordingly.

Did the Kings think they were trading for a choir boy?

And shouldn't the Kings have gotten assurance first from the Pacers that Artest was accepting of the trade before any serious discussion?

 

[Indianapolis King]

Exactly. When you make a bold move like this, you have to anticipate every variable, and plan accordingly.

Did the Kings think they were trading for a choir boy?

And shouldn't the Kings have gotten assurance first from the Pacers that Artest was accepting of the trade before any serious discussion?

Artest doesn't have standing to accept or decline a trade. Obviously the Kings don't want him if he doesn't want to come. While RA has been quoted as saying he doesn't want to come, then he says he isn't opposed to it--we do know the Kings said NO--which was the smart thing to do. The other positive is that at least now the Pacers can quit paying him and suspend him for screwing this deal up. Kings are better off without him. Today is just a glimpse of what it would be like to have your franchise married to this guy.

 

[Kev.in]

I think the Kings would've made the playoffs with Artest. Many of the same people who are excited not to have Artest are the same who hate the losing and the concept of this team being in the lottery. Peja already plays like he doesn't care and he's too polite to take the apathy up a notch, so we're still a lottery team.

Yay.

 

[Kev.in]

The Kings should have held their ground. If Artest refused to report, the trade could have been rescinded and Artest banned from the league for life.

I don't understand how they could back out of it. They traded for Webber and when he found out from some guy on the street, he cried. He went pretty much the whole offseason without having any contact with the Kings because he didn't want to be a King and didn't want to think about being a King. But we stuck with him because as a team trading for a player, you have all the leverage. It makes no sense to go this far and then pull back. You can be mad at Artest (or his agent) for messing up the deal, but the Kings didn't have to rescind the trade.

 

[SkinnerBox]

I think the Kings would've made the playoffs with Artest. Many of the same people who are excited not to have Artest are the same who hate the losing and the concept of this team being in the lottery. Peja already plays like he doesn't care and he's too polite to take the apathy up a notch, so we're still a lottery team.

Yay.

Peja plays like he doesn't care and still has higher career rebounding numbers than Artest? We are going to get to the playoffs with yet another hit to team chemistry? Artest is not a panacea, he's a talented player with mental issues.

People think that we are one trade away from being the 2002 Kings again, but until further notice we are simply a mediocre team. Most teams in the league know exactly what thats like and we will have to learn to accept it until this team gets good again.

 

[QueensFan]

I don't understand how they could back out of it. They traded for Webber and when he found out from some guy on the street, he cried. He went pretty much the whole offseason without having any contact with the Kings because he didn't want to be a King and didn't want to think about being a King. But we stuck with him because as a team trading for a player, you have all the leverage. It makes no sense to go this far and then pull back. You can be mad at Artest (or his agent) for messing up the deal, but the Kings didn't have to rescind the trade.

That was a completely different era for the Kings- one in which they TRULY had nothing to lose - not even a reputation.

This is a very different situation.

 

[Jerryaki]

what's gonna happen to peja's fragile psyche now? =T