Indy doesn't need Artest's antics(ron artest)

Ron Artest should be in this season's All-Star Game.


The only thing unclear is which team he will be representing. It seems somewhat unlikely it will be the Indiana Pacers.


Yeah, yeah, we heard all the goody goody stuff after the Pacers beat the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night -- how everyone had a nice meeting and talked it all out, and how Ron understands and he says it won't happen again and yadda, yadda, yadda. Of course, this was after he missed the shootaround and said he might not play because of injury.


But you also know Larry Bird, the symbol of hard work, effort, teamwork and diligence as a player and coach. Bird isn't about to baby-sit Artest and allow his team to be held hostage by Artest's rages and and irresponsibility.


You have to figure Bird will be on the phone soon to general managers all over the NBA wondering if they might be interested in one of the best individual defenders in the NBA who can shoot, pass and rebound.


Hey, wait, don't the Pacers need that?


That's the conundrum here. The Pacers are very good when Artest is very good, as he had been most of the season until the last few weeks when the Pacers, not so coincidently, began imploding. It started to build a little over a week ago when the Pacers lost to Minnesota and Artest, the veteran basketball mind that he is, began complaining about the Pacers' offense. It escalated in a loss to Milwaukee last week and then blew up -- with even often-comatose coach Rick Carlisle lashing out -- on Saturday in the Pacers' third loss in four games when Artest was pulled from the game amid a series of wild shots that smacked of defiance, complaints about the team, arguments with the coach and screaming at the bench.


Look, this is not Artest's fault. He really doesn't want to do these things. He just can't help himself. He really, really does try. He is serious when he says he'll never do it again. But you get the feeling -- and you're not the only one since both the Bulls and Pacers have had him see specialists and receive medication -- that Artest cannot control these emotions. He never really could, which is why they didn't object all that much when he decided to leave St. John's early, and why the Bulls were so eager to include him in that Jalen Rose deal.


When Artest is playing, he's great to have on your team. What makes Artest so good, in part, is he isn't like other players. It's the reason why he plays defense so well. It's also what leads him off course. Artest doesn't know when to stop.



The Pacers could use the happy Ron Artest but they don't need him to reach the Finals.
Most NBA players look at the clock and calendar and know it's a long game and a long season. So they ease through parts of it, exerting themselves when they feel it's necessary. It's what often gives the NBA a bad name and coaches a short stay. Not Artest, though. It's why coaches and fans love the Good Ron so much. He picks his man up at the jump ball. He's pressuring, getting up in your chest and bumping you in the first 10 seconds. He's a full-time, full-court press. He doesn't seem to know it's a long game and a long season.


No one plays like that. It's one reason Artest should make the All-Star team this season. His individual defense is remarkable, not so much for the quickness and technique, but for the intensity of effort. However, there's a problem playing like that or thinking like that. Artest sometimes can't turn it off.


Enter Bad Ron. So Artest, in effect, starts going after -- or playing defense against, in his mind -- those who get in his way. It could be his coach or teammates, guys who kept him from taking a shot he wanted, playing as many minutes as he likes, winning a game he wants to win. They always say after these episodes Ron wants to win as much as anybody. Like that explains the behavior.


So even though Artest means so much to the the Pacers defensively, they could look to trade him. For one, they have too many bodies at small forward, Artest's best position. Al Harrington needs to play and they have to get Jonathan Bender on the court. Also, Carlisle is a terrific coach. He may not be running the most beautiful offense, but it's one that will help the Pacers win playoff games, something which they haven't been very good at. Artest is never going to like it. His idea of offense is taking a 3-point shot when he feels like it. He's not the most disciplined player. Carlisle runs a disciplined system.


And the Pacers have to worry more about Jermaine O'Neal. He's their star and they cannot afford to have him upset by Artest's disruptions. O'Neal isn't exactly a fan of slower play, but he'll go along if there's no mutiny going on.


Frankly, the Pacers don't need Artest to be a good defensive team. Carlisle's style of play will help. Plus, Harrington is an underrated defender because Artest gets so much credit. When he made his return, Michael Jordan said he had the most problems against Harrington, who bodied him physically and pushed him around.


And there's no better halfway house than the NBA. You're facing players who've dealt with felony charges, strangled a coach and cussed out an owner, shot at the wrong basket to get himself a triple-double and cursed at fans and coaches. Give us your angry, your lawless, your anarchists.


Forget the Portland Trail Blazers. The Nets signed Eddie Griffin. Now he just has to beat a possible felony charge for allegedly trying to shoot his girlfriend. Mo Cheeks can't put up with Bonzi Wells' antics anymore? Sure, grandfatherly Hubie Brown will take him. The Timberwolves want to become serious contenders. Sure, they'll take Latrell Sprewell. Ricky Davis is ruining LeBron James. OK, the Celtics will take him. There's always somebody who thinks they're smarter and have the right coach, the right environment, the right team. Dennis Rodman once nearly crippled Scottie Pippen and then became a Bull and got regular standing ovations.


So someone will take Artest. They'll be lining up. Where do you get someone to play with that kind of manic, all-or-nothing intensity? Perhaps outside a maximum security prison. The Pacers have enough talent to win the Eastern Conference. They're a hard-working, serious-minded team with excellent leadership. They can't afford to be worrying when the next flare-up will occur.


i say we go stright up for mobely.....

i mean ron srtest is just way better at D....
WAT YALL THINK?

 

but couldnt rocket keep mobely,francis,yao....and try to acquire rasheed and ron artest.......we have the rest player we can throw away................i mean we can trade cato,mo tay,jim jakoson,moochie specially....

we need to get rid of moochie contract some how......can we buy him out...i mean like we did eddie.....how much would we have to pay him if we buy out his contract and sign someone else......vetren pg.....

ill give up any of the player for ron artest expect yao/steve/mobes(just cuz rasheed wants to play with him)