[Chron] Rockets hoping Artest ends playoff drought

batkins · Aug 15, 2008

The Rockets had waited 18 days to speak publicly of their trade for Ron Artest, forced to wait even to make Thursday’s announcement that the deal had been completed.

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander, however, has had his patience tested for more than a decade since the Rockets’ last playoff series win, and for 13 seasons since the second of the back-to-back championships.

It was not just the trade that he was ready to announce.

This, he said, losing his battle with restraint, would herald the Rockets’ return to contender status.

“So far the biggest trade (was for) Clyde (Drexler) because we won a championship,” Alexander said, considering his history of blockbuster deals. “Tracy (McGrady) was pretty big, too. I think this guy, Ron, really puts us over the top in terms of what we need.

“I’m really trying to hold my excitement down. But I mean, we have a great team to start on the floor and a bench. I think we’re going to go really far. He adds another element to the team. Once you see him on the floor with the great players we have, it really makes us very hard to beat.”
Maturing player

Alexander also said he believed Artest has grown enough to avoid the troubles that have marked his career.

“In this league, a lot of guys are different when they get older and they mature,” Alexander said. “He’s a different person now, I think, than he was years ago. He cares about his on-court performance and how his team is going to do more than he ever has in his life.”

That was enough for the Rockets to make the move. They completed the trade to acquire Artest — along with rookies Patrick Ewing Jr. and Sean Singletary for Bobby Jackson, Donté Greene, a first-round pick and cash – with the hope he could bring a final missing piece to a team that won 55 games, including a streak of 22 in a row, before losing to the Utah Jazz in the first playoff round.

In Artest, they believe they have a third star to go with Yao Ming and McGrady, and one who can excel defensively at a variety of positions to the point they were inspired to speak of championship contention.

“This offseason, one of our goals was to add a significant player,” general manager Daryl Morey said. “We feel we were able to do that and more with Ron Artest, the former All-Star, a player who plays both ends of the floor at a significant level, someone who plays multiple positions to give coach (Rick) Adelman the options of the players he needs to lead us to the championship.”

Artest went further, describing the chance to play for the Rockets not only the best opportunity of his career, but the chance for which he had prayed since leaving Indiana for the Sacramento Kings during the 2005-06 season.

Artest said he was so encouraged by the move — praising not only Yao, McGrady and Adelman, but Rafer Alston, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier, who he said will be his first teammate able to defend “almost as well” as he does — that he offered to play in any role Adelman saw fit.

“When Adelman had me on the court in Sacramento he used me at every single position,” said Artest, who will wear No. 96 with the Rockets. “Sometimes he would play me at the two, when there was a dominant two such as a Kobe (Bryant) or a Dwyane Wade. Or Steve Nash was killing us one time in Phoenix. He put me at the one. He put me at the five.
Multiple positions

“I work on my game every summer so I get better. I don’t make a big jump at one specific thing, but I make a good enough leap at everything to be able to play every position. I’ll be ready. That’s how I play my game.

“Whatever Adelman needs me to do, whether that’s come off the bench, sixth, seventh man, start, I don’t even care. Whatever he needs me to do, I’m 100 percent sure it’s going to work.”

In the last year of a contract worth $7.4 million next season, Artest hired veteran agent David Bauman with an eye on free agency next summer.

The Rockets could seek to lock up Artest, who averaged 20.5 points and 5.8 rebounds last season, with a contract extension, but then could offer raises from his current salary of just 10.5 percent. Artest will instead likely wait for free agency to seek a richer deal.

“That’s the plan right now,” Bauman said. “Obviously at some point we’re going to sit down with Daryl. I look forward to working with the Rockets.”
Click to expand...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5945115.html

dkoune · Aug 15, 2008

With our huge 3 no doubt baby.
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tmacyaokobe01 · Aug 15, 2008

Very nice article, I believe he will end the playoff drought like he said.

heypartner · Aug 15, 2008

hold on a second. so how in the hell did Feigen interview Morey, Les and Artest when they are each in different cities. Did he call them each on the phone or what?

JaWindex · Aug 15, 2008

heypartner said:

hold on a second. so how in the hell did Feigen interview Morey, Les and Artest when they are each in different cities. Did he call them each on the phone or what?
Click to expand...

Woops, that didn't make sense. I'm never posting drunk again.

Laozi · Aug 15, 2008

Plus I here Morey can astral project

Dave2000 · Aug 15, 2008

heypartner said:

hold on a second. so how in the hell did Feigen interview Morey, Les and Artest when they are each in different cities. Did he call them each on the phone or what?
Click to expand...

its probably quotes from the "conference" call

stephenleeking · Aug 15, 2008

wonderful

ronnymac · Aug 15, 2008

If we dont getout of the first round with the best trio in the league, then there is something seriousley wrong with our two stars in yao and tracy.

verse · Aug 15, 2008

wow. compare this to that petulant punk francis' conference. steve schedules his for 3:33 , and declares he better be the starting point guard .

ron comes in with his hardhat, ready to D people up, continues 2 work on his game, and says he's prepared to play whatever role necessary...even coming off the bench...in a contract year.

ron:
steve:

thephatp · Aug 15, 2008

Dave2000 said:

its probably quotes from the "conference" call
Click to expand...

Yep. All of the quotes in this article came from the conf call, I believe.

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=152770

Clutch · Aug 15, 2008

Dave2000 said:

its probably quotes from the "conference" call
Click to expand...

thephatp said:

Yep. All of the quotes in this article came from the conf call, I believe.
Click to expand...

heyp was just jokingly referring to this guy, who was trying to imply I might have been making quotes up.

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=3844226#post3844226

BTW, the audio from many of the quotes Feigen used is up on the front page: http://www.clutchfans.net (top right)

mrdan · Aug 15, 2008

I thought the trade was so we could rebuild.

ClutchCityReturns · Aug 15, 2008

I thought we could offer Artest the most because we have his Bird Rights...

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