http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4303679 Free-agent forward Ron Artest says he's leaving the Houston Rockets to join the Los Angeles Lakers. Artest Artest In a text message to ESPN.com on Thursday night, Artest wrote: "I am happy to say I am goin' to L.A." ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reports that Artest and the Lakers have reached a verbal agreement on what is believed to be a three-year contract worth an estimated $18 million. Wednesday is the first day free agents are permitted to sign new deals. Artest's decision was first reported by CBSSports.com. The mercurial swingman was initially courted by the Cleveland Cavaliers. In his text message, Artest said that he met Thursday with Lakers owner Jerry Buss and had spoken to coach Phil Jackson about the move to Los Angeles, where Artest has been spending his offseasons. Artest's forthcoming arrival strongly suggests that unrestricted free agent Trevor Ariza -- who played such a pivotal run in the Lakers' championship run -- is bound to leave the team. Broussard reported Wednesday that, according to sources with knowledge of the negotiations, Ariza was likely to leave the Lakers for a new team because L.A. was reluctant to sign him to a contract starting above the league's $5.6 million mid-level exception, even after Ariza's postseason success. Ariza has been courted by numerous teams, including Cleveland, and met Thursday in Las Vegas with Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey to possibly swap spots with Artest. OMG! HOW COULD YOU RON! YOU HATE KOBE AND THE LAKERS!!!
Lately you've been starting threads when there are the same threads out there. Mind reading and searching around a bit before starting new threads?
Thanks for great times... now i'm goign to have to start rooting against you and adding your voodoo doll to the 11 players that i have voodoo dolls pinned to the tree.
WTF, there'a already a thread about this and neither is official since HE CANT SIGN UNTIL JULY 8TH!!!!!!!!!!
So we're basically paying Ariza what Artest is getting from the Lakers. Even though we were unwilling to pay the same amount to Gortat. Even though he was our top target. Meanwhile, we weren't willing to give that contract to Ron while LAL was. And LAL wasn't willing to give it to Ariza but we are. I have much faith in Morey, but color me confused. Is Ariza the first building block in our rebuilding process? If so, faith in Morey aside, I don't think I could possibly be less impressed. In fact, I'd rather have Von Wafer on a two year at the same deal than Ariza at a three year. Neither player is special, but at least Wafer can go off on offense. Is it D we're after? Like three years from now? Are we building around the hope of creating the next Battier three years down the line? Because that seems like a sucky core to build around, even if Ariza could rise to that level. And I doubt he could. I was perfectly happy to let Ron and Von walk. But it seems like we're locking up a less impressive player (than either of them) in their stead. I really hope I'm missing something.
Yeah, I'm hoping there's something behind the strategy or reasoning, or it's just plain bad luck and we screwed up, and now we gotta figure out what to do. But I don't know, I don't think the Rockets thought Artest would have signed with another team for that low of an offer.
my friggin thoughts exactly. For me Artest >> Ariza, no contest. If I am wrong, I will worship Morey forever.
Morey is pretty consistant on not overpaying players. He has a system of valuation and obviously Artest isnt worth it too him. Morey isnt dumb, he will put this team in a great spot, even if it isnt this year.
please something tell me what we offered artest to make him leave? and apparently gortat is going to dallas after all those love emails I sent him!! and did we sign von wafer yet?
Batman Joness: I think the story is that the team factors a number of things in evaluating a player, including (1) talent, (2) age, (3) contract amount, and (4) contract length. I think with Artest, the matter is they don't want to committ to him long term given his history and age, and the fact that Yao may be out all of next year. They obviously like Gortat-- but as a 15-20 mpg guy when Yao is healthy, and starter when Yao is hurt, and given the role, what they offer him woud be a great price but they think the $30 million offfer would make him at ristk of almost a millstone. Erick Dampier, for example, is not a bad player... but his contract is a millstone on the Mavs. Ariza, I think, is the one guy with the most potential for growth-- perhaps even star potential. 6'8'' guys who can guard both the 2 and 3 well and has decent enough touch on the offensive end don't grow on trees. I think he wasn't their "top target" mostly because they didn't expect him to be available until the spat with the Lakers started. It would seem that the fair thing to do for him is a contract worth a bit more than the MLE ($7-8 million a year), but the Lakers tax consideration excluded that. Anyway, the Rockets may not get any of these guys (certainly it loooks like they won't have the first two), but the front office would rather have no contract than a bad contract.
