http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ba...t=Apq.StitrkyCjCtxeAgW_Mq8vLYF?urn=nba,175324 Kelly Dwyer isn't feeling our swap of Artest for Ariza. What this team lacks, more than anything else, is shot creators. And as frustrating as Artest can be on offense, and as efficient as Ariza can be on offense in faster-paced system like the Lakers have (and alongside Kobe Bryant), he argues that Artest fulfills our offensive needs more than Ariza. On the flip side, he doesn't like Artest on the Lakers so much either. LA was already arguably the best offensive team in the league, and he doesn't see Artest giving the Lakers much more of a defensive edge (I imagine that was their motivation in getting him). [rquoter] ... I'm not going to beg of the same for Ariza. Even though he's young, and will improve in all areas, he is what he is. Players just don't become off-the-dribble shot creators or post-up guys this late into a career. Doesn't matter when he entered the league, those spots aren't turning into stripes. And if you think I'm overanalyzing, I think that overanalyzing got us into this mess. The Lakers didn't need a Ron Artest. They really needed point guard help, especially defensively. Beyond that, they needed a spot-up shooter and defender. They had one in Ariza. And though they definitely found the work that Ariza's agent did unsettling, sometimes you have to be big about it and go with what works. We know Ariza works in Los Angeles. And we know Artest worked in Houston. Worked enough to take the champs to seven games. I just don't see this switch working as well as it should.[/rquoter] While shot creation is, indeed, a major weakness on our squad, I would also point out that the transition game has been a major weakness as well. The Rockets have routinely been near or at the bottom of the league in fast-break points, and even with at the end of last season with Brooks, Lowry, and Wafer getting more minutes, I'd wager they were in the bottom half of the league in fast break baskets. This is an area where I think Ariza has a clear edge over Artest.
She had a rant article earlier about this move.... she just doesn't see Ron Ron doing any good in LA, and I think I'd have to agree with her.
Do you know Kelly Dwyer is a guy? He's actually one of the hoops writers on the net and a former frequent contributor on ClutchFans.
Kelly is a dude. I don't agree with the idea that Artest worked with the Rockets. He did work when Yao was playing but we all know how he played when Yao went out..
LOL seriously, Artest gave us a swagger, a never say die attitude, and a physical enforcer .. not sure it matters now that Yao is out..
Kelly is a guy. I agree that Artest would have helped the rockets more short-term, but I see Ariza as being Battier's eventual replacement and hopefully playing along side a 2 who compliments his skills.
Haha. That's pretty funny. Kelly is a dude. Honest mistake though, I suppose. I'm not expecting Ariza to do big things for us this year, but hopefully a year from now we'll be talking about how well he will fit in with our new core of star players. Don't see Artest and Kobe meshing too well, either. Kobe needs a bunch of gutless pawns around him so he can act like he's some glorious leader and decide when he should give them the ball. Artest isn't going to like it if Kobe b****es at him on the sidelines like he did with Gasol.
Dwyer also is dead wrong about no one wanting TMac's contract, the team wouldn't be paying most of his salary if he isn't playing as it is covered by the insurance.. Anyway, I think Ron will not fit in LA and I hope Ariza can develop into a very solid player.. Let's hope Ron creates some chaos in LA
I agree with all the points, except that it wasnt a good deal for Houston. As we all know, we are in a temporary rebuilding stage. Signing an older player like Ron would be dumb for us. And while Ariza lacks the ability to create for himself, he may not do well this year, but once we start building our team up more and get players who can create, he will be valuable. This is a long term investment, not a quick fix. Would anyone else be surprised if LA looked to trade Ron mid season?
I am very surprised the Lakers went with Artest. I honestly think it was to give them more attitude and a bad-ass swagger - toughness, because Phil and Kobe felt they were a bit mentally weak. To make Artest the guy who lets Kobe focus more on offense since he's getting older and letting Artest take the tougher defensive match-up. The thinking here being that Kobe's Offensive skill will more than make up for what a Brandon Roy can do against a very physical Artest. It's a gamble. Arize is not a playmaker. But neither was Von Wafer and for Rick Adelman, neither was Peja. That's not his role in my eyes, and I can't see that is what is expected of him. I hope not. What he brings is athleticism, defense, and shooting. He's an upgrade over Von Wafer, and that's really who he is replacing. He's going to get to start because T-mac is out. You have to look at the situation, signing Ron Artest made no sense without a healthy Yao. Ron by himself wasn't going to help his teammates - he's not the main guy, he needs to be 3rd fiddle at best. And he had a year he was in control, but that's no guarantee for the future. He's also getting older, and with age skills decline and injuries mount. Ariza is a smart move. Not necessarily short-term, but long-term. Don't expect the world from him, but he will make a solid role-player and again, and upgrade over Von.
I think the Rockets have more to gain from the swap than the Lakers. By next year, Ron-Ron will be step slower, and something tells me he won't compensate for that by becoming a *smarter* defensive player. In related news, I found this on ESPN.com: Ron always keeps things poppin', doesn't he?
i seen kelly dwyer and he is a girl and he was in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies and then the baby looked at me.
I agree most what Kelly Dwyer said. ron is better for Rockets. But I also think Ron will help lakers more. lakers is much better now.
I don't surprise at all. Ron is like Denis Rodman. Only the true contenders will interest in him and they can get him at barginning price.
