Knowing what we know, would you want Artest on your team?

If JVG and group thought they could get through to him, sure, why not. He is a talent.

If the cost is real low, sure, why not. He is a talent.

Why not is knowing who a team can count on, game after game, year after year. Who actually believes that 20% of the starting line up should be of that level of concern?

I love Camby's game. He'd be a great piece here. But, at what cost? He's a good guy, but fragile as tissue paper.

So, no, I don't want Camby and I don't want Artest. Where's the 'trust' coming from on either 'problem'?

 

I'd be willing to take Artest provided that we either keep Jim Jackson as "insurance" or get another SF who can start (if not star). Otherwise, we could find ourselves with either Boki (assuming he's resigned) or Bowen starting at SF next year. And that's way too much of a risk.

Interstingly enough, Jim Jackson was traded from Portland to Atlanta with J.R. Rider because Atlanta wanted insurance in case J.R. went nuts again. Sure enough - he did. I think we should be equally smart if we try to trade for Artest.

Out of curiosity, when is Artest's current contract set to end? Is it possible that Indiana will try to buy him out this season?

 

I'd even give them JJ and Mo or JJ and Howard. I am not sure the Rockets could control him...also, I don't have my mind made up 100 % about this. But somehow, he just strikes me as crazy/insane...not as a "bad person"...I don't know Sprewell, but he seems more like a "bad person" to me. JVG apparently got along very well with Sprewell...so maybe that could be an indication that he could somehow handle Artest ("you cannot stop him, you can just hop to contain him "). If Artest was really a "bad person", I wouldn't want him on the Rockets either. Somehow I am more inclined to "forgive" a crazy person than a bad person...because it seems like the crazy person has less control over what he is doing. I can't say that the good things will outweigh the bad things. I'm just the kind of person that likes to take a gamble, even if I am very unsure of the outcome.

 

Rodman is also crazy, but I think he is a little more clever than Artest...does anyone remember the series where Frank Bricklayerkowski from the Sonics kept trying to get under Rodman's skin...didn't work.

 

I don't think so, because I think that while the other players will NEVER say anything against Ron Artest, they were tired of his act a long time ago. They would like nothing else than to be sucessful WITHOUT Artest. That would also send a message to him, should he come back next year.

Recall that they had a shot to beat the Pistons last year with Jermaine O'Neal and Jamal Tinsley each playing on one leg.

They can be good enough the second half of the season to get back to 0.500 and make the playoffs with everyone but Artest. They may go 4-21 over these next 25 games though.

What hurts even more than losing arguable the 3 best players, is that perhaps the next 5 best players-- Tinsley, Bender, Miller, Anthony Johnson, Jeff Foster-- are injured and non will return for WEEKS. So guys like Bender amd Pollard have to heal and play very well.

This current roster is truly guys 9-15. An undrafted free agent rookie is 6th man.

If Carlisle can even make the playoffs, he deserves coach of the millenium.

 

codell,

I agree with everything you said in the original post. There are some guys I just can't root for. Artest is one of them.

 

Probably...but O'Neal wasn't exactly being a saint in the whole fracas either...

 

I voted Other. I would consider taking him if it seemed like he has changed, like a Sheed in Detroit or Jason Williams in Memphis... but so far Artest hasn't seemed apologetic (it's still very early since the whole incident though). No team, or coach, can control him until he decides to change himself around. So until he decides to change himself, I say, keep him away from my team. If he decides to change himself like Eddie Griffin has said, then I would give him another chance but pay him pennies to the dollar.

 

I'd take Artest.

he reminds of a guy with lots of fire. Granted Vernon had a better control of his temper.

Also, notice how he only got 10 days instead of the whole season. Vernon was justified, that dude was insulting his family. Also no fans attempted to attack Vernon cause he was so OG.

 

It is probably a good time to buy a stock when it is falling hard to near bottom. So I say Yes, only if it costs a little.

Remember the incident that Spree choked P.J. Carlesimo? Everyone think he was a disaster, a cancer back then. JVG and Knicks took the gamble and it paid off big. He became the major factor for Knicks making into the final in that year and one of the cornerstones for next several seasons.

I believe these kinds of lessons makes player mature. Remember, Artest is still young. 25 years old that is? He could change and deserves a chance. Moreover, he is two times talented than Spree IMO.

Take a chance.

 

I'd take him for pennies on the dollar. I absolutely love his game and I feel eventually he'll mature. I don't think his problem is that he's a bad person, I just think he's immature and not all that bright. When I think of Artest, I always think of Forrest Gump on steroids.

 

Artest is a very good player, period...

Does he have issues, yes, but I'd be willing to bet when he comes back he'd try to prove he's a changed man...

 

Based on what? Its not like this is the first time he`s gotten into trouble.

 

Eddie Griffin.

 

I voted other as well. The biggest stipulation I have is to have a therapy/rage management/counselor team (like one we SHOULD have had for Eddie) in place before I even START talking about trading for Artest. Honestly, I'd ask for Artest and 2nd rounder for this year for JJ and Howard. That may be pennies on the dollar or premium, whatever, I don't know.

The point is, we would HAVE to have the personnel in place to take care of an Artest character. ESPN just ran a spot on Sportscenter where Artest's former St John's coach came on and said he thinks that there was more support group type people for Artest in college than in NBA. Sure he's a grown man, but everyone needs help now and then.

 

Ron Artest is a great player. The Rockets only have 2 of those on their roster right now, and I'd give anything besides those 2 to get him.

The fact is that Ron Artest's behavior was not particularly reprehensible Friday night. He was rather restrained, and what escalated the situation more than anything else was his idiot teammate Stephen Jackson jumping into the fray and going crazy.

I've got to believe that when Ron Artest ran into the stands, what he was really expecting was that he'd shove the guy that he thought threw the beer at him, maybe slap him around a little bit. Teach him a lesson that he's not untouchable and that his actions have repercussions. Just because you pay big money for those tickets doesn't mean you can disrespect a player like that. Then his teammates would grab him and pull him away before he had a chance to do anything crazy. That's what you could expect from most professional athletes(i.e., you'd figure that your teammates would pull you out of a situation like that), and to their credit, there were a couple of Pacers players who tried to do that.

But then Stephen Jackson comes flying in and throwing haymakers left and right and then all hell breaks loose. Jermaine O'Neal doesn't control himself, either.

So my point is that Ron Artest needs to be surrounded by more responsible and mature teammates who could be a good influence on him. With that, I think he's an All Star and MVP candidate. With his current teammates, he's a thug.

 

I'd take Artest, I like him as a player and he does good for the community/charity. All he needs is more direction, he did good last year... I think with a coach like JVG will only make him better.. besides.. he's a defensive minded player.

FREE ARTEST and send him to Htown!