If the Rox does manage to get Artest, maybe they should consider hiring a full-time psychologist whose only job is to calm Artest down. This might actually work if you look at how Phil Jackson was able to handle Dennis Rodman and the fact that Phil Jackson has a psychology degree. =)
I agree with the posters who say that Artest could be the difference between contending. I agree with the Mad Max comparisons. I also agree with the posters who think that JVG has had proven experience turning headcases like this into productive team players. My thought is, if Van Gundy wants him, I'm sold. If he doesn't, we are probably better off without him. I think he is probably a better judge that we are of any likely outsome of putting him in a Rockets uniform. I don't think any of us want Ron Artest quitting on the Rockets mid-season to promote his rap career. That said, out team is pretty mature. Not just in terms of average age, the current roster of Rockets seem like a pretty mentally stable group for pro athletes. It would seem well worth the risk to pull the trigger on this if we can.
Wow, just wow. Artest? Impossible, but oh so lovely. There are very few players I'd rather have on the Rox with Tmac and Yao. Not even Elton Brand, Tyson Chandler, AK47, or Steve Nash. The "P" word for Artest is not potential, but performance. He has proven himself to be one of the best, if not THE best, defensive players in the league. We'd be the best defensive team in the league, bar none. I don't care if he's crazy. Just do it if you can.
An Artest addition to the Rockets certainly would be interesting. Talking just about "on court" stuff, Artest would be dynamite on the Rockets. He would be our shut down defender (ala Bowen, Prince) and at the same time would be our 3rd scorer. JVG wants "pit bulls" to surround Tmac and Yao? I think Artest qualifies. I think Artest would make a HUGE impact on this team. And I think JVG is the type of coach that would work well with Artest much like how JVG got along with Sprewell. Still, Artest would be a big gamble! Big Risk....but potentially Big Reward. But the reality is, I dont see us having the assets to make it work. My feeling from Indy is that they are willing to move Artest, but arent at the point where they will take substanially less talent to do so. I dont think cap savings is enough value to them. If they move Artest they are going to want to get some talent in return. I dont think our expiring contracts plus 1st rounders to take Artest and Indy cap albatrosses is what Indy has in mind if they move Artest.
I'd love to have Artest, but I am more interested in bringing in someone who can guard KG, Duncan, and Amare than I am in someone who can guard a 2 or 3. TMAC can guard any 2 or 3.
Artest lost $5.6M last year from Stern's suspension + any playoff money. The guy is also walking on thin ice. The league will be watching him like a hawk and lengthy suspensions will follow any infraction. JVG brought on Sprewell after choking PJ Carlisimo so he isn't afraid to take on nut jobs. Interesting that NIKE thinks we'd have to take on BOTH Bender & Croshere's contracts AND give up two #1 picks. I guess it depends on the competition for Artest. I have no problem giving up 2 #1s but take on Bender as well! If we did this we would have about 66M committed to 8 players in 06/07. If the Luxury tax only kicks in at 70M then go for it!
Artest for spare parts seems irrresistable. On the other hand, remember how easily we ignored/explained away Eddie Griffin's combative history. That certainly worked out well for us.
Forget this Artest stuff, it won't happen. The Rockets have a product...they aren't going to risk damaging their image. Do you think any team in the league really wants to trade for Ron Artest? Think of the public backlash against having him come here, the scrutiny he will be under. Consider the BUSINESS RISK he presents. The guy is one screw-up away from being BANNED from the league. Imagine how badly that would blow-up in Les Alexander's face. Trading for Ron Artest might make Houston a better team, a contender even. But it could also turn out disastrous. Les has too many other options with less risk to be stupid enough to get Artest. You just don't take risks like that when you don't have to. You take ones that can be mitigated...
Please get him Juwon and Padgett maybe throw Spoon in and could work they give us Artest and soomeone else. JVG get it done.
If we had Artest next to Yao, how much do you think Yao would be getting roughed up and cheap shotted?
I've never thought of Sprewell as a bad guy. I think he is a little of a headcase, with poor judgement, but the Carlisle incident seems like an isolated one. I don't think JVG has ever really handled a full blown psycho like Artest. Artest's behavior is chronic, and if the late night Detroit bus incident is true, are still very much on the surface. The guy has no idea he is crazy... which is the definition of crazy. He is stupid and dangerous. I would draw the line at a risk like that. I prefer to have a team that behaves itself... I even thought the silly hand symbols were an unecessary (an in retrospect a very premature) taunt against Dallas during the playoffs. I don't give a cr*p if it sells more tickets. We've already been burned badly by Griffin recently, and I don't want to see that happen again. "Stay humble, stay hungry."
Forget Joe Johnson and Stackhouse, at a Herculian but mobile 6'8, 250 lbs. you put him at the '4' in the playoffs on Amare Stoudemire and Dirk Nowitzki and take them out of the game. Yao and McGrady suddenly have the energy to drop 30+ in their respective matchups. With Artest, you don't need to get a defender at the '4' anymore because Ron changes the complexity of the game. This is the same guy who said he was going to play defense in the All-Star game...in a JVG coached defense. FWIW, I was watching an old All-Star game, I forget the year, but the TNT commentators were talking about Artest. I think this was shortly after he threw that TV. They were talking about JVG and said he said that despite Ron's problems, he would take 12 Artest's on his team anyday. Now I know since then he's started the largest brawl in the history of professional basketball, but you have to wonder. We don't have enough to get him anyways, but if we did...man.
I've seen several people say this (or maybe it was just you saying it several times). Sure, if he's a principle in another Detroit brawl type deal, he may be banned. But who said if he did something Francis-esque (kicked a sideline guy, 3 game suspension), he'd get banned? If Stern said it and I missed it, enlighten me. Otherwise, it sounds like the same sort of thing people were saying about Mo Taylor/Lamar Odom (if they get caught again they're banned), which was 100% false. Besides, it's the perfect way for Van Gundy to out-zen Phil Jackson. Jackson took on Rodman. Van Gundy's already done Sprewell and can do Artest. A 7-6 giant under a microscope, a supertalented swingman who admitted to dogging it at one point, and one of the most nuts players in the league. We can offer Indiana the most cap relief of any team in the league, which is certainly something. In the end, I think Indiana holds on to him.
I agree with most of the posters here in that Artest would be awesome in a Rockets uniform but it seems unlikely that the Pacers would give him up to us for expiring contracts. Its nice to think about it though.
This past week Redd's agent said the Pacers are in the mix for his services. On the Pacer forums their fans are ready to dump Artest and whatever to get Redd. Of course this is probably just an agent posturing for his client but it does point out that their fans are at least willing to consider trading him. The other thing I noticed was that Artest was the first person considered for trade bait. If their fans are ready deal him maybe management would too.
