-Ron Artest as a willing and interested free agent target for both Greek powerhouses this summer, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, granted he does not find a superior NBA offer on the free agent market. http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Reebok-Eurocamp-Day-Two-3251/
Pretty much ANY player will leave overseas if someone throws enough money at them. NBA is not a place where people play basketball out of genuine love and excitement anymore. It is simply a place where greedy, egotistical, money hungering kids stay.
Can you imagine Ron going into the stands in Europe with some of those insane crowds? The whole city would be burnt down. As for reality, I can't see him going overseas at all. Likely just a threat to help him get paid. He needs the NBA like a fish needs water.
LOL, yeah there's that too. Ron's agent might want to ask Boki and Pargo how the "extra money" worked out for them. But then again, the article did mention "Olympiacos and Panathinaikos" -- I assume two of the more stable teams overseas.
I don't know about that. Of course money is the biggest thing, but I think almost everybody rather play in the NBA if given a choice. Players like Bonzi Wells go overseas because: 1. Nobody in the NBA wants them 2. If they do, they are not offering nearly as much money 3. They can probably average 50ppg game in some oversease league
Meh...any player that has an agent worth paying would keep the door open to euro teams. Would a Player choose to lose a year in Europe to prove his point? Ron is a lil crazy so I wouldn't put it past him. I think it would take a despicable offer in free agency to do that though. If he could only get 6 million per that would send him off to Europe.
Artest has little to no leverage this off-season. It would be interesting to find out if even the Greek crowds are too crazy for him. Apparently, it's normal for home crowds to throw coins, beer, spit on the visiting team's players.
He knows the Rockets aren't going to offer him much of a raise. The teams with salary cap money probably won't be offering him a premium to force the Rockets to go higher. So, the only other gambit is to hope a foreign league can force the price up. I doubt that works either. Fortunately for us, Artest doesn't have the leverage to be overpaid.
I could see Ron staying in Houston for if the Rockets get a few more players to make this team a championship team. If we picked up those few players we are missing, he may even sign for less just to get that ring.
Nothing would make me happier than seeing Ron-Ron in Greece next year playing along-side VSPAN. Those two are a shooting match made in heaven. I think VSPAN might actually beat Ron in a 3 point shooting contest....gulp!
if you ask any NBA player if they would play in Europe if the money was there, they would all say Yes. i wonder where draftexprees gets their source from?
Can't see Ron playing for anything other than a NBA team, sorry but Ron is no "sell out". He don't need the money that bad!
I would love to see him in one of those brawls that erupt during that super lame-o sport called soccer.
