Lakers, Heat, & Mavericks leading Ron Artest sweepstakes

July 21 08

Right now, most NBA GMs are scouring free agent lists in search of a bargain. They’re consumed with signing that cheap veteran or finding a diamond-in-the-rough rookie. Recently, the suits took a break from discount shopping to call Sacramento GM Geoff Petrie and inquire about the controversial Ron Artest.

Artest, of course, has more baggage than LAX and JFK combined. And recently he decided against opting-out the final year of his 8 million dollar contract and becoming an unrestricted free agent, even though he’d earn more money and be free to pick his future team.

The forward soon realized he misjudged the free agent market and, out of frustration, complained to reporters about his decision. This created the Artest sweepstakes, where several teams blitzed the Kings with trade proposals.

Complicating things is Sacramento’s demand that Kenny Thomas’ nine million dollar per season contract be part of any Artest trade. Sorting through the rumors, it seems the Lakers, Heat, and Mavericks have the most interest in the lockdown defender and are front-runners for his services.

A few weeks back, Los Angeles offered Lamar Odom for Artest straight (the details were covered brilliantly by my HoopsVibe colleague Chris Sells). But according to Sam Amico of probasketballnews.com, the Lakers are no longer keen on assuming Thomas’ contract, while the Kings want more than Odom in return.

Out east, Miami, specifically oil-slick Riley, has been linked to the forward. Word is the Heat offered Shawn Marion’s expiring deal, but the Sacramento Bee reported that the club balked at assuming Thomas’ big-ticket contract.

Then there is Team Cuban. Would Dallas part with a younger Josh Howard for Artest? Howard, after his Cheech-and-Chong confessions, is available and new Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle got results from Artest in Indiana until the infamous Malice in The Palace incident.

The summer sweepstakes will continue. Like everything else with Artest, unravelling his most
recent situation won’t be easy.

Where will Artest end up? The Lakers? The Heat? Or the Mavericks? Get at us in the comment box below with your thoughts and click here to read HoopsVibe The Blog. Photo courtesy of El J Guapo.

18 Comments: Lakers, Heat, & Mavericks leading Ron Artest sweepstakes

Posted by
ODOM WALL
on 07.27.2008

GET RID OF ODOM.....NOW .

Posted by
bob
on 07.27.2008

artest shouldent go to LA. my reason is this... if artest goes to LA he will be on the court with kobe and pau. kobe just wants to be the mvp every year he plays, so if artest comes that is just one more good player on the lakers. the better the team around kobe is the less points he scores, the less points he scores, the more unhappy he is, and we all know what happens when kobe is unhappy. he demands a trade. and if he gets traded tha lakers are just going downhill and wont see the finals for a while. .

Posted by
Chris
on 07.25.2008

Kwame Brown would be a good addition as a bench player. He could play PF off the bench and also back up Bynum in case Mihm isn’t cutting it as back up center. There is no way the Kings will let Artest go for Walton and Radmonovic. .

Posted by
Matt "Blum" Blum
on 07.25.2008

I like the trade for Artest, i love lamar but if we can get artest i think that we will be (if we stay healthy) NBA champions. If there is a way to get artrest without trading odem then id love that. like Farmar, Vlad, First rd pick, and walton or sasha .

Posted by

on 07.25.2008

How about....Artest for Walton Radmanovic and a future 1st round pick... and then sign kwame brown for a minimum contract. .

Posted by
Chris
on 07.24.2008

With Pau and Bynum all season, Lakers likely get home court advantage in the finals with or without Artest. With Bynum playing, home court, Odom and Ariza guarding Pierce (instead of Radmonovic and Walton) they likely win it. They still need a backup PF and Kenny Thomas could replace Turiaf. He is overpaid but Artest is underpaid. Either way, Lakers are favorites. They must get a back up for Pau though. .

Posted by
ronh
on 07.23.2008

i would trade odom and radmonovic for artest and kenny thomas. with bynum back the lakers would become more of a defensive team and could win about 3 titles. .

Posted by

on 07.23.2008

Artest for odom would be a deal Kobe Bryant would do as GM - he would also have done Bynum, odom, kwame for JO. Vlad Rad + Coby Karl, farmar for Artest is a good deal. Odom is far better than artest, all artest can do is play Defense, and go into the stands. .

Posted by
MVP24
on 07.22.2008

Artest 2 lakers would be great! Yea celtics aint nothin with out the glue! They tryin 2 replace him with deveon george plz! Lakers twin towers- pau & andrew the giant gonna dominate! Just being realistic if they land artest! Watch out! .

Posted by

on 07.22.2008

"This would be a perfect fit for the Lakers at the small forward position. Lamar could move back up to PF to backup Pau. ..."thank you KEVIN, for showing everyone how dumb lakers fans are.. the whole premise of that trade was that odom would be traded for artest (and probably k. thomas bcuz of his ridiculously bad contract), so in fact, odom would be gone and NOT backing up pau in the 4 position.. think b4 u write buddy .

Posted by
Kings Fan for Life
on 07.22.2008

All 3 Teams are Looking for a Bargian and I Say Sacramento should Keep Ron Artest. No Team is Willing to Trade Talent for Talent. Kenny Thomas is a Good Player. He just don’t Fit into the Kings System. as Far as Ron Artest these GM are trying to get Him Cheap but Petrie is all Over it. An’t going to Happen Unless Petrie Likes the Deal. Ron Artest is Our Best Player. .

Posted by
Bobby
on 07.22.2008

I think that if Ron Artest came to the Lakers it would fit perfectly in the Offensive system with Bynum at Center and Pau at Power Forward, Although Lamar Odom is a good player, and not to mention my favorite player in the NBA, it’s sad to say this but its best for my Lakers to win the Championship. .

Posted by

on 07.21.2008

he should go 2 LA cuz lakers is a championship contender .

Posted by
LAKER’S #1 FAN OUT OF NEW YORK
on 07.21.2008

trade odom and V Rad for artest and thomas. + thomas can give us 10 good min of the bench and Ron we all know what he can do on the court and off the court kobe and Dr phil are ther to help him out. GO LAKERS TITLE 2008/09 .

Posted by
Kevin
on 07.21.2008

This would be a perfect fit for the Lakers at the small forward position. Lamar could move back up to PF to backup Pau. Celtics will NOT be champions, after losing James Posey, and a year older 30 + big three. THe Lakers are the favorites with Andrew Bynum returning. Lakers all the way -Kevin .

Posted by
O.Sandor
on 07.21.2008

Interesting debate here: If the Lakers get Artest for Odom, then are they better than the celtics and the favorite to win the NBA Title? Get at us with your thoughts in the comment box below. .

Posted by
You got nothing on Red Auerbach
on 07.21.2008

What? The Lakers with or without Artest aren’t better than the Celtics. Go To Hell Laker fans. .

Posted by
P&G For Life
on 07.21.2008

I would Love to Artest in L.A.. He would improve our forward line even more and then we’d be even better than every team-including those patheitc Celtics. Purple and Gold For LIFE ... come on over Celtics. For the record, Artest is a superstar , too ; when focused he is in the Cla-------of Kobe and so many other great players. Out like the Celtics will be without an NBA Title next year. .

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Daily take on NBA Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More

Lakers, Heat, & Mavericks leading Ron Artest sweepstakes

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