Artest to Lakers?

i think artest is a better addition for the lakers than he would have been for the cavs(because of the coaches), but he can't replace odom and ariza. if odom comes back, maybe they can make it work but i have my doubts as to how much artest really helps a team going for a championship.

and if the lakers give him more than a one year deal, it just isn't worth the risk.

 

I might be way off base but I don't think Artest really wants to be the offense guy. I thought he started pressing when they fell behind and tried take the team on his shoulders when he really can't. Kobe and Ron would be an incredible defensive duo (as long as he knows Kobe is The Man).

 

the worst thing portland could do is feel they have to do something huge to counter the moves other teams are making. that's how kidd got to dallas and shaq got to phoenix.

if the blazers sign hedo or whoever, it needs to be because it's the right move for then, not because other teams are making moves.

 

on the pacers when artest was in his prime, he would complain about how he never got enough touches on offense. artest absolutely wants to be the offensive guy. he led the rockets in shot attempts per game during the regular season despite only shooting 40% from the field and having yao ming on his team.

 

I hope this isn't true. If it is, Portland is fucked.

Odom is going to resign with LA. No one else is even talking to him. He likes it there. He is just odd enough to take less money to play somewhere he likes being.

Seriously, what the fuck is going on with LA? How much money do they have to play with? The other contenders in the west keep getting better while Portland dicks around with a 30 year old role player?

I am trying very hard to keep an open mind and positive outlook on this off season, but I am getting a sinking feeling that KP is going to have his first horrid off season of his short career as a GM.

 

I'm torn: Artest played well for the Rockets (better than I thought he would) but still tends to freelance. Does this mean they won't go after Ariza (does it explain why his agent says they're not trying)? Hm - I'd rather have Ron hoisting threes for them then Ariza. Not sure what it means for Odom, though. In theory it doesn't affect him - if they're over the cap, they're using the midlevel on Artest and can resign Odom for the same amount and he should get the same minutes. And who's left out there to offer Odom money? OKC? They wouldn't. Toronto? It doesn't look like he CAN go elsewhere.

 

Actually, believe it or not, they are said to be "tight".

 

He only started to look good on the Rockets after they lost McGrady. That's when they HAD to give him shots. LA doesn't have to do that. The shots for the SF in the triangle seem to be mainly threes. Not a strength for Artest, although that might be news for him.

 

Umm... isn't Ron Artest a 30 years old role player? If anything it looks like we are at least keeping up with the Joneses - but when you consider that Portland is a young team that needs experience and the Lakers are not - it looks like a case where Hedo will do for us more than what Ron Artest is likely to do for them, especially if he gets upset at being unappreciated...

 

Now, more than ever, I hope Portland can pull off a deal for a major talent at PG.

Artest, Bryant, and Odom can really clamp down on an offense. Roy and Turk would have a difficult time I predict.

 

You forgot Aldridge. I think they can hold their own if Artest acts like Artest. (Shooting randomly)

 

artest actually is a pretty good spot up 3 point shooter, he just doesn't seem to like taking spot up 3s. he likes to put the ball on the floor, let the defender rotate to him, and then fade away or something crazy instead of just taking the open shot.

artest definitely played his best after tmac went down, but he would have been even better(and the rockets would probably be trying to keep him) had he not tried to force so much.

 

Yup, exactly. You build the best team you can, you don't make a move simply because other teams are.

If Turkoglu is the player that Pritchard feels is the best choice for the cap money, then LA getting Artest or whatever shouldn't change his mind.

 

Holy shit some of you are overreacting. Ariza is at least the defender Artest is, and probably a better complement to Kobe on offense. Artest is a headcase. This is a decent replacement for Ariza, but by no means is this an improvement over the two-headed Ariza/Odom monster.

 

In general I think Ariza is a better defensive player then Artest. But I am thinking specifically about how the Lakers will play B-Roy. Ariza was better at covering him, but Artest beats the literal shit out of Roy every time they play. I don't want the Lakers to get a guy that physical.

That is also one reason why I wanted Portland to grab Artest. So he wouldn't play opposite Roy for the next few years.

 

roy didn't exactly struggle against artest in the playoffs.

 

I didn't say struggle, but as the series went on you could see Roy getting more and more beat down.

That was from both having to carry the team offensively and Artest beating on him all game long.

Anything that prevents Roy from breaking down in the playoffs is a bonus from my standpoint.

 

Roy was getting beat down because he was doing absolutely everything on the offensive end. I don't care if he was being guarded by J.J. Reddick, that will wear you down quick.

 

Everybody talks about how Artest guarded Roy - he didn't. Battier guarded Roy. Battier also guarded Kobe. That's because Battier is a better defender. Artest's reputation as a lockdown defender is out of date.