Source: Artest Looks to be Bound for L.A.

Looking at the posts, it seems like Lamar isn't gonna be traded. Then its only gonna be George for Artest and Rose? It seems pretty unlikey, but like CkAsolo said, anything can happen. But i'm still having doubts that this trade won't happen. Just think about it, we have Cupcake as our GM, he hasn't pulled off one good deal over the summer. So i can only hope. If we get this deal done then i'm thinkin' about WFC ;].

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jumpman:</div><div class="quote_post">Looking at the posts, it seems like Lamar isn't gonna be traded. Then its only gonna be George for Artest and Rose? It seems pretty unlikey, but like CkAsolo said, anything can happen. But i'm still having doubts that this trade won't happen. Just think about it, we have Cupcake as our GM, he hasn't pulled off one good deal over the summer. So i can only hope. If we get this deal done then i'm thinkin' about WFC ;].</div>

He brough smush , but besides that yeah he hasnt done a good job.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting YourNewChef:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't think Odom is leaving....
http://www2.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archive..._staying_in_la/</div>

Bah, I hope they lied to him.

 

Man some deal needs to fall through, it's been days since a Artets update has been announced from anyone!

 

damn i think the deal is dead now....

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">Was it ever really alive? Lakers wouldnt give up Odom and no way in hell the Pacers only take Devean George. Just some small name reporter trying to get his name out.</div>

I think that the deal was once very legit but, the Pacers had many offers to consider and are finding the right deal for them.

 

Long time no see... ClubLakers is the place to be

Anyways, Artest to LA most likely will not be done unless we give up odom, well... id love to see odom go but i feel mitch would have to go over phils head with this deal, and its not likely.

Unless we land a miracle 3 or even a blockbuster 4 way deal... artest will NOT be a laker and we will have to deal with odom as is.

Good day sir.

 

Another week has gone by and Ron Artest remains with the Indiana Pacers. The Los Angeles Lakers' losing streak has extended to four straight and the team will be visiting the Utah Jazz Tuesday without Kobe Bryant once again, who will be finishing his suspension for an elbow thrown to the neck of the Memphis Grizzlies' Mike Miller.

The Lakers are back at .500, squandering what was an extremely strong start to the month of December. The Lakers look good enough to compete for a low playoff seeding, but nowhere near capable of unseating a top seed in the first round. Certainly there have been injuries (Laron Profit, Aaron McKie and Slava Medvedenko are out long term . . . Kwame Brown and Luke Walton have all missed stretches), but the Lakers are a team lacking balance and consistency.

They need to upgrade the roster.

They need to upgrade the roster now, not in 2007.

They need Ron Artest.

Although the Pacers' asking price for Artest is Lamar Odom, his market value is Michael Olowokandi. If the Lakers were tempted to include Odom early in the negotiation, he quickly was taken off the table when no true suitor emerged for the controversial forward.

"Team chemistry is one of the hardest things to accomplish in this league," said one NBA executive (not associated with the Lakers). "Why [mess] it up?"

Although Artest's talent is undeniable, his impact in the locker room is an unknown. From the fiasco in Detroit to the recent trade demand, not every general manager or coach appears willing to put their job on the line, taking such a risk on a player who could prove to be more problem than solution.

The resulting soft market has produced no glamorous offers. The Indiana Pacers are faced with the prospect of sitting Artest all season or trading him for considerably less than matching talent.

This wouldn't be the first time a player gets moved for less than equal value (see the Vince Carter, Baron Davis, Chris Webber and Shaquille O'Neal trades . . . ).

Though the Pacers may have a number of offers, the front-runner according to widespread media speculation has been the Denver Nuggets, who would send forwardcenter Nene along with either Earl Watson or Voshon Lenard. Acquiring Nene, a restricted free agent this summer, could mean a long term commitment to a player coming off a serious knee injury. Considering the Denver offer has been said to be on the table from day one, it surely would have been triggered by now if Indiana viewed Nene as a plausible option.

The Minnesota Timberwolves won't be able to unload the long term contract of Wally Szczerbiak on the Pacers despite how well he's been playing this year. Is Rashad McCants along with Olowokandi equal value for Artest?

The Golden State Warriors have a lot of nice young pieces but they won't move Ike Diogu. The recent buzz has the Warriors setting their sights on a player like Paul Pierce over the riskier Artest.

The Memphis Grizzlies need a starting point guard after losing Damon Stoudamire for the season. Although Pacer Anthony Johnson could be had, he's not a starter and he has three years left on his contract. Shane Battier is the Grizzlies' most marketable player and few contracts are an obvious match for the Pacers. Though GM Jerry West is said to have some interest, there isn't an obvious deal for the two franchises.

The Los Angeles Clippers, once thought to be front-runners, won't give up Corey Maggette. They don't have anyone to throw in with Chris Wilcox to match salary.

The list of options for the Pacers has gotten shorter and shorter.

Then there's the Lakers and Lamar Odom. In recent days the team has displayed a unified front in affirming that Odom is not available for Artest. Be it comments from Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant or an unnamed spokesman to the Los Angeles Times, the message has been uniform.

Were this a circumstance where talent was being traded for talent, the Lakers would indeed be out; however the Pacers may be forced to settle for a mix of lesser talent, prospects and cap relief.

The Lakers are one of the few teams who can offer the Pacers such a package.

The Lakers have two respectable big men in Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. They have a pair of players with expiring contracts in Devean George and Slava Medvedenko. They have a coach who can handle Artest's idiosyncrasies. They have a team that needs a second scorer. They have a team that needs to improve defensively.

They have a team that needs Ron Artest.

The Lakers need to abandon what's left of the 2007 cap space plan. They need to take on the unsightly contracts the Pacers want to dump.

With the right package, the Lakers can get it done.

Even Peter Vecsey of the New York Post, who is said to have a long relationship with the Pacers' General Manager Donnie Walsh, writes in his column that the Lakers may be able to snare Artest with a package of "draft picks, expiring contracts, etc." This is a dramatic reversal from his previous stance that Odom was the Lakers "only means of obtaining Tru Warier."

Vecsey also mentions the Phoenix Suns as a possible trade partner with the desire for another shooter. Armed with a $3.6 million trade exception, could the Suns actually consider helping a division rival? Don't forget they gave the Lakers a pretty nice piece a few years ago (Robert Horry for Cedric Ceballos).

Whether Vecsey is speculating, exaggerating or somewhat misinformed remains to be seen. Certainly his recent allegations regarding the tiff between Odom and Kobe Bryant is an example of that . . .

Whatever the truth may be, the Lakers need to find the package that will get it done. There should be no need to touch the core players of Bryant, Odom and Andrew Bynum. But if the Lakers need to give up on a young player or two to land Artest, so be it.

This is nothing but speculation, but the following is a package all teams should consider. Do not take this as more than advice. This is not a rumor.

Assuming Vecsey's information to be true, the Lakers have one high quality shooter they can part with. Forward Brian Cook has had success against the Suns. He is young, cheap and will be difficult for the Lakers to include in the 2007 plan should they stay that course. He would fit in perfectly with the Suns' open court style. He'd be an ideal partner to run the pick and pop with Steve Nash.

The Suns have a pair of draft picks in 2006, their own and oddly enough the Lakers as well (from LA to Boston to Atlanta to Phoenix through a litany of previous trades, dependent on lottery protections). Laker GM Mitch Kupchak needs to get them to ante up one of their two picks for Cook (whichever pick is lower should suffice).

Armed with the Miami 2006 pick (from the O'Neal trade) and the Suns' (or Lakers') pick, the Lakers need to send Kwame Brown, Devean George and Slava Medvedenko in a package to Indiana. Although Brown has not thrived as hoped in Los Angeles, he is a young, talented seven footer who the Pacers had designs on in the off-season. The triangle offense does not seem to be an ideal fit for Brown and he has proven to be a better center than power forward.

George is a playoff experienced veteran, capable defender and athletic shooter. Medvedenko is recovering from a back injury and could be considered salary ballast.

Now the Lakers need to provide the Pacers with the necessary cap relief to make such a deal as equitable as possible. Forward Austin Croshere has a relatively short, but bloated contract through 2007. Point guard Anthony Johnson is reasonably paid, but his contract runs through 2008. No other team in the league is willing to take both contracts off the Pacers' hands. The Lakers must take advantage . . .

To summarize:

The Phoenix Suns get Brian Cook

The Los Angeles Lakers get Ron Artest, Austin Croshere and Anthony Johnson

The Indiana Pacers get Kwame Brown, Devean George, Slava Medvedenko, the 2006 Miami pick and the 2006 LakersPhoenix pick (whichever is lower). The Pacers would also attain a trade exception near $2.8 million.

Such a move will put the Pacers well under the luxury tax threshold (upon Jonathan Bender's impending retirement). It would also save the team over $11.5 million in savings next season, which would give the team the financial flexibility to retain Fred Jones and Devean George should they so desire. Brown showed an ability to body Shaquille O'Neal defensively. Two additional first round picks could give them additional leverage to make other moves.

The Suns would get their shooter.

The Lakers would get the boost they desperately need. It'd be difficult to give up Cook and George after their years' of service, but both don't seem part of the current plan that includes waiting until the summer of 2007 before the Lakers make a major improvement. For those still attached to the (far-fetched) hope that LeBron James or Chris Bosh will one day be Lakers, there's always 2008 . . .

Landing Artest improves the Lakers now. They would be thin up front but Ronny Turiaf is near ready to begin his NBA career (after heart surgery no less). The team would lack a veteran backup center, but rookie Andrew Bynum can ratchet his minutes up slightly. Let Phil Jackson figure out the rotation.

The Bottom Line
Only the Pacers truly know what an acceptable package is for Artest. Whatever that is, Mitch Kupchak needs to oblige without giving up any of the Laker core pieces. Offer young talent, draft picks and take on the contracts no one else will touch.

Find the right mix and get a deal done.

Upon trading Shaquille O'Neal, it seemed the Lakers didn't receive enough for the former MVP. The Lakers got some nice pieces but didn't even receive an All-Star in return for one of the most dominant players of all-time.

How about Shaquille O'Neal for Lamar Odom and Ron Artest?

Not bad . . .

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_15563.shtml

Come on Bitch Kuptchak! We believe in you! Sike...

 

that was a great article, at first I thought you wrote it, thanks.

I agree, hopefully we don't mess this up, Artest will be the final piece to the puzzle for this Laker team.

 

I find it unlikely the Suns would want use their trade exception and a first rounder for Cook. They have quite a few good shooters and athletic forwards already.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Buckets:</div><div class="quote_post">I love Jalen to death and I hope he does get shipped to LA, them being one of my favorite teams and all, but I doubt this will happen. 1) Cap Reasons, 2) Why would the raptors do this deal if they werent recieving anything useful its not like Isiah's there GM.</div>

cuz jalen sucks and hes getting payed all star dollars

 

is this ever going to happen? seems that we keep talking about this and then bam!! it never happens................

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dtpxcore:</div><div class="quote_post">is this ever going to happen? seems that we keep talking about this and then bam!! it never happens................</div>
yeah, just like in the off season with the pacers. we were supposed to get bender and a first round draft pick. lol. guess that never happened. and there were also some sources that said the deal was finalized. the bottom line is, never get too excited after reading an article, because most of the times, nothing will happen.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">According to BSPN, the Warriors are now the frontrunners for Artest. They would be giving up Pietrus & Murphy. Unless the Lakers give up Odom or Bynum we are out of the running.</div>

I will march to Jerry Buss if we ever have to give up Bynum! Odom is crap and so is Kwame. They have no feel for the game what so ever. Trade the whole damn team for all I care. Just dont touch Kobe & Bynum! The Golden State Warriors have a lot of nice young pieces but they won't move Ike Diogu or Troy Murphy. The recent buzz has the Warriors setting their sights on a player like Paul Pierce over the riskier Ron Artest.

Why In gods green hell does PJax want to keep odom.

 

I don't know why the hell the Lakers won't trade Odom....like I know they have years of experience in the game over us fans...but it doesn't take an expert to see the inconsistent play that Odom gives this team.

They have to think of clutch, pressure situations... Do you think Odom is going to step up big? Pippen had a fire comprable to Jordans, they pushed eachother in practice- both making the other better....I don't see Odom doing that. I don't see Odom attacking an opponent with a do or die mentality. Artest has that. That's what the team needs in the playoffs. That and the fact that Artest plays defense. Oh- and the fact that he's crazy? That fires up teams...having another player besides Kobe pumping up the troops is invaluable to a playoff team. Ron artest is that guy.

When Kobe goes out- I go get something out of the fridge- and not because I'm a frontrunner and only want to watch Kobe, but because I know that I'm about to see some painful basketball. With Artest, I'd definately stick around to watch that. Artest is one of the most fun players to watch in the League, he would put fans back in the seats- sell crazy Jerseys, and make the Lakers a formidable competitor once again.

*Last thing- is there any team thats gonna trade for Artest? Every single "frontrunner" in the Ron Artest sweepstakes seems to be falling out of it...Denver, LA, Minnesota, Warriors...

 

Lakers gotta to trade Odom he doesn't know how to play aggressively like a Shawn Marion or Pippen back in the days. Pippen used to dunk over everyone and was scared of nothing.

 

Odom will not be a Scottie Pippen ever..Scottie had awsome defense and was able to step up his game in clutch situations......the Lakers actually gave us hope but now 15-16 I'm pretty sure Jerry Buss is considering a lot of things he does not want to have a second consecutive loosig season.