<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>It is abundantly clear the Warriors get no respect. They are the only winning team in the NBA not represented at the All-Star Game. Not only was point guard Baron Davis snubbed from an All-Star selection, but shooting guard Kelenna Azubuike was left out of the rookies vs. sophomores game. Forward Stephen Jackson was left out of the 3-point shootout. OK, maybe the last one was justified, since Jackson ranks 81st in the NBA in 3-point shooting among qualified hoisters. But the NBA certainly didn't do all it could to make sure Golden State -- NBA darling less than a year ago and still one of its most exciting teams -- was able to share in the league's spotlight. The Warriors are NBA rebels. Davis is the NBA's least-heralded bona fide star. Jackson is the face of everything that's wrong with the league despite being a rather nice guy and a great teammate -- and a really good player, it turns out. Coach Don Nelson is regarded as a gimmicky mad scientist though he's one of the game's greatest minds. The most recent addition, forward Chris Webber, is hardly as revered as you'd expect from one of the most influential big men of the modern era, having changed the game with his combination of size, skill and athleticism. So, since the Warriors are filling the Rodney Dangerfield role, why not go all out and trade for Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest? Now is a more opportune time than ever. Why? He's available. Here's what he told the Sacramento Bee at Monday's practice: "I just think (the Kings) would be better if I wasn't on the team. I think (Kings coach Reggie Theus) would be doing much better." Wouldn't Artest fit in among this group of disenfranchised and disrespected group of Warriors? Very few Warriors don't have a chip on their shoulder, what with all the players playing for extensions, trying to stay out of the D-League and trying to prove they deserve more playing time. Artest could hit the ground running with the Warriors and their us-against-the-world attitude. More important, Artest fits on the court. Imagine a starting lineup of Davis and Monta Ellis at guard, Artest and Jackson at forward and Webber at center. The Warriors bench would be much deeper and more experienced featuring forwards Al Harrington and Matt Barnes, guards Azubuike and Mickael Pietrus and center Andris Biedrins. They would be a better defensive team, more dangerous on offense and even more fiery. Perhaps more important, they would keep him out of Denver's hands. According to a person familiar with the situation, the Nuggets -- a serious threat to the Warriors' playoff chances -- are the front-runners in the Artest sweepstakes. The Warriors could add Artest even without having to pay a the luxury tax. He's making $7.4 million this season (and next season). They could swap him for Pietrus and center Patrick O'Bryant -- $5.7 million worth of expiring contracts -- and still avoid the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax penalty. Obviously, the NorCal rival Kings don't want to help the Warriors. So it may cost the Warriors a first-round pick or two to make it an offer Sacramento can't refuse. But with rookies Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli, Kosta Perovic and C.J. Watson on the bench -- not to mention Azubuike, in his second-year -- the Warriors need a draft pick like Oprah Winfrey needs spare change. Plus, Artest has an early termination option, which he likely will exercise to become a free agent. So, acquiring him wouldn't dip into the future funds. Even if he didn't opt out, that's a cheap price for a pretty dominant player. The reality is that this band of perceived knuckleheads needs major help to stay afloat in the treacherous Western Conference waters. Warriors management is obviously looking to seize the moment this season -- signing Webber, not extending Davis, Biedrins and Pietrus, giving Barnes a one-year deal and declining to retain the rights of O'Bryant -- before possibly making major changes for the future. The Warriors have nothing to lose in a league that already doesn't venerate them (think about it, perhaps the most electrifying team in the league has zero appearances on network television this season). Not even winning is doing the trick. Why not go all out and grab the best "misunderstood" player in the league? This is the perfect time to start the Us Against the World Tour, with Artest on the guitar. It's not like the Warriors' reputation is on the line. They can't lose respect they don't have.</div> Source: Contra Costa Times
No, no, no. Artest would be a distraction. Get that guy away from the team. He would scare off all our players from how volatile and random he is. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Here's a guy whose own father says, "I always thought Ron's temper would be his downfall in life." Here's a guy who threatened his ex-girlfriend over the summer and was ordered to undergo anger-management therapy, then called his boss in Indianapolis to tell him the news and said, "I could sure use that!"</div> On the other hand he's pretty funny: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Listen to the man. Listen to him call himself unstoppable -- and mean it; then call himself a loser -- and mean it. Listen to him wonder aloud how he shut down Kobe and T-Mac and then wonder aloud why NBA players are so far beneath his expectations. Listen to him insist that if he were commissioner, he'd enforce a mandatory ejection for cussing "because kids are watching" but remove any punishment for punting a ball into the stands "because it's fun." Listen to him say this: "They better not put me in the All-Star Game. I won't shoot, but I'll dominate that easy game. I'll be playing hard defense. I'll be foulin'. I'll be flagrant fouling. Everyone will be like, 'What are you doing?' "</div> http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol6no02artest.html Nah, say no to Artest because you know we'll need smart play and if the anger gets the best of him, he will let this team down. He just sets himself up to fail because he can't keep his emotions in check and he is way more volatile than Baron and Sjax combined. Forget it. Don't take the chance and keep the locker room chemistry nice.
I'm more concerned with how he'll affect the on-the-court chemistry than the off-the-court stuff. Seems like hes beloved in Sac and his teammates in Indy loved him too outside of his stupid suspensions and whatnot. The potential problem I see with him is that hes clearly been most happy in Sacramento because hes getting all the shots he wants. Every time I see him hes chucking a shot every time he touches the ball. Hes a fantastic defensive player, even a pretty solid offensive player, but I wouldn't give him the ball over Baron, Monta, Jack. He seems like hes most effective in iso's and I have never been impressed by his passing or unselfishness. I think he'd do wonders for our defense but, like yuo said CR2 its a risky move because he just wants to get off a ton of shots and get a big contract. I don't know that he wants to win and play as a team as much as S-Jax (another guy who was an alleged headcase).
I seriously doubt that Warriors will bring any player with more than a year long contract (or players that make minimal amount of $ for multiyears), and Artest has a player option for next year. If Artest does not opt out of the contract, we will be in serious trouble resigning both Biedrins and Monta, and that's not counting possible Davis' opting out. I would hate to think that we chose Artest instead any of those 3 players. As a player, I guess I don't mind having him. But then, Artest is basically stronger and slower version of Jackson. Artest may be a dream PF for Nelson, and we need some help since none of Barnes, Pietrus and Azu are playing well lately. But then, he brings a baggage, we already have a similar player, and his contract can ruin our future if he doesn't opt out. I will pass...
