Word is they want to move LeBron to PF. Artest allows them to do that. Mo Williams - whoever - Artest - LeBron - Shaq.
Not to weird. LeBron is capable enough to play the PF. He is definitely strong enough. I actually think with how he rebounds and his strength, he wold excel at the 4.
Artest played PF with Houston so it will probably come down to match ups with Artest defending the better of the two forwards on any given night.
I like Artest for the Cavs, he adds to the gritty defense and provides solid shooting as well and he also gives them that tenacity that any Championship-contender needs. On the subject of LeBron at the 4, I see no reason why he can't excel at that position. IMO alongside his defense the aspect of his game most lacking throughout his career has been his post-up game. He's worked hard to make his defense better (2nd best in the NBA???.......well he's not but he's a good defender) and hopefully a post up game is somewhere on his to do list. With a great post up game alongside his strength, rebounding, passing, ability off the dribble and perhaps the ability to take big men to the perimeter then blow past them I see no reason why he can't be one of the best PFs in the League, and possibly of all time.
He's got no midrange game or post moves, that's why I could see it as a problem. He can play the four, but not as well. :]
But he has the tools (specifically physical/athletic) to develop his post/midrange game. Also, he needs to develop said moves to prolong his status as the best player in the NBA as he loses some of his natural athleticism to age. The way I see it, he's going to have to develop a midrange game and a post up game over time, all this means is that he needs to accelerate the process. Also, it's perhaps worth questionning the notion of the 4, in the context of LeBron and his game. The way I see him playing "the 4" this season is similar to the way he did against Orlando (specifically I think Game 5) where he would stay around the top of the key with shooters all around him. Double him and you give up an open look. Don't and he'll get to the bucket. There will be more to it i.e. hopefully a post up game and a more consistent jumpshot, but I think the crux of it is that LeBron will play how LeBron plays. The time of traditional positions is disappearing, instead emerges players with size, speed, quickness and technical ability who can essentially do it all.
i don't like artest for the cavs at all. he's got terrible shot selection and isn't really a good shooter anyway. i see him having problems playing off of lebron. defensively he's good, but he doesn't quite live up to his reputation anymore. i also don't think him and shaq will be able to coexist. when throws up some crazy shots instead of passing the ball inside to shaq or giving it to lebron and shaq calls him out in the media for it, how does artest react? i think artest to the cavs ultimately signals lebron leaving after the season when things don't work out(and i've been someone who has completely dismissed the possibility that lebron would leave). just throwing big names together doesn't work if the players don't fit.
I hear the Cavs want to move Delonte to the bench, to be their sixth man. It depends a lot on what gets done during the next couple of weeks, but I think that's what they want to do.
I do think that the desire for a ring could humble even Artest. He wants a Championship, just like LeBron (and Shaq). If he signs for the Cavs, he will be taking less money; who's to say he won't be willing to take less touches or be more conservative on offense too?
He might go through some real growing pains then, because he's not a back to the basket guy like you said. He could improve both of those parts of his game, but it isn't a given. Stoudemire isn't a back to the basket type either but he has a great looking 10-20 foot jumper he can use. I'd also have to think about how he would do defensively against Power Forwards, the size difference could be a problem. I'd try to get him to develop post moves and such over his career, not play him at the 4 that seems rather drastic.
Yeah I think in Houston he had to carry the load, but he should defer more in a winning situation. He's so talented he's worth the risk, what else will they get anyway if they don't do this?
i don't think he'll be taking less money by his choice, there just isn't money out there for him. the rockets apparently are only willing to offer him one year and it's not like there is a list of teams out there offering artest more than the mle. artest had problems deferring to yao when it was very clear who the better option was. that seems like a very bad sign for shaq. maybe things would be different with lebron, but artest obviously thinks very highly of himself. at some point people have to stop expecting him to change.
Yeah one of the things I've always been frustrated at is LeBron's lack of a post game. Hes big enough to take any SF on the block and yet he doesn't have the skills to take advantage. Moving him to PF, however makes it even less of a need though. Hes probably better facing up PFs than backing them down as they'll have the strength and size that most SFs don't have to defend him. I find it interesting that Cleveland is jacking Orlando's system of having one beast at C and a couple big interchangeable SFs surrounded by a bunch of really good shooters. Also interesting is that Orlando seems to be ditching this system as they get VC to play SG, move Shard to his natural SF spot and try to get either Sheed or Bass in at PF.
Yeah one of the few things about Orlando's scheme that I didn't like was that Lewis was getting abused as a tweener on defense. I think they need a more natural PF for different matchups, and to mix up the offense at that spot.
