f13.net

I'm kind of torn on this one.  Artest was the best player on the Kings, but  his time was at an end.  He was one of my favorites during his tenure.  The Kings management let Artest know that he was not in their long term plans, when he (I don't know why, as they are rebuilding) was expecting a long term extension.

I knew they were shopping him, but I didn't expect something this soon.  I don't know anything about Donte Green, but a 2008 first rounder, plus an expiring (and Sac fan favorite - Bobby Jackson), and a future first round pick is better than letting him walk for nothing.  I just thought the Kings would wait for the trade deadline and get something better from a desperate team about to enter the playoff race.  I doubt Ron would have cause any problems.  He would probably be playing REALLY hard because of it being a contract year.

Good luck to the Rockets.  Ron really liked playing under Rick Adelman when the two were with the Kings.  Having both Artest and Battier is going to give the wings on opposing teams a lot of trouble.

BTW, to you fantasy basketball guys, think about grabbing Jon Salmons.  He put up big numbers when Ron was out from suspension/injury, and he's going to put up really big numbers now that Ron is gone for good.

The NBA is dead to me.

It's the best he's played since 04-05.  I think this is a smart move to deal him while he still has decent value.  I'm sure he also wants to play for someone that has a shot at a ring, but that may not be in the cards. 

Gonna be a killer team. Even if Artest is an ass.



Well, this is a Ron Artest thread, I guess.

Otherwise, I'd say to go eat a dick.  :-)

Artest will go all thug life and get suspended for a least 10 games at some point. He's a fool.

Houston will either rape the west and end up #1, or totally self-destruct and not make the playoffs (or get 8th seed and go out 4-1 in the first round, whatever)

It's the ron artest dice game.   gotta love the southern teams all gambling it up.

It was a sad day when I learned that the first round pick the Kings got was protected.  It's not a longshot that Yao and McGrady could end up injured and Artest could go nuts again, giving the Kings a VERY good pick.

However, Artest is not going to go crazy under Adelman, whom he really liked playing under before.  And he's especially not going to go crazy if Yao and McGrady get because then he's THE MAN on the team and in a contract year.