Artest declares, 'I'll go anywhere'
By Mike Wells
mike.wells@indystar.com
Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest, along with his agent Mark Stevens, met with CEO Donnie Walsh and team president Larry Bird this morning, one day after a deal to send the forward to Sacramento fell apart.
Artest disputed media reports that he rejected the trade proposal Tuesday.
“I’ll go anywhere,” Artest said by phone after he drove past a group of reporters waiting outside Conseco Fieldhouse. “I just want to get back on the basketball court and start playing again.
Artest said the meeting with Walsh and Bird was good.
“They said they were going to try to get something sorted out to get the trade done,” Artest said, adding that there was “no trade right now.”
The Pacers were prepared to trade Artest for Kings forward Peja Stojakovic on Tuesday. Several media outlets reported Artest rejected the trade, but he told the Star on Tuesday evening that he would “do whatever my agent tells me to do.”
Stevens told ESPN that Artest has never wanted to play for the Kings. Stevens said Artest made his trade request public on Dec. 10 only after he thought he was about to be sent to Sacramento.
Walsh was unavailable for comment.