Artest to Lakers?

[EricaLubarsky]

Artest gets his own babysitter
http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar...p_with_artest/

When Ron Artest went into Houston this past week to take on his old team, he and former Laker Trevor Ariza got into an early battle. As Ariza recounted, after the Lakers won in OT, Artest "tried to put his hands on my neck. Nobody is going to try to put their hands on my neck or punk me. That ain't happening. But I don't have any hard feelings. It was just emotions, you might say. It doesn't matter."

Artest concurred with Ariza's version, saying, "I wanted to grab his throat because he hit me with an elbow, but I didn't," Artest said. "It was a thought, you know, but then I thought about David Stern, and said 'OK, I'm not going to do this.'"

If Artest is thinking of the commissioner in the heat of battle and it prevents him from doing something stupid, a la running into the stands to take on drunken and unruly fans, then that's a sign that he's matured.

But just to make sure, the Lakers have brought on an Artest confidant, former Pacers executive Chuck Person, to be a special assistant. The night of the riot, Person was the one who covered Artest's head as debris rained down from the stands, and rushed him into the locker room.

[Dirkenstien]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Artest gets his own babysitter
http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar...p_with_artest/

Dude is just a bit crazy.

[EricaLubarsky]

Artest admits to boozing, wanting to continue Palace battle
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/arti...-was-head-case

On the 2004 brawl in Detroit for which Artest was suspended 73 games and lost $7 million in salary: "It wasn't my fault. … I don't see anything I could have done different. The only thing I could have done was have God pause time so I could have said, 'Oh, look, you're about to run in some stands, so stop.'"

On his feelings toward Ben Wallace, the Pistons center whose altercation with Artest touched off the melee in Detroit: "I see Ben, I'm on my guard now. I'm always in the mood to fight him. … I'll get suspended 10 games, 15 games (because) I'll just fight him right there. It won't go into the stands."

"I used to drink Hennessy … at halftime," Artest says in the interview, which hits newsstands this week. "I (kept it) in my locker. I'd just walk to the liquor store (near the stadium) and get it."