Ron Artest wants out - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Arne · 12-11-2005, 01:19 PM

Exclusive interview
Artest to pacers: Trade me
'I think they will be a better team without me'

By Mike Wells
mike.wells@indystar.com

Injured forward Ron Artest wants to return to the court, but not to the Indiana Pacers.
In a 20-minute interview Saturday, Artest for the first time publicly said he wants to be traded. He calmly described the issues he has with his role on the team, his head coach and his past, and said the team would be better off without him.

"I still think my past haunts me here," Artest said. "I think somewhere else I'm starting fresh. I'm coming in with baggage but people already know about it and how I'm going to be. Either they're going to be for me or they're not going to trade for me. Here I think my past haunts me.
"I think they will be a better team without me."
Coach Rick Carlisle called his forward "one of the elite talents in the league."
"You never want to lose someone like that," Carlisle said Saturday.
The Pacers lost Artest for 73 games after the Nov. 19 brawl last season. They stuck with him even though he said his suspension essentially ruined their season. Now the Pacers might be forced to trade him in order to salvage an already trying season.
"I think I cause a lot of problems here," said Artest, who has missed the past two games with a wrist injury. "If the trade rumors, if there is any truth -- maybe it won't be a bad thing. They probably could win more games without me."
Team President Larry Bird was scouting in Europe and could not be reached for comment. Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh was surprised by Artest's request and said the franchise would decide the next step.
"I've never heard him say anything before," said Walsh, who acquired Artest in a trade in 2002. "He hasn't talked to me, and I see him every day."
Walsh called this latest development a distraction and chided Artest's handling of the situation.
"He can always come up and talk to me or Larry Bird," Walsh said. "From here on out, I expect Ronnie to be a professional. . . . (This) isn't the best way to get a trade done."
Until Saturday, Artest's season had been relatively stress-free. He remains one of the team's hardest workers. He hasn't irritated game officials and has reached out more to teammates off the court.
It's on the court that he's had problems fitting in with Carlisle's system.
Artest is second on the team in shot attempts and scoring at 19.4 points, but he thinks his style disrupts the offense.
"I'm so demanding of the ball. It's not my fault," he said. "Every time somebody is on me it's a mismatch. It messes up the offense. I like Coach (Carlisle) as a person, but I don't like playing for Coach. I like my team, though."
The Pacers run a structured offense in which Carlisle calls out most plays. That frustrates Artest, who has complained about the system in the past. Artest also took issue with practices. He thinks they're too soft.
"Don't get it twisted. He's a very good coach," Artest said. "He knows what he's doing. I personally don't like playing for him. I would not want to see him get fired for me after all the immaturity I've been through with this organization."
Getting offers for Artest won't be difficult -- Artest is a former All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year. But getting equal value in return could be. Artest makes $6.5 million this season, paltry by All-Star standards. Because of the salary cap, NBA trades are as much about matching salaries as swapping talent. Most players of Artest's ability make much more money, meaning the Pacers won't get a player of his caliber unless they include other Pacers in the deal.
What teams interest Artest?
His hometown New York Knicks.
"If I go to the West Coast, I would come back to New York after my contract is up," Artest said. "I would go to Cleveland. I wouldn't mind coming off the bench behind LeBron James. There's a lot of players I wouldn't mind coming off the bench behind. If it was a perfect world, I would be going to New York."
Artest seeks a system in which he can score more, which would lead to a bigger contract when his expires in 2008. He has a player option for $8.5 million for the 2008-09 season.
"Here I don't think I'm going to have a chance to maximize my opportunity for my potential," he said. "When I first got here, all I wanted to do was play defense. I never really cared about offense, but what I see is players like Kobe (Bryant), Tracy (McGrady), (Gilbert) Arenas and Jermaine (O'Neal) getting the opportunity to maximize their potential on the court and to get paid. I'm out of my character a little bit here.
"I don't think I'm going to maximize my opportunity just playing defense. I have to show I'm one of the premier players on offense on the wing. So when it's that time, there's no question what type of player I am."
Artest said he will take a few more days to decide when he is ready to return from his wrist injury.
But the question is: Will he be a Pacer when he returns?

__________

Ok, so let's figure out how to get him...

birdsanctuary · 12-11-2005, 07:40 PM

I think the guy might be a cancer... that being said look how the last few cancers have faired in Dallas....
KVH
Stackhouse
NVE

snoop · 12-11-2005, 10:42 PM

go get him, but to be real I think this will be what triggers the artest for peja deal to go.

dude1394 · 12-11-2005, 10:53 PM

Killer was a "cancer".. Nicky I heard was and stackhouse (to be honest I don't blame him with that Michael Jordan side-show going on), but killer???

Ninkobei · 12-11-2005, 11:06 PM

so, who would we have to part with? I, in my infinite wisedom, would be willing to part with stackhouse and griffen, maybe even KVMFH and griffin. in an extreme circumstance, I suppose stack and KVH. keep our young prospects though. JHo is untradeable. the way marquis has been improving, soon he will be untradeable. I'd do it as long as we don't have to trade any of our core.

snoop · 12-12-2005, 10:51 AM

well, salarys have to match up so if you sent kvh and someone to indiana then you would have to have Indy give you someone else in return. That would likley be the soon to retire Bender. Dallas would take him to get cap relief.

jayC · 12-22-2005, 04:54 PM

Vanhorn ,Jho, Mbenga for Artest, Croshere and Johnson.

DubOverdose · 12-22-2005, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayC

Vanhorn ,Jho, Mbenga for Artest, Croshere and Johnson.

Way too much to give up

sike · 12-23-2005, 02:22 AM

what's the latest here??

Drbio · 12-23-2005, 02:34 AM

The PAcers need to sh*t or get off the pot. I'm tired of hearing about Artest.

mary · 12-23-2005, 02:51 AM

The last I read was a Denver Post article that was on RealGM's front page. Walsh said he was going to wait until the holidays are over before making a move.

My personal suspicion is that he'll wait all the way until the trading deadline to see if he can get some better offers.

jayC · 12-24-2005, 12:07 PM

It's a mute point for the mavs. Cuban said unequivocally no to Artest.

birdsanctuary · 12-24-2005, 06:05 PM

Right now there are 3 teams in the elite. Look for a 4th being whoever Artest goes to. My gut tells me Bird will make a deal with his old buddie Kevin McHale..

dalmations202 · 12-24-2005, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birdsanctuary

Right now there are 3 teams in the elite. Look for a 4th being whoever Artest goes to. My gut tells me Bird will make a deal with his old buddie Kevin McHale..

Artest to Minn makes lots of sense to me. Garnett/Artest could be an awesome tandem, if they could get their heads on straight.

alby · 12-25-2005, 02:21 AM

i know this is a little late, but why is bender retiring again?

jayC · 01-13-2006, 02:14 PM

Ron Artest is not going to Clipper land. The mavs have let too many guards go nuts. In the playoffs last year T-Mac and Nash both looked like Jordan. All due respect to those guys they aren't nearly that good. Howard is an overrated defender. He relies on his great length and size and doesn't move his feet.

Van Horn and JHO for Artest and Croshere.

Croshere is as good of a shooter as Van Horn. Artest is only a year older than Howard.

Jet/Harris
Artest/Daniels
Griffin/Stackhouse
Dirk/Powelll/Croshere
Dampier/Diop

Dirkenstien · 01-13-2006, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayC

Ron Artest is not going to Clipper land. The mavs have let too many guards go nuts. In the playoffs last year T-Mac and Nash both looked like Jordan. All due respect to those guys they aren't nearly that good. Howard is an overrated defender. He relies on his great length and size and doesn't move his feet.

Van Horn and JHO for Artest and Croshere.

Croshere is as good of a shooter as Van Horn. Artest is only a year older than Howard.

Jet/Harris
Artest/Daniels
Griffin/Stackhouse
Dirk/Powelll/Croshere
Dampier/Diop

I disagree with your statement about Howard being an overrated defender. But let's take your argument for face value and assume Howard does rely on his length and size to defend. Where's the problem? If Howard is still getting the job done then how is he overrated?

I suppose with similar premises you could argue that Lance Armstrong is overrated because he relies on his uncanny endurance and leg strength to help him win marathons.

Or you could argue that Shaq is overrated because he happens to be considerably larger than every other center in the league.

Pure silliness. You cannot use an individual's natural or physical ability as an argument against their performance if they are still getting the job done.

jayC · 01-15-2006, 12:13 AM

There is no point in arguing with you.

Fact Ron Artetst is 25 and has won the defensive player of the year award. Fact Ron Artetst is a top 20 player in this league Josh Howard isn't.

Kobe going off for a 100 in two games isn't proof enough. T-Mac couldn't be stopped against us desptie being guarded by Howard. Fact you can't trade garbage to get a star.