Wait, trade is back on . . .

[Guest_Randy]

From espn.com

Ron Artest was summoned to a morning meeting by the Indiana Pacers, who wanted to hear whether he is standing in the way of a trade to the Sacramento Kings for Peja Stojakovic, ESPN.com Insider Chris Sheridan reported Tuesday night.

Artest met with Indianapolis officials Wednesday, then left Conseco Fieldhouse and drove away without making any public comment.

"It was a good meeting," Artest told the Indianapolis Star. "They said they were going to try to get something sorted out to get the trade done. There's no trade right now."

Artest also denied he wouldn't go to the Kings.

"I'll go anywhere," Artest told the Star. "I just want to get back on the basketball court and start playing again."

ESPN's Jim Gray reported Wednesday after the meeting that Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof now want to talk to Artest before finalizing any trade.

On Tuesday, his agent was more guarded about the prospect of Artest playing in Sacramento.

"In the last month, Ron Artest has been vehemently portrayed in an unflattering manner in the media, specifically in the aftermath of requesting a trade, even after it was made clear that he only spoke out because he believed the Pacers were going to trade him to Sacramento, a place he did not want to go to," Stevens said in a statement to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on Tuesday night. "Now it has become evident that this trade was not merely speculation but something that has been at least discussed for quite some time.

"Ron Artest did not want to be traded to Sacramento weeks ago, and he does not want to be traded to Sacramento now.

"Basketball is Ron Artest's passion. In order for Ron to fully demonstrate his natural skills and abilities, to the best of his abilities, he not only must be in an environment that is conducive to his growth an development as a player, he must also ensure that his family is happy and content as well. Ron does not believe that will be the case if he were in Sacramento. Period. However, as mentioned earlier, Ron is deeply committed to the sport of basketball and desperately misses playing the game he loves. If the trade is made he will play for his new team, regardless of how he may feel about it."

Stevens told ESPN's Greg Anthony that he thought Artest needed a stable situation with strong leadership, and that the uncertainty about both Kings coach Rick Adelman's future and the Kings' future in Sacramento indicated a lack of stability that would be uncomfortable for Artest.

Likewise, National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter told Anthony that Artest had not refused to report to Sacramento, although he had told Hunter of his reservations about the potential trade. Hunter expressed concern about reports that the Pacers might attempt to suspend Artest for playing a role in the Kings' rejection of the trade. Hunter told Anthony that Artest was not culpable for the possible dissolution of the deal because he had expressed that he would accept the trade.

The Pacers and Kings were close to a deal Tuesday, and Stojakovic stayed at the team hotel in Philadelphia when it appeared the trade would be finalized. But a source with inner knowledge of the day's events told Sheridan a call from Stevens to the Kings gave them second thoughts about pulling the trigger, and the deal was temporarily shelved.

"The way I was treated today, I was disappointed," Stojakovic told ESPN.com in Philadelphia. "I feel kind of disrespected with the way I found out. Thank God they have TVs here. I understand being traded, but this situation is weird. I had already planned my flight back to Sacramento, and now everything is reversed.

"I guess this is just a business, but the way I was told and the way I found out, I feel I deserved better from [Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof]. Anybody can get traded in the NBA, but the way I found out, it was disrespectful. I deserve better after seven and a half years."

Stojakovic rode the team bus on the two-hour trip to New York after arriving by limo at the Wachovia Center during the second half of Sacramento's 109-103 loss to Philadelphia. He attended the team meeting on Wednesday morning as the Kings prepared to face the New York Knicks.

A source told Sheridan that the efforts to rekindle the deal were ongoing Wednesday and extended all the way to the ownership level on both teams.

Artest was a key component to a team that was expected to challenge for the Eastern Conference crown. He led the league in steals and was the Pacers' second-leading scorer at 19.4 points a game before being deactivated after publicly requesting a trade in early December.

Stojakovic has been having an unproductive, injury-hampered season for the last-place Kings, whose loss Tuesday was their third in a row. Stojakovic's scoring average is down almost eight points from his All-Star level of two years ago, and the Kings are at risk of losing him with nothing in return when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Indiana has been holding out for more than six weeks for an offer that it deems acceptable. A proposed swap for Corey Maggette fell through because of the Pacers' concerns over Maggette's foot injury, and talks with several other Western Conference teams failed to produce a deal that pleased all parties.

If the Artest trade ultimately falls apart, the Kings will be facing an uncomfortable dynamic with Stojakovic, who has never been traded in his NBA career. During his 10-minute interview with ESPN.com, he seemed bewildered and embittered by the day's events. The two-hour bus ride to Manhattan promised to be an uncomfortable one for Stojakovic and his Kings teammates, who, two hours earlier, thought they wouldn't see him again until the next time they faced the Pacers.

And on a side note:

"The way I was treated today, I was disappointed," Stojakovic told ESPN.com in Philadelphia. "I feel kind of disrespected with the way I found out. Thank God they have TVs here. I understand being traded, but this situation is weird. I had already planned my flight back to Sacramento, and now everything is reversed.

"I guess this is just a business, but the way I was told and the way I found out, I feel I deserved better from [Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof]. Anybody can get traded in the NBA, but the way I found out, it was disrespectful. I deserve better after seven and a half years."

Time to send those sympathy cards, Laker fans!    

[JoMal]

From my hidden camera in Donnie’s office (note: I got this off another posting site)

How that meeting between Ronnie and Donnie might have gone down:

Secretary: Ron is here to see you now, Donnie

DW: (coughs, stamps out cigarette butt) OK Betty, send him in

(door creaks)
DW: Hi Ron! A little late, but have a seat—we’ve got a lot to talk about

Ron: Umm… OK, but first… (reaches for his belt)

DW: Don’t shoot me Ron! (falls to his knees)

Ron: Hey Donnie, chill…I just tucked a copy of my new CD under my belt to give to you.

DW: OK… but I’m not into that new-fangled music.

Ron: You’ll like it…

DW: I’m more of a Barbara Streisand/Bette Midler type, to be honest, along with the soundtracks to the Godfather movies.

Ron: (blinks his eyes 30 times in silence)… Umm… then give it to Larry.

DW: Larry just listens to “Achey Breakie Heart” over and over again. Here, I’ll give it to Mel Daniels. He had some grandkids, I think.
(pause)

DW: So Ron, what’s this from your agent about you not happy if you were in Sacramento?

Ron: My agent says some crazy $hit, man…

DW: where did you get him?

Ron: He’s a supervisor at Circuit City.

DW: WTF is that?

Ron: You know… stereo stuff. He buys things for me at the employee discount.

DW: Why would you hire him as an agent?

Ron: They got good stuff there, that Circuit City. And bigger discounts than my last agent from Best Buy.


DW: Let’s cut out the crap, Ron. We will tell you where you will play. You don’t have a no-trade, and we will suspend you @$$ without pay if you don’t go along, got it?

Ron: But I want to have fun, Donnie.

DW: And where is it that you think you can have fun?

Ron: there are more Circuit City stores in Southern California and in New York than there are in Indy or Sacramento.

DW: Let’s cut the Circuit City crap—DO YOU WANT TO GET PAID???

Ron: Yeah. Even with the discount, stuff ain’t free.

DW: Where do you want to go, setting aside the discount electronics angle for a moment.

Ron: The Knicks pay you a lot of money even if you are awful. I can buy lots of stuff if I go there.

DW: The Knicks can't pay you any more than we do—a contract is a contract.

Ron: That’s not what my agent said—

DW: Cause you're agent is a freakin’ moron who sells blenders all day!!!


Ron: I want to play for a good team.

DW: We were pretty damn good until you wrecked it.

Ron: I want to be able to play my album in the locker room. Jermaine won’t let me.

DW: Why not?

Ron: He says it sucks.

DW: That’s just an opinion—some of the other guys probably like it.

Ron: They all say it sucks.

DW: Music ain’t everything, Ron. Can we move on here. Basketball is my life. Isn’t it important to you?

Ron: Sure. I need it to get stuff.

DW: Enough with the stuff, OK. We will send to you Sacramento. I’ll call them on the phone and you convince them that you want to go there.

Ron: What if I don’t?

DW: We’ll send you to Toronto for Matt Bonner and Aaron Williams.

Ron: (gasps) There’s NO CIRCUIT CITIES ANYWHERE AROUND TORONTO!!!!

DW: Well then, you had better convince Sacramento that you are good with this.

Ron: OK, I’m with it.

DW: Betty, get the Kings on the line.

Secretary: OK Boss.

DW: Want a smoke?

Ron: No… Mind if I rap while we wait?

DW: Yes (cough…cough, hack, spit). Here Ron, have a Fresca.

Ron: Um… OK…

Betty: I’ve got Joe Maloof on the line, Donnie.

DW: thanks, Betty… Hi-ya Joe!!!!

Maloof: Donnie, how ya doin’! Have a good night’s sleep? I tossed and turned myself. To think we almost took your problem off your hands—what was I thinking!

DW: Joe, I’ve got Ron here, and he wants to be a King.

Maloof: Seriously?

DW: Yes, ask him yourself.

Maloof: You’re a little late, we’re gonna send him to Toronto for Matt Bonner and Aaron Williams.

DW: Given him another chance, Joe. We gave him 324 second chances. This is only number 2 for you.

Maloof: OK. Peja’s not thrilled about Toronto anyway. Ron, you there?

Ron: Yes Sir! I’m here. I want to play in Sacramento. I can hang with Bonzi. I can help the team win, and I can get stuff.

Maloof: I like to win. Can I talk to your agent?

Ron: He’s on duty at the cell phone counter until 4.

Maloof: Are you sure about this? I need to sell this trade to the team and our fans.

Ron: It was all the media’s fault. Big misunderstanding. I’ll be good.

[SPURSX3]

umm.......congrats Jomal.....I think....

[JoMal]

umm.......congrats Jomal.....I think....

Yeah....

I hear Adelman plans on sticking a burr in his jock before every game and then stand back and see what happens.  

[Derek Bodner]

You know...

I might be in the minority here, but I think Artest is a better player.  And when he starts playing, he *might* stay reasonably happy, because he's not playing with anyone who's clearly the man, neither in shot attempts or in the lockerroom.

[WayOutWest]

You know...

I might be in the minority here, but I think Artest is a better player.  And when he starts playing, he *might* stay reasonably happy, because he's not playing with anyone who's clearly the man, neither in shot attempts or in the lockerroom.

I agree, Artest could make Sactown a monster.  Although the monster could just as likely destroy the fans in the arena as it would it's oppenents.

IMO this is very worthwhile gamble for the Kings.  They are not going anywhere with Peja as their leader, this at least gives them another option besides playoff fodder.

[WayOutWest]

Just read up on Peja's status for next year...WOW!!!!!!

He's gonna be gone after next year, no way Peja stays with Indy.  The Pacers basically traded Ron for a few months of Peja's services.  Can't believe they couldn't get a better deal than that.

[Reality]

Just read up on Peja's status for next year...WOW!!!!!!

He's gonna be gone after next year, no way Peja stays with Indy.  The Pacers basically traded Ron for a few months of Peja's services.  Can't believe they couldn't get a better deal than that.

Yeah it's a head scratcher.
Bird certainly used to like Stoyo and said he could improve in his play measureably -esp rebounding- even in the Kings title year when Stoyo was 4th in MVP voting.

Wonder if Bird thinks Pejas back and softness can be rehabbed with some good Pacers doctors care and some wood splitting exercises on his French Lick ranch?

Would have thought some of the lotto and near lotto teams would have given up their 2006 1st pick and thrown in dead salary for Artest and that Indy might have gone for that.

I find it hard to believe that Larry Bird will be hornsnagled in the end tho.
Some idle media babble talk by Mark Lakers Stein of a sign n trade with the Lakers or Heat.  Maybe Bird has plans....

 

[JoMal]

You know...

I might be in the minority here, but I think Artest is a better player.  And when he starts playing, he *might* stay reasonably happy, because he's not playing with anyone who's clearly the man, neither in shot attempts or in the lockerroom.

I agree, Artest could make Sactown a monster.  Although the monster could just as likely destroy the fans in the arena as it would it's oppenents.

IMO this is very worthwhile gamble for the Kings.  They are not going anywhere with Peja as their leader, this at least gives them another option besides playoff fodder.

Well, the Maloof's certainly can be classified as gamblers, what with the Palms Casino in Vegas and all. But I have some concerns about how he is going to be received by his teammates in Sacramento.

After watching the Kings defeat the Knicks last night in New York, I noticed a very disturbing scene that, to me, does not bode well for these Kings. In Indiana, though he clearly was in the wrong by going into the stands in Detroit, Ron had the backing of many of his teammates who barged in right after him. I have to admit that would NEVER happen with these Kings players, and that lack of team chemistry has my hopes for the future of this team in doubt.

Last night, our second year swing man, Kevin Martin, was lining up a shot late in a close game during regulation when the defender shot over to him. Kevin did a head fake and darted to his right, and the defender, completely out of control at that point, essentially flattened Martin to the court - one of those rare NBA fouls where nobody disputes it. As Kevin lay there, possibly hurt or at least dazed, I watched as his teammates turned their backs on him and just walked over to the foul line. Nobody came over to help him up or to see if he was okay. Kenny Thomas and Brad Miller in particular, who were closest to him, just ignored him.

When we had Vlade and Chris, even Doug Christie, and role guys like Scot Pollard on this team, the one thing you could always count on was a team that had good chemistry and had fun playing the game. These current Kings players do not have any sense of humor, take it too seriously, but lack any committment other then apparent personal gains and stats.

We need some personality guys on this team to loosen it up.

[Skandery]

Pining for team chemistry, JoMaL, and you bring up the "Malice at the Palace" to remind people of the postive things Artest may bring to fill that void.

 :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  

[JoMal]

Pining for team chemistry, JoMaL, and you bring up the "Malice at the Palace" to remind people of the postive things Artest may bring to fill that void.

 :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

I hope you weren't thinking that I was implying that Artest was that personality guy we need. I think his past speaks volumns to the contrary.

[Guest_Randy]

I heard that the Arena management is VERY excited about this trade -- they believe that SacTown fans will now triple their alcohol sales with the addition of Artest!  

Drink up, SacTown!!!   :drunk:  

[JoMal]

I heard that the Arena management is VERY excited about this trade -- they believe that SacTown fans will now triple their alcohol sales with the addition of Artest!  

Drink up, SacTown!!!   :drunk:

Two for drinking and one for tossing.

[WayOutWest]

I heard that the Arena management is VERY excited about this trade -- they believe that SacTown fans will now triple their alcohol sales with the addition of Artest! 

Drink up, SacTown!!!   :drunk:

Two for drinking and one for tossing.

I don't think there is enough talent in Sactown right now to match Detroit.


It would take a least a dozen beeer to nail Artest they way that guy did at the Palace.  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk: :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  

[msc]

I heard that the Arena management is VERY excited about this trade -- they believe that SacTown fans will now triple their alcohol sales with the addition of Artest! 

Drink up, SacTown!!!   :drunk:

Two for drinking and one for tossing.

I don't think there is enough talent in Sactown right now to match Detroit.


It would take a least a dozen beeer to nail Artest they way that guy did at the Palace.  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk: :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:  :drunk:

True.  But I'd bet one Cow Bell to the dome could do as much damage as 12 beers!  Ron might want to consider wearing a helmet when he plays.