Artest says he'll go to the Lakers

**LeBron** · 07-02-2009, 07:23 PM

NBA free agency: Ron Artest says he's leaving Houston Rockets for Los Angeles Lakers - ESPN
A lineup of:

PG- Derek Fisher
SG- Kobe
SF- Artest
PF- Pau Gasol
C- Andrew Bynum

And Ariza and Odom as bench players is gonna be hard to stop. They have 3 stars now.

Edit: Ariza will probably leave. Still, a team with Lamar Odom on the bench is pretty good.

**djkent01** · 07-02-2009, 07:26 PM

I hope Artest does go to the Lakers. No chance for a repeat - the guy is cancer.

**tim_redd** · 07-02-2009, 07:35 PM

I'd take Ariza over Artest any day.

**cloneatlaw** · 07-02-2009, 07:40 PM

Seems like a stupid move by the Lakers -- especially if they're committed to the triangle. Artest will need to seriously change his offensive game if he's going to fit. And to sign a 30 year old Artest at the cost of a 24 year old Ariza who just had a great playoff run? The Cavs should be happy about this, with their improved prospects of landing Ariza.

**CB21** · 07-02-2009, 08:02 PM

I dont know I kind of like this. Artest plays some good defense(if youve ever seen a kobe-artest matchup) and can def score. Ariza is a great player I dont really see how it would benefit them a whole lot but yeah Ariza is probably leaving. Looks like Rasheed Wallace will probably sign with Boston. Although they were actually sayin Lakers had some interest in Rasheed as well.

**Chipper** · 07-02-2009, 08:08 PM

I think Ariza's playoff run had made his price tag higher than what he's worth.

**06Panther** · 07-02-2009, 08:22 PM

Kind of funny considering how him and Kobe about killed each other during the playoffs this year.

**CycloneErik** · 07-02-2009, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by Chipper

I think Ariza's playoff run had made his price tag higher than what he's worth.

Kind of like Jerome James a couple of years ago?

**EddieISU** · 07-02-2009, 09:22 PM

First, I think he breaks up team unity. (See Milton Bradley) Though on the other hand, it's a good pick up because he is a great defender and enhances their chances of warding off the Denver Nuggets and C. Anthony and their advances.

**LindenCy** · 07-02-2009, 09:24 PM

If I were the Lakers I wouldn't necessarily do it. It could make them unstoppable or make them fall apart.

**Dryburn** · 07-02-2009, 09:32 PM

Seems to me like Phil Jackson just got a new version of Dennis Rodman...without the colored hair (so far). That seemed to work pretty well for him before.

Not a great rebounder, but plays a great defense. Can score. A bad-boy "enforcer" like Rodman was before.

Man, Houston is going to be hurting. Yao might be out for the year, and now Artest is gone.

**brentblum** · 07-02-2009, 09:33 PM

With Phil and Kobe, I don't see any way they would let Ron become too much of a distraction. Somewhat similar to Phil's time with Rodman in Chicago. But Ron is nowhere near the nutcase Rodman was.

Like others have mentioned, he fits a need as a defender against the Carmelo's, LeBron's, etc. He will be the fourth option on offense and can settle into being a spot up shooter (shot 40% this year from 3). He's a bit more polished at this point than Ariza and probably signed at a cheaper rate. Lakers still the team to beat if they can re-sign Lamar now.

**HiltonMagic** · 07-02-2009, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by brentblum

With Phil and Kobe, I don't see any way they would let Ron become too much of a distraction. Somewhat similar to Phil's time with Rodman in Chicago. But Ron is nowhere near the nutcase Rodman was.

Like others have mentioned, he fits a need as a defender against the Carmelo's, LeBron's, etc. He will be the fourth option on offense and can settle into being a spot up shooter (shot 40% this year from 3). He's a bit more polished at this point than Ariza and probably signed at a cheaper rate. Lakers still the team to beat if they can re-sign Lamar now.

Maybe, but Rodman doesn't have a brawl named after him.

**brentblum** · 07-02-2009, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by HiltonMagic

Maybe, but Rodman doesn't have a brawl named after him.

You're right, that will forever tarnish his career. He's definitely not an angel that's for sure, but guys actually enjoy playing with him and he competes extremely hard every game. I think Ron has mellowed out a bit as he has gotten older as well.

**trevn** · 07-02-2009, 10:15 PM

As a Laker fan, I HATE this move. I don't care how good Ron-Ron is, he's a cancer. Ariza's price tag might be higher than he's worth, but I'd take Ariza 10 times out of 10 over Artest.

Getting Kobe extended and re-signing Lamar (it will happen, no doubt in my mind) takes the sting away from this dumb move.