Artest to Pacers: Trade me

[mikejones99]

The Spurs were arguably the best team that year too. >4/10 of a second and Derek Fisher or we beat you in the finals in 04 too. The end of your bench is useless so far.

[FreshPrince22]

The Spurs were arguably the best team that year too. >4/10 of a second and Derek Fisher or we beat you in the finals in 04 too. The end of your bench is useless so far.

The Pistons were a of a lot closer to beating you guys last year than you were to beating the Lakers in '04. A guy hits a shot against you and your team folds like a deck of cards. You didn't even force a 7th game. Shows where the mental toughness is.

A team like the Pistons... Kobe hits a miracle three in game 2, and they come back and sweep them in the next three. Horry hits a heart breaker and they come back and take game 6 in the toughest building in the league. And were right there in the thick of it for game 7. Can't say the same for those Spurs. Horry had to bail Timmy out of destroying his "rep" by saving the series for the Spurs.
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Bubbler pipe

[itzsoweezee]

The Pistons were a of a lot closer to beating you guys last year than you were to beating the Lakers in '04. A guy hits a shot against you and your team folds like a deck of cards. You didn't even force a 7th game. Shows where the mental toughness is.

A team like the Pistons... Kobe hits a miracle three in game 2, and they come back and sweep them in the next three. Horry hits a heart breaker and they come back and take game 6. And were right there in the thick of it for game 7. Can't say the same for those Spurs.

your team lost. so shut the up.
spurs are even better this year. the pistons are worse. dream all you want, but don't be a ghost come july when the spurs are celebrating once again.

[FreshPrince22]

your team lost. so shut the up.
spurs are even better this year. the pistons are worse. dream all you want, but don't be a ghost come july when the spurs are celebrating once again.

Funny that I'm replying to a post about a how "the pistons wouldn't have won in '04 if it weren't for Fisher". You're team lost. So shut the up. And I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to the guy who has about 100 posts today alone bashing Michigan/Detroit/Pistons/etc. So, again... Shut the up.

Go ahead and enjoy being the Paper champs losing to the worst team in the league by double digits. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy being "worse" than last year at 14-2 and still rolling.
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Web Shows

[baseline bum]

Artest in a Spurs uniform would be sweet.

(Yeah, I know it won't happen and that he's a head case )

Been there, done that, and Artest is no Rodman on the court and he never will be.

[mikejones99]

Merry christmas mother er. How much do good seats cost at the palace?

[Brutalis]

You can take being favored all you want. The Lakers were favored to sweep us in the Finals 2 years ago. The Spurs were favored to blow the out of the Hawks tonight. How did those end up?

What? Pissed off you couldnt make Bowen jump one of your fans?

Sorry you couldnt beat us like you did Indiana. But the same thing would have happend in 04 if it wasnt for crooked men in powerful position.

[Brutalis]

Merry christmas mother er. How much do good seats cost at the palace?

More like what are they even worth.

Ohhh low blow.

[FreshPrince22]

Merry christmas mother er. How much do good seats cost at the palace?

Why? You wanna sit courtside to see the Spurs get their asses handed to them?
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How To Roll A Blunt

[baseline bum]

The Spurs would not have beaten the Pistons in 04. If Vagina Turkoglu couldn't score on the LA's defense what would ever make anyone think he could do anything with Tayshaun Prince guarding him? Duncan wasn't 100%, and Manu wasn't the All-Star he developed into last year. Jason Hart was 10x worse than Beno against a press (how can anyone forget that 8-second call against LA in the 2OT loss that likely cost the Spurs the game?). They wouldn't have taken the Spurs manhood like they did to the Lakers, but there's no doubt in my mind that the Pistons were the best team of 03-04.

[leemajors]

pistons need to get eminem and kid rock off courtside, it's just sad. those seats should be reserved for motown's finest.

[dbreiden83080]

The Pistons were a of a lot closer to beating you guys last year than you were to beating the Lakers in '04. A guy hits a shot against you and your team folds like a deck of cards. You didn't even force a 7th game. Shows where the mental toughness is.

A team like the Pistons... Kobe hits a miracle three in game 2, and they come back and sweep them in the next three. Horry hits a heart breaker and they come back and take game 6 in the toughest building in the league. And were right there in the thick of it for game 7. Can't say the same for those Spurs. Horry had to bail Timmy out of destroying his "rep" by saving the series for the Spurs.

Your team got the kicked out of it in the 4th qtr of game 7 last year so what the are you blabbing about. As good as the Pistons are they do not have an all time great player, like we have in Duncan. When the Spurs were down in the 3rd qtr we know we had to get Timmy going and he did big time. You Pistons were all standing around looking for help in the 4th qtr for someone to step up to the plate, you know why, because you don't know who the best player on your team is. How many great teams that won a number of les in a 4 or 5 year run did it without an all time great.

[Warlord23]

Guys why are we talking about the Pistons now? This thread wasn't about them, it was about Artest. Secondly, they're the team that's most similar to ours, bet it execution, defense, depth.

So let's stop pretending that Fisher cost us the le in 2004. The Lakers adopted 1 simple philosophy .. pack the middle and let our shooters beat them ... the Pistons would have done a better job at that. With Hedo and an out-of-form Horry as our shooting threats, the Pistons would have taken us out that year. They were the best team by a wide margin in May-June 2004.

[dbreiden83080]

Guys why are we talking about the Pistons now? This thread wasn't about them, it was about Artest. Secondly, they're the team that's most similar to ours, bet it execution, defense, depth.

So let's stop pretending that Fisher cost us the le in 2004. The Lakers adopted 1 simple philosophy .. pack the middle and let our shooters beat them ... the Pistons would have done a better job at that. With Hedo and an out-of-form Horry as our shooting threats, the Pistons would have taken us out that year. They were the best team by a wide margin in May-June 2004.

I am just responding to the Pistons fans talking about our team i'm sorry, not trying to mess with the thread.

[FreshPrince22]

I am just responding to the Pistons fans talking about our team i'm sorry, not trying to mess with the thread.

And I'm just responding to a Spurs fan (or is he just a Piston hater?) talking about my team. Looks like we have something in common.
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Sunset Boulevard Residence 2

[Brutalis]

In a simulation league I had the Spurs once, and Artest was awesome.

I had traded Jackson and a 2nd for him and we won 66 games and the Finals.

Of course at ude didn't come into play.

[Kori Ellis]

Bob Kravitz
Tick-tock: Time's up for Artest
December 10, 2005

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...plate=printart

Ron Artest can't come back now, not after this, not after saying he wants to get away from coach Rick Carlisle and go someplace where he can get bigger numbers and a fresh start.

He must be traded.

Now.

Artest, an incorrigible bum who should have been set free long ago, should not be allowed to spend another night soiling the uniform of the Indiana Pacers.

If he wants out -- and he made that abundantly clear when he spoke with The Star's Mike Wells -- then the Pacers must accommodate him, and
accommodate him immediately.

Before he destroys a second straight season.

Before he further poisons what has often been a toxic locker room.

If Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh don't do something dramatic and immediate, they are completely asleep at the wheel -- something they've long been guilty of when it involves Teflon Ron.

If Artest is allowed back in that locker room, what would management be telling Carlisle? That it backs Artest? That Artest can say or do just about anything and be forgiven? If Artest is still here one week from now, Carlisle needs to give management an ultimatum:

It's him or me.

And it needs to be Carlisle.

The Pacers head coach rubs some people the wrong way -- former and current players have chafed under his micromanaging, run-the-play style -- but he wins every place he coaches and he wins under all kinds of cir stances. When Artest was gone last season, running a daddy day care and promoting his CD, Carlisle was doing one of the most remarkable coaching jobs in recent memory, taking the s of a team to the second round of the playoffs.

If Artest is allowed to return, what would that say to the other players in the locker room? The ones who presumably care more about winning a le than getting their statistics? The ones who spent all last season fighting through suspensions and injuries and playing some of the most inspiring, unselfish basketball this team has played in years?

If it wasn't obvious to Pacers' management long ago, it should be now: The guy is a hopeless case. He's a wonderful basketball player who possesses great passion for the game, but, ultimately, he is a team-killer, a selfish lout who says one thing and does another.

Anybody remember how, during the whole contrived Ron Across America Tour, he made a point of committing himself to the team, insisting he would happily sacrifice his numbers for the greater good?

That lasted, what, three months?

Now, he's saying he wants to play the role of Kobe, or LeBron, or maybe Gilbert Arenas, "to maximize my opportunity of my potential."

The "Real Ron,'' indeed.

Anybody remember how, during that same tour, he made a point of thanking the Pacers for all their patience and understanding, and how, in return, he owed them nothing less than a championship?

Now he's saying (and please don't snicker as you read this one), "I don't think everybody is treated the same way around here,'' and "I think they will be a better team without me."

After all this organization has done for him -- supported (enabled) him, counseled him, even lied for him -- this was his way of showing gra ude.

Thanks, Ron.

And good riddance.

If ever there was a time to pull the trigger on an Artest-for-Peja Stojakovic deal, this is it. The question, though, is whether the Sacramento Kings are now willing to make it happen. In the past, they've been reticent to part with the popular Stojakovic, but the Kings are struggling and look like a team in desperate need of a change.

Somehow, some way, Bird and Walsh have to make a deal, or do whatever it takes to get Artest out of here. Even if they can't get equal value for him -- and if it's not a deal for Stojakovic, it's unlikely they'll get good value -- it doesn't matter. Get a bent rim. And a slug to be named later. Anything. Cut the franchise's losses.

In the end, Artest didn't make this mess, even if he's the one with dirt on his hands. It's like the Chris Rock routine when the comic says the tiger who attacked Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy didn't go crazy.

"That tiger went tiger," Rock said.

In this case, Artest went Artest.

The Pacers knew what they were getting when they dealt for him. And they've been front-row spectators to the running psychodrama ever since.

So how could they have failed to see that it would eventually come to this? They knew -- knew -- he was a ticking time bomb and would eventually take the entire franchise with him. But still, three of the best basketball men in the league -- Bird, Walsh and Carlisle -- sat by idly and let it happen. They believed their own fiction because they wanted to believe it, because when Artest is right, he's a great player and an even greater bargain.

Now they are going to pay again for placing their faith in him, forced to deal him at a time when it will be next-to-impossible to get any kind of value for him.

The Pacers cannot complain, though. They lost that right a long time ago.

This is their mess, and now, it's time to clean it up.

[Warlord23]

Prediction about Ron Artest ... he won't be playing in the league 3 years from now.

People quite often take for granted an NBA player's ability and motivation to play at a high level year in year out. Players like Jordan, Duncan and even Malone set themselves apart from the others not just in terms of talent but also in terms of bringing it every season, after trying to tune their game and their fitness every offseason.

Ron is just not capable of exhibiting this kind of work ethic. He's got tons of talent, but very little discipline or patience. In a way, he's quitting on his team and coach ... that too, when his team was poised to be one of the contenders in this league. It doesn't get better than this ... what is he hoping for? Next year he might find himself on a crappy Knicks team, and he'll be complaining about that. Really, this guy can't achieve success even if it's handed on a platter to him.

[Warlord23]

Also, notice the completely contradictory statements 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."

followed by ...

"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."

So which is it Ron? You wanna be the second coming of MJ or play 2nd fiddle to Bron? Makes me wonder if Ron really understands or cares about what he says in public. The truth is he doesn't have the mental strength and discipline to stay focused on his job. He wants to quit on the fans who defended him throughout last season, even when he had done the indefensible.

That's why you can't put Ron and superstar in the same sentence. Being a superstar isn't about talent, it's about responsibility. Ron has no accountability, no responsiblity.

[j-6]

In the end, Artest didn't make this mess, even if he's the one with dirt on his hands. It's like the Chris Rock routine when the comic says the tiger who attacked Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy didn't go crazy.

"That tiger went tiger," Rock said.

In this case, Artest went Artest.

That's pretty funny, and entirely appropriate. I mean, by now people should have figured out that Artest is leaving the misunderstood player with skills stage and heading toward the Dennis Rodman "I'll say and do anything for attention" stage.

Next time there's a le change around here I want mine to say "Tru Warier". I'll mouth off and demean this site to Kori and timvp, call guys like Solid D and ShoogarBear hacks, and say meaningless like wanting to come off the bench behind OhGee or something. People will hinge on every word I type.

And the peanut gallery can say, "Oh, that's just j-6 being j-6."

[jochhejaam]

The Spurs were arguably the best team that year too. >4/10 of a second and Derek Fisher or we beat you in the finals in 04 too. The end of your bench is useless so far.

I think the league should shorten the 4th quarter to 11:59.6

[Rummpd]

This guy is unbelievable and most likely the reason the Pacers have struggled this year and have now won several impressive games without him recently. Talented yes, but what a cerifiable headcase - all that BS on the SI cover with him and Bird this Fall about keeping his mouth shut etc.

One year, Artest I thought you could shut up for one year but no way, what an idot.

Not Spur material send him to another franchise to diss some dreams.

[jochhejaam]

The Pistons don't want him any more than we wanted Sprewell. We have solid players at every position that totally understand the team concept and that's a recipe for success.


Favorite Ron Artest quotes: "I mean, last season, I was 24 going on 25. Now, I am 25 going on 26. You grow up, you make mistakes and you learn from that, ... I am trying not to make the same mistakes." -Ron Artest-

"I'm very edgy and I'm not going to balance it, ... (Last year) it's over now. I'm back now. Ready to play ball and sell some records." -Ron Artest-






The Detroit Lions could use him though, put his crazy butt on the special teams. (Actually we and he would find out he's not as tough as he thinks)

[MaNuMaNiAc]

You can take being favored all you want. The Lakers were favored to sweep us in the Finals 2 years ago. The Spurs were favored to blow the out of the Hawks tonight. How did those end up?

We were also favored to beat you in the finals last season, and look what happened there

[Rummpd]

I don't mind the Pistons posters. Why? First their team has talent, second they do it with a system like the Spurs and they have won a championship with it, and third, they talk smack but in generally a tone reserved for posters that understand that fans of champion teams (and I am including them in that category) deserve respect - especially if they are long-term fans.

Now what I hate is a Suns, Pacers, or Mavs or worse as was done lately, a friggin Wolves fan attempting to somehow talk smack - when and if your team hangs a real banner in the rafters, come back and bring it. Pistons can bring some, no worries, as they surely respect the Spurs and their fans back.

Finely most are respectful and bring good takes consistently, as I said before "no worries".

And by the way, I was one of those who stupidly predicted the Pacers to come out of the East, now that looks like my personnal worst prediction, but it is a long season.