Since section sorta asked me already, and at that time I had other priorities (which included skipping watching the rest of the Kings-Hawks game), I'm going to get around to writing this now I suppose.

Here is Hoopshype's salary info. Look any other team up if you want background info on what I'm talking about. I'm too tired/lazy to bring it all up for you. It's all been posted on TZ's main page posts, or I've provided the hoopshype links for you to figure other stuff out.

First off if you notice for next season the Kings currently have 48 million + for salary already committed before Kevin Martin's extension kicks in, and Mikki Moore's salary is added to the page. Conservative guestimate's could easily say the combined salary will ready 15-16 million. That's at 64 million as is. Given that BRI will probably go up a little, but not too much, you will probably have a salary cap of 57-59 million. So if Artest opts out, you probably won't have any real salary cap room anyway. You will still have to sign Beno Udrih, and whatever rookie you bring in as well. In otherwords, all keeping Artest will do is prolong the process. I'm all for skipping the prolonged version even if Petrie's patience in dealing Bibby led to a better deal for the team this deadline than the previous year.

Here are the options for Ron Artest assuming he DOESN'T get traded by Noon today.

1. He opts out and signs with another team that is under the cap or the Mid Level Exception
   
2. He opts out and manages to get a sign & trade (s&t)
   
3. He doesn't opt out and the Kings keep him until at least the summer sometime when they decide to either keep or trade him at that point

I do think Petrie has to consider the ramifications of not doing such a deal too. First off the team is already deep in swingmen, and second they're much easier to draft in lower picks in the 1st round than any other position in the lower 1st round.

I also think that the Nuggets are playing chicken with Petrie to scare him. Petrie won't budge because that's just the way he is. He won't budge on principle, and he'll live with keeping Artest around because the deals he was offered didn't "blow him away". That's a colossal mistake, but it's his mistake to make. Which will also have the simultaneous effect of making me scratch my head about 8 billion times between now & July at the earliest.

Don't mistake me here. I'm not about Petrie scrapping his famed patience to deal Artest because he has to. I just don't like Denver's offer period. I don't want Kleiza, and I damn sure have no interest in JR Smith or Eddie Najera. I just don't like their package in any way. And Petrie apparently isn't interested without Kleiza.

I do think the Suns are an alternate opportunity that begs better looking at if the deadline wasn't almost 10 hours as I write this particular paragraph. Because they're going for broke, and because they could facilitate something worthwhile for themselves with Artest down the road also, it might be worth it for them. Especially if they can figure out where to Put Artest on the court with certain players (like Stoudemire and Shaq particularly). I think he would be a nice compliment to Diaw, and I think the Kings would be stupid to turn down the trade exception + the 1st rounder for him, but hey I've been wrong before.

I think Petrie is setting himself up for serious danger with Artest down the road. Artest wants a payday, but what happens if he realizes before the end of the season that isn't going to happen? What if his agent advises Ron against opting out? Ron is a great talent, but he's also a great divider. People here are so bitterly split about Ron it isn't funny. It leads to bitter conversation in other places that it doesn't need to. The fact that Ron is that a divisive a personality says alot about where his value is. Mark Warkentian was part of the Blazer talent squad that put the "Jail Blazers" together. I also think George Karl is using his influence with Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, the same way he did to snake emerge from the shadows to take the job from Jeff Bzdelik. I think the power play here is being used by Karl. He wants Artest at a price. Warkentian wants Artest. However, that a personal feeling after reading some of Amick's comments on the whole situation. I don't like Denver's part, and while Linas Kleiza is a player that is useful, at what cost does it come to the Kings for that to happen? Quincy Douby (perhaps a worthwhile casualty) or Francisco Garcia? What about John Salmons? What about Kleiza himself? Or Shelden Williams or Spencer Hawes to a degree? There is some cost here that Petrie must think about. This is of course doesn't mention the bind this puts Reggie Theus in after watching a veteran core, and favoring it for the most part in an attempt to win now, dissembled into a young core for the future. As I say I don't like this deal. It doesn't add to a position of need with a young player, and worse the Nuggets are fighting tooth & nail against it.

I don't really want to go on & on about Houston's offer. I think it would benefit the Kings to look at Aaron Brooks and Luis Scola as a package for Artest. Certainly it's a possibility if the Rockets indeed did trade for Bobby Jackson shipping out Mike James and Bonzi Wells in the process. There would be a place for Artest there.

The cap ramifications of keeping Artest is simple. They'll pay the luxury tax for next season. You can't resign Beno Udrih, if you choose, and re-sign Ron Artest to a 10 million contract. Frankly, given Artest's un-availability over the course of his career, he would be the LAST player I would want to put this kind of money in. And Beno Udrih is exactly the kind of player I would love to see the Kings spend 5 years of the MLE on. That would be a signing done out of need coupled future knowledge that it could become a bargain.

I think the roster ramifications are equally as important. Salmons needs starter minutes to be effective (which he has been). Artest is a starter. Cisco needs more minutes, and Theus needs time to figure out his rotation under any deal that re-configures the roster again. I like any potential deal with Houston because you can use Scola in a package with either Kenny Thomas or Mikki Moore next season to cut salary or make time for a young draft pick coming in. In other words giving this team flexibility was the goal of the Mike Bibby trade. If Artest isn't traded that flexibility doesn't exist, and only prolongs the agony of the debate of what Artest is really worth. I'm tired of that debate and would prefer another fan base to spearhead that argument from now on.

In summary this is what I would prefer to see. Artest traded to Houston or Phoenix (I'd still prefer Golden State but that seems dead so screw it). I don't want to see a Denver trade because keeping Artest won't be any significant change over what's already happened. If that happens I will cross my fingers he opts out and Petrie IMMEDIATELY renounces the right to Artest the second he does. That's my only guiding light, besides a very difficult to pull off trade in the waning hours of the deadline. I hoped for a Bibby trade for the last year & half. Maybe I'll get a quicker version of luck this time around.