I'm going to blast Mr. Thompson now.

The Kings need Wright of all the players the Dubs have. That's what would make this deal work. I don't care if Kenny Thomas gets shipped out, but I do care if the Kings get Wright more or less. Thomas would just make me all giggly inside.

Actually they couldn't pull this deal off. Pietrus is BYC, which means his trade value off, meaning you'd have to throw another player (B-R-A-N-D-A-N....you get the idea) in to make the salaries match up to work under the salary cap. Furthermore the Warriors, unless Jasikevicius & Foyle don't count against the cap for this season, which I highly doubt, then it's hard to believe any deal they make won't cost them tax.

Actually Mike Bibby has an "ETO". Ron Artest has a player option for next season. While they add up to being the same thing they are not. For someone writing as if they are in the know they're terms are quite jumbled. Mr Thompson you are foolish in the way you state things.

My soapbox is safely tucked away. You all may returned to your regularly scheduled lying programming. :)

would be a perfect fit. All together now boys, "Practice? We're talking about practice!"

One thing is clear: the fact that Artest is "underpaid" in relationship to his skills and true value probably makes it easier to trade him because you need fewer pieces to add up to his salary.

Now whether an acquiring team is just playing rent-a-Ron for the rest of this season or if they are going to ante up to what Ron and his agent apparently feel are "fair value" is the real question and possible roadblock to a deal.

The guy is trying to sell papers. That's his job.

I'd say if taking off that practice helped Ron prepare for Utah and a looming back-to-back with Golden State, it was worth whatever molehill of a price people want to make of it.

Say what you want about Mr. Artest and his various "issues," but I don't think you can really make case of him doggin' it.

The Kings are now 7-1 when both score 20 or more points.

>>this is a young, impressionable roster<<

I can see from their play last night that Hawes and Douby really went to pieces over it.

values Artest as a $13-$14 million per year player.

Let's see, $13 million x 5-6 years + stellar play - marches to the beat of his own drummer + the fact that he says he wants to go =

At this point in time I do not feel Ron Artest is worth the risk of a long term contract.

The same agent that Bonzi had? 'Cause they both seem to be intent on a big payday despite what is realistic to expect for their talented yet perpetually troublesome clients.

I don't think Petrie will blink this time either.

I remember reading this, and thinking about it waiting at Benaroya Hall, oui, but it seems to me this is Denver trying to tip Petrie's hand.

While I seem that previous statement seems a given, I would also point out that could make Petrie's job to shed a contract, and I'm going on the record saying that Mikki Moore would be an acceptable substitute to dump instead of K9 if it gets to that, then you have to think Petrie is trying to up the offers to get a player like Brandan Wright. (I can't imagine any team getting an all star caliber player similar to the caliber of Artest. Wright represents the next best thing. The warriors have it.)

Either way that's my last 2 cents on the subject.

The Lakers aren't particularly strong at the small forward position. Maybe they might be interested in renting Ron for the rest of the season.

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=2426~3251~549~25&teams=23~23~23~13& ;te=&cash=

Lakers get:
SF Ron Artest

Kings get:
SF Trevor Ariza
C Chris Mihm
SG Coby Karl

Ariza is young and has some upside. Mihm has Bird rights, which could complicate the deal. Karl is a throw-in with a nice outside shot.

Both Ariza and Mihm are hurt right now, but supposed to return soon.

The Zen Master gets another challenge in Artest.

Re: Odom.

I didn't read it anywhere. I was going down Hollinger's list of small forwards and saw LA was not strong at that position. Naturally that's because they list Odom as a 4.