that most players around the NBA feel that the Maloof’s have an open pocketbook based on past dealings with Bibby & Wells mainly. I think that’s the reason Artest really believe he’d get a great offer is because Joe was floating the idea that he’d get something if he showed loyalty this season.

You’re talking about Petrie, but Petrie didn’t give that camp the news they wanted, so they believed what Joe was saying publicly. It’s hard to believe an agent is this dumb, but then again, Bonzi Wells already happened.

The only way out of this mess for Ronnie is for him to put it all out on the floor. Now he’s playing for that contract! He had a good year last year, but I believe in order for the Kings to make the playoffs and for Ron to make the money he thinks he deserves, he needs to step it up a notch. Then he’ll have the entire town on his side and he’ll get his 15 mil a year.

They might lock him into a reasonable compromise contract. They MUST get real value for him if they don’t.

Come on guys. Artest problem is not bad representation obviously. Everybody knows that the guy is mad. He is not a sane person and that’s the simple truth. Doesn’t anyone remember that Ron changed his mind about 6-7 times the past months about opting out? 3 of them was in the past week for gods sake! lol Now he just did it again. Totally unloyal, just crazy.

All we can do now is put up with him for one more season or trade him if something really special comes along (which I don’t think it will).

Ideally we should sideline him for half a season and let our youngsters play more.

It won’t affect how he plays – which is very, very hard and generally very good. Though he is not always a good fit for our cast of characters on the offensive side of the ball. (Ron would play his ass off if he were playing 3 on 3 at the park with 5 Joe Schmozes. Dude, just likes to play.)

This is kind of stuff is just cannon fodder for the media and for the really intense fans (read: all of us) that actually still give a crap about the Kings and the NBA during the off-season. It’s interesting and annoying, but, at the end of the day, not very relevant because Ron will never not give you a 120% effort. The guy earns his paycheck.

I don’t care what Ron says regarding his contract status or his pay. It changes from day-to-day as he is one of those people that says whateve happens to be on his mind at that very second – sans any sort of social filter. In some way, he reminds me of a very earnest 2nd grader: The big difference is that it’s cute when a 7 year old busts out in a stream of consciousness rant; it’s much less so when a grown man doesn’t know he ought not.

With Baron Davis taking off and screwing the W’s I think that Mullin might be in the mood to make a deal to improve his roster. I think that Petrie can go out and get Brandon Wright straight up for Ron Artest at this point, really helping both teams. Mullin has been interested in the past and with the drafting of Randolph I see Wright as a duplicate player. Even if Mullin made this deal, he would still have the cap space to deal a pick or sign and trade Peitrus for Felton.

Just a couple of ideas running through my head.

He pulled out the old Sprewell line about how he has to support his family. Unbelievable, last time I checked 8.5 mil(this is how much he said he makes this year) will support a shit load of families.

Or get really, truly good value for him.

The fact that Ron is now unhappy has nothing to do with the advice he got. If he had opted out and shopped his services on the open market, he would have found it virtually impossible to get the same money or more. His agent gave Ron the best possible advice in order to keep his client earning at his current level.

What Ron’s unhappy about is that he was flatly told “thanks for your help, but you’re not part of our future plans, so, um, that big fat extension you’re expecting? Not gonna happen.”

http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1054791.html

that is one exciting GP quote. we all know petrie’s track record as a trade whiz. i don’t know about you guys, but i’d rather get a look at a brandan wright than a linas kleiza. ron’s “mistake” has made for a much, much more interesting summer.

let the hot stove speculation begin!

to charlotte for felton/morrison?
to detroit with shelden for billups? straight up for prince?
to houston for aaron brooks and shane battier?
to the lakers with K9 for odom/ariza?
to memphis for lowry/antoine walker buyout?
to miami with K9 for shawn marion’s expiring contract?
to milwaukee with someone else for RJ?
to new york for david lee/jamal crawford?
to orlando for hedo/redick?

now keep in mind that most/all of these are completely ludicrous from the other team’s perspective. but hey, what’s hot stove season all about?