I agree completely.

Here it is for anyone else interested:

...Ronny Turiaf, who has agreed to a four-year, $17 million deal with the Warriors.

As Hoops916 noted, the Lakers can match within 7 days of receiving the offer sheet.

Just think of all the giddy comments there’d be on StR every time Ron sent an e-mail to the LA TImes, instead of the frustration currently found when he sends e-mails to the Bee?

That does make sense.

According to hoopshype you’re right. I was pretty sure there was another year so I’ll check other sources (they’re not always right).

Anyway, that does give some more thought to him being a deadline trade piece.

If it came to that though I’d send Artest + to Miami for (as much as I depise him) Marion. Like I’ve said, there are several other options.

The Lakers are going to beat the Kings over the next several years no matter where Artest plays, so I’m not worried about that part.

These are non-guaranteed deals. They’ll get a certain amount of money for being in camp and the NBA minimum if they make the team.

I think forcing a guy into medical retirement is just wrong myself, but it will help the Kings against the luxury tax for the next 2 seasons would be my only point.

I was just discussing this with a buddy of mine, what do you think Garcia could be signed for this summer? If he plays well (if Artest is gone he’ll get more PT) he’ll likely cost more next year, so I agree that this would be the time to do it.

Is there any chance we could sign him to a Luke Walton deal, except declining instead of increasing?

Decent pieces? You’re talking about giving up RA already for just an expiring contract – someone not in our future plans.

Moore can also come off the books, to make more room.

If the Kings can get under the cap next year, they probably have a better chance of signing Boozer (he’s shown that he follows the money) than getting a winning ticket in 2010.

The Kings don’t have enough room under the salary cap, and you have to remember certain players, and certain exceptions also have cap holds on the cap. So it’s not as clearcut as saying the Kings will have around 56 million in committed salary next season. Chances are, unless they move Brad Miller, Kenny Thomas, and don’t take back salary from the Ron Artest deal, then what you’re looking at is a summer with even less moves to make than this one.

There is no absolute way without shedding Miller, Abdur Rahim, Thomas, Artest (or whatever player he brings back) and their salaries will they have any serious money to spend on the cap. Chances are the cap will go up, but the cap is not slated to go up automatically. It’s only go to go up if revenues go up. With the economy being as bad as it is, do you think the NBA’s revenue is boudn to go up? It could go down just as easily. So don’t expect a higher cap figure automatically. or at least I wouldn’t.

In summary, because of the MLE, and other exceptions, as well as the contracts which may still be on the books by the summer of 09, there might be so little space that going after a big player may not be possible.

You keep pounding the Eastern Conference drum, and I don’t think anyone would have a problem with sending him out there, but nobody (myself included) has found that great deal that’s available in the East yet.

1. I don’t see Chicago swapping Artest for Deng, but I’d be plenty happy getting Deng back for Artest.

2. The only NJ trade that really makes sense for them is probably Artest & Miller for Vince Carter, because it lowers their 2010 cap and keep them relatively competitive to sell tickets until then. I don’t see any deal with Philly unless the AI talks go extremely sour, and even then they could probably do better (for what they’re looking for) than Artest.

3. Marion could be an Expiring Contract just like Odom, but I don’t think they have the same level of desperation for that last piece on their way to a Championship that LAL does. This matters because it means that they wouldn’t take K9 as part of the deal, which is the most appealing part of the Odom trade.

4. What would Charlotte want with a 1-year-rental of Artest for? What would they give up for that? Wallace? Okafor? Let’s be (very) optimistic and say that the Okafor talks stall and they want to deal him in a S&T, what kind of deal gets him: Artest & Miller? Probably not, and don’t forget that LAC’s after him now as well, since Brand’s gone and they have a hole at the 4 with cap space to spend. I was looking at Charlotte’s roster this morning and I just don’t see an Artest deal in the plans there.

5. With the Knicks you have to look at the filler they would be willing to take (if we would consider taking Marbury back). Do they take K9? SAR? Moore? Or would they aim for Miller? Would you trade Artest & Miller for Starbury’s Expiring Contract? I don’t know that it helps much if K9 & SAR are both still on the roster, since they don’t contribute on the court.

As a note to Mr. B, buying out K9 wouldn’t do much (especially at this point), as his buyout number would still count against the cap and he couldn’t be used in any trades.

There’s a strong chance they’ll just buy him out. It will be easier, and he can get away from the Knicks. That’s assuming Marbury still has a career by the time this happens. Or assuming he’s healthy enough to resume a career.

1. Chicago – the situation has changed with the Celtics in the equation. They feel the need to shake things up ect.. Who knows?

2. I did mean Philly, and as I’ve said before if you’re trading Artest for a player not in our future plans like Odem and cap space – who cares??? We should be able to get that deal somewhere else and maybe a better draft pick as well.

3. a) Because Artest goes East and we don’t have to see him b) It doesn’t help the Lakers c) Marion would be VERY tradable for even more at the deadline (though I hate him)

4) is Charlotte Ever going to make a move? Larry Brown is no Spring Chicken and he LOVES ‘D’. Once again, if you’re just clearing space for next year – who cares? Plus we might get a young player to look at.

5) I Clearly said a ‘Catch and RELEASE’ option, Strickly to clear off K-9s $$ and maybe get a young player

stupid and lower his trade val…Doh!

I always had Brad pegged as a Bud guy, just the wrong kind of Bud.

Wow, the Lakers would be crazy to get rid of a guy that good.

Who’s coming out in the 2010 draft? :-)

That is the question I want answered because I don’t think either guy is in the Kings long term future. I prefer Odom, he fits in a lot better than the travashamamockery that is Ron Artest.

NOTE: Salaries estimated off the top of my head

• Ron Artest & Kenny Thomas for Lamar Odom (- $14M)
• Brad Miller for Expiring Contract X & a 1st/2nd Round Pick (- $12M)
• Shareef Abdur-Rahim for Medical Retirement Cap Relief (- $6M+)
• Mikki Moore for $1M buy out? (- $5M?)
• Shelden Williams & Quincy Douby for No Qualifying Offer (- $9M?)

Result: Some $46M coming off the books in the off-season of 2009.

See, it can be done, it just takes a lot of pieces falling into place.

He is a Lakers guy though. My point was that the offer seems to be in the table and this is also coming from the Lakers side (I know Amick already reported it from the Kings side). Just trying to throw more info out there…

Forgot about that one… Can we call this the Trade Artes syndrome?? Hearing Artest is close to being traded can inpair your judgment because of how excited you get

I’d like 2 picks since they’d both be late rounders, but I could live with that.

If they did this trade right after acquiring Odom, I wouldn’t even mind holding on to Wally until the Trade Deadline, just in case we could milk something else out of him.

Compared to the Denver deal at the deadline last year, you’re moving down in the 1st round but you get rid of K9(woof!).

But they could have also bought the picks anyway. Personally, I’m not a big fan at throwing $3 million at a pick that historically does not pan out. “Deep” drafts are determined three years after the fact.

Wait till after the All-Star break, and Artest gets excluded. Cue the implosion… I don’t think LPA’s signature changes just because Artest is on another team.

I think it’s “Scissorback” and he’s just faking it.