What do to with the cap space? Here is a crazy idea...

by Odenied on Oct 31, 2008 11:53 AM PDT

I know many of you will disagree with this because it would be a big risk. But I do think bringing in this guy not only makes our team an immediate contender but our culture and the guys we have on this team would be able to keep this guy under control to avoid any chemistry issues.

Who is this player I'm talking about? Ron Artest. Although he would be hard to pry away from Houston, he is the perfect fit at the SF position on our team. On top of that he is a FA, meaning we wouldn't have to give up any parts of the big 3 or big 4 if you include Rudy in that conversation to land him. Having him in the lineup with Roy, Aldridge and Oden is a very good defensive team and dangerous on offense as well. This move also fixes the problem of us being soft on the perimeter as defenders. I'm thinking Artest for around 12 million would be reasonable. That still gives us significant cap space remaining to trade for our PG of the future.

So what do you guys think about Artest? And please spare me on the "he's not a good character guy, and he doesnt' fit our culture" comments. The reality is he hasn't been in trouble in years and from what I've seen over the past few seasons is a good teamate who would jump at the opportunity to play with a young Roy, Aldridge and Oden.

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My main concern with Artest is...

that he can be a little bit of a “black hole” on the offensive side of the ball. He’s kind of like Z-Bo, in that he will sometimes worry about going one-on-one instead of checking for who is open. I love his tenaciousness on defense, and he’d be able to bully a lot of the other small forwards in this league. He sometimes seems to have a hard time if things aren’t going well with the team he’s playing on, but if he was somehow able to walk the straight and narrow, I wouldn’t hate him being a Blazer. That being said, I don’t think KP makes the move

by lefty6283 on Oct 31, 2008 11:58 AM PDT 0 recs

the only other problem with that scenario would be

that we’d most likely either have to trade Travis or let Martell walk.

by lefty6283 on Oct 31, 2008 12:03 PM PDT up 0 recs

Yeah I figured that..

But that isn’t a big problem when we could deal one of those guys + Sergio or Bayless + Frye + Raef for our PG of the future.

by Odenied on Oct 31, 2008 12:07 PM PDT up 0 recs

The only people

who can help Artest work at Pfizer, Eli-lily, and Wyeth. Michael Vick waiting to happen. No thanks…

by Engineering Problem on Oct 31, 2008 12:33 PM PDT 0 recs

It's not really a new idea..

The problem is that he’s almost 30, and by the time the Blazers are deep in the playoffs and competing for a championship over the next few years, Artest will be old and out of the league. In the meantime, we would have to give up assets to get him, and it would hurt Martel’s development.

+ Pritchard would NEVER touch him.

by ***Jason*** on Oct 31, 2008 12:42 PM PDT 0 recs

agreed KP wouldn't touch him

but Bruce Bowen is 37, and he still gives a lot of wing players fits on the defensive end. Artest also gives Roy trouble, and even if he ends up being past his prime a little bit, he should still be a very good defender for us

by lefty6283 on Oct 31, 2008 2:03 PM PDT up 0 recs

good points

by ***Jason*** on Oct 31, 2008 2:14 PM PDT up 0 recs

Not gonna happen even if we wanted him...

did you check out his game last night against the Mavs?

Believe me they love him down there in Houston – No way are they letting him go.

I should know look at my sig.

Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
LMA - Let the breakout year begin!
LMA puts the POWER in Power Forward!

by LaMarvelous on Oct 31, 2008 12:58 PM PDT 0 recs

I'm not opposed to Artest

but I’m not for the plan either. He’s a little old for us. But heck, I think our culture is at the place where we could take on a headcase who has reformed and maybe work things out. Not a continuing problem, but a reformed one.

He who laughs last thinks slowest.

by prezofdeath on Oct 31, 2008 1:08 PM PDT 0 recs

but again

Ron ron isn’t the one. Neither is Tinsley or Jermaine o Neal or Darius or Stephon Marbury. It’d have to be someone like Rasheed Wallace moving from Portland to Detroit.

He who laughs last thinks slowest.

by prezofdeath on Oct 31, 2008 1:08 PM PDT up 0 recs

and even then

it’d have to be a heck of a heck of a heck of a deal

He who laughs last thinks slowest.

by prezofdeath on Oct 31, 2008 1:09 PM PDT up 0 recs

I dunno if we're there yet

If it’s another young kid with attitude problems (like, for example but not specifically this player, JR Smith) maybe they’d give in to Roy’s position as alpha male leader of the team, but I don’t think a trouble making veteran would submit so easily.

Not in their prime, like Artest would be.

We got another year or two to cement Roy/LMA/Oden’s status as leaders and stars before they can take a sour apple and make them red n’ sweet.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Oct 31, 2008 1:13 PM PDT up 0 recs

good point

the Spurs waited a long time before they started messing with jerks

He who laughs last thinks slowest.

by prezofdeath on Oct 31, 2008 1:16 PM PDT up 0 recs

Here's my issues--

—and it’s totally his on-the-court play (well mostly totally), not his off the court stuff (which would likely preclude us getting him, but we’ll just play along).

He is a very, very, very bad ballhog. He does not care about playing within an offense. He is too strong of a personality to be reined in by anyone really, let alone some scrawny young kids like Roy/LMA/Oden… not at this stage in their careers.

It’ll take a few years before we can handle a big personality like Artest and not worry about it disrupting our team. We got Roy as a great leader, but he’s not established enough LEAGUE-WIDE to tackle someone like Artest and make him fit our team.

Artest can be the best defender, when properly motivated. He doesn’t always remain motivated.

He really, really, just wants to shoot whatever he wants. It makes me cringe watching him, since he’s a pretty poor shooter but still fancies himself a great scorer. If one thinks Outlaw doesn’t fit well with the starters because of his tendency to shoot whenever he gets the ball, Artest will make you tear your hair out.

In a perfect world where Artest would behave himself, play tough defense, submit to Roy as the alpha dog, and not shoot whenever he wanted, Artest would be amazing for us. His toughness and defense would be incredible. It just ain’t all there is with Artest.

Mixed bag of effort, black hole on offense, likely to disrupt the team leader status. It’s not a realistic option anyways since Houston is a team where Artest works (thus far), but it’s still a no go even in fantasy-jus’-talkin’ land.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Oct 31, 2008 1:10 PM PDT 0 recs

Who we should grab is Matrix

I think his stint in Miami has awoken him to the fact that he is not a first option. but is an amazing third option; which he would be on our team.

Plus he does everything. And he easily has the best nickname in the league (besides Chris “Birdman” Anderson).

"It's not who jumps the highest -- it's who wants it the most" Buck Williams

by Fund A Mental on Oct 31, 2008 1:17 PM PDT 0 recs

odenied

i love you dude finally somebody who sees the light artest=toughness tenacious gutty star player somebody who this franchise definately lacks a real “badass” 1 thing about this team imho it’s too damn soft too many nice guys period !!!

by fatty on Oct 31, 2008 2:10 PM PDT 0 recs

Isn’t that Bayless’ future role on this team?

by Norsktroll on Oct 31, 2008 2:35 PM PDT up 0 recs

explain any possible scenario where we could pry him away from Houston?

by Bust a Bucket on Oct 31, 2008 2:54 PM PDT 0 recs

Reminder

Please no pics in the Gameday Thread. These things slow down enough as it is with all the comments.

—Dave

by Dave on Oct 31, 2008 2:57 PM PDT 0 recs

LOL

OK, I’m a big, fat IDIOT! I thought I was still in the Gameday Thread.

Sorry for whoever had that picture of Channing up. I hope you can repost it.

I must be tired. Or drunk.

—Dave

by Dave on Oct 31, 2008 2:58 PM PDT up 0 recs

The key word in your title

is “crazy”

Seen enough crazies come through the Jail Blazer era

I like winning, but not at ALL cost

Marion? Stay away from that diva

by two4larue on Oct 31, 2008 3:14 PM PDT 0 recs

No need for character issues.

Didn’t we learn about character issues from the Jail Blazers era? I don’t want to feel like an idiot for bragging about the grown themselves up Portland Trail Blazers and they are still having character issues. Artest has good, been clean for a while, but I’m not holding my breath on him coming to us.

by CanadianBlazerfan on Oct 31, 2008 5:59 PM PDT up 0 recs

I have a few words about this situation:

Let’s Go Craaaaazy!!

The season is here.

by SpyderRyder on Oct 31, 2008 4:27 PM PDT 0 recs

Truth in advertising...

What do to with the cap space? Here is a crazy idea… (Ron Artest)

FREE SERGIO -- Trade Him or Cut Him NOW!!!

by timbo on Oct 31, 2008 11:12 PM PDT 0 recs

Artest would be a high risk high reward scenario.

It makes perfect sense for a team like Houston ( who is chasing a title right now ) and think they made an absolute slam dunk with that pick-up. But for us right now, I think we’re still too young and still trying to find our identity to bring in a player like that.

by oden is GOD OF WAR on Nov 1, 2008 12:07 AM PDT 0 recs

I don't think Artest would come over

to us. Right now he is in the perfect situation,

- he’s on a new team(that can challenge the Lakers and Hornets)
- he’s a free agent(so if it all works out, he could be looking at a big pay-day)
- he’s the third option on a team with 2 legit SuperStars(Roy and LMA are not)

Anyway if we want defense from the SF posistion, then all we got to do is play Webman and Batman.

by VinnyB on Nov 1, 2008 5:20 AM PDT 0 recs