I acually am having two separate thoughts here that I am going to combine into one larger fanpost. I want to pre-warn all of you these ideas are in the...developmental stages, but I like both.  Ok here we go.

Batum becomes our starting pg.  Ok, hold on here, your crazy Natural!!  Wait, wait this just might work.  If Batum enters the starting linup as pg  we can assume that our lineup would be Roy, Aldridge, Oden/Pryz, Webster and Batum.  This would allow B-Roy to control the ball, which he is good at and enjoys, yet defend the two.  The problem with Brandon at the point has always been him defending the quicker 1's in the league but Batum on the other hand could cause some serious issues for most of these same players.  Really what we want from our pg seems to be defense and outside shooting.  With Batum's defense and Roy, Webster and Aldridge's great perimeter shooting we have more than enough.  At times even Batum can stroke it.  This would leave BRoy playing pg on offense and Batum on defense.  We could use Sergio or Blake and Sergio in a trade to strengthen our bench and let Bayless/Blake play half the minutes in the backup role.

Blazers Sign Ron Artest.  I know, I know this will never happen...or will it?  KP has been saying they could take a chance on a player with a past and I wonder if he is talking about Artest.   Ron has a set of skills we would kill for, physical play, defensive stopper, attitude, toughness, scorer, etc.  He does on the other hand have a history of poor decision making on and off the basketball court.   He got in a freakin fight with opposing fans!! 

Despite all these genuinely good reasons not to bring him to the team formerly known as the "Jail Blazers," I think he is worth a shot in the right situation.  He has cleaned up his act over the last few years and he played exteremely well for the Rockets this season, he seemed to almost be there Rock during all the injuries.  He is antagonized more than any other player because other teams try to take him out of the game by getting to him emotionally.  This year he stayed out of trouble entirely and I think was the difference in the first round. 

Ron would fit perfectly from a basketball standpoint for this team.  He would bring all the above qualities and change the dynamics of our starting unit to the point of scary.  Can you imagine what other teams would be thinking going up against Roy, Artest, LMA, Oden and other PG/Blake?  That is a tough unit on both ends. Artest can probably be had at a bargain rate during the economic crisis and because of his history, we might be able to sign him with our available cap space if we waive Channing.  Really what is the risk?  You take him on, sign him to a 3 year deal, if things go bad you waive him and PA pays him anyways.  Ron seems to be a follower not a leader I think he would meld into this team both on and off the court.  He seems to have benefited from playing with quality, cultured, educated guys like Battier, Brooks, Yao and more.  I think Ron would get an equal or greater enjoyment growing with a great young team like ours.  On top of all this it seemed to me that Artest was asking to come to Portland with all the flattery of Brandon and the Blazer team.  It seems he geniuinely likes the team and the city.  Why not give it a try?