O'Neal: Trade Artest If He Want s Out

Dec 12 - When Jermaine O'Neal heard that Ron Artest wanted to be traded, he told the Indianapolis Star, "I fully think management should do their best at the highest level to move a player that doesn't want to be here. ... If he doesn't want to be here, he's not going to give his full effort. The one problem you can't have is anybody that says they don't want to be here."

Artest mentioned he wouldn't mind coming off the Cavaliers bench behind LeBron James, however the Akron Beacon-Journal points out four reasons why it probably won't happen.

First, it isn't, yet, clear if the Pacers would honor his request. Second, it is highly doubtful that they'd trade him to a team within their own division. Third, a league insider said the Cavs leadership has serious questions about his character. Fourth, it is doubtful that the Cavs would be willing to give up one of their prime assets for Artest.

The Willoughby News-Herald asks,who would the Cavaliers have to deal for Artest? Shooting guard Larry Hughes is someone who comes to mind. Perhaps Drew Gooden and Donyell Marshall? Also, could the Cavaliers get the deal done by offering center Zydrunas Ilgauskas? Many around the league think Artest is a top-10 talent. Would the Cavaliers sacrifice their All-Star center for him?

Of course, Artest's preference is to play for his hometown Knicks. A Pacers source tells the New York Daily News, the team fully expects Isaih Thomas to make a run at Artest. Whether the Knicks president can make a deal is another matter. Quentin Richardson's salary roughly matches Artest's $6.5 million, but Indiana would surely prefer Sacramento's Peja Stojakovic.

Newsday suggests Thomas would likely have to offer much of the young talent he has drafted during the past two years (Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, David Lee, Trevor Ariza) before the Pacers would even think about a trade with the Knicks.

if i was isiah, i would drop everything that may be agreed to on the 15th - IF thats anything and really go after this artest thingee

Yes, this Artest thing has suddenly become a situation where the Knicks could get him. AKA he's a problem for his team and no one else in the league wants him.

I would love Artest. Bring him home, Zeke.

Frederic Weis who???

I desperately want rtest. and guaranteed the minute he gets here some idiot will say what a stupid thing isiahs don't.

get it done zeke!!!!

Nobody loves the game more than Larry Brown. Nobody has done more recently to disgrace the game than Ron Artest. LB saw what happened first hand. No way Artest reunites with LB. Snap out of it guys, he's an awesome talent but we don't need to throw a highly combustible element into our developing team chemistry.

I think the fact that Donnie Walsh is handling these trade talks is a good sign for the Knicks, that way Larry Bird and Isiah's disdain for each other won't come into effect. Artest knows that his leash with David Stern is so short that any other act of major disruption will mean that he could very well be gone from the NBA. For this reason, I think Artest will stay on good behavior and be a asset to any team that gets him - hopefully thats the Knicks.

Curry and Frye are no-no's in any trade for me. The Pacers don't have a right to ask for Curry or Frye because Artest has really taken away any leverage that they may have had, add in there his reputation and you have a team that is going to trade away a damn good basketball player for much less than he is worth. I said it a few days ago and I'll say it again, any package including Q/Ariza or Lee/AD or Penny for Artest + contracts back should get this deal done. If the Knicks have to throw in a draft pick then so be it, do it. Just get Artest here.

I love Ron Artest. I just think his comments completely went against the team concept. I don't understand why he would make all of these comments public. Did he even try to work things out with Rick Carlisle?

Posted by realhiphop:

I love Ron Artest. I just think his comments completely went against the team concept. I don't understand why he would make all of these comments public. Did he even try to work things out with Rick Carlisle?

maybe he made the comments in order to get traded in the first place.

I don't think Ron will ever change. He'll always be causing trouble. The questions are:

are we ok with some distractions for his talent?
Is LB willing to coach him? to put up with his stuff?

How many of us would've wanted Rodman despite his antics. And Artest is a much better player than Rodman was.

Posted by jaydh:

Posted by Knight:

Posted by jaydh:

Posted by Knight:

^What makes you think Artest will stay on good behavior? He's going to be in NY around all his buddies and all the distractions, no way.

cant people mature? LB already has experience in dealing with malcontents.

You would think someone might mature after igniting the most frightening and embarrassing incident in NBA history and being suspended an entire season for it.

but i dont think what he is doing right now is that bad.. he wants to play somewhere else, hes a star player, he has leverage. its not like hes the first star player that has demanded to be traded midseason.

He just took a huge dump on this team and the Pacers organization out of the blue. This is the same team that supported him through everything last year.