Artest on Knicks is one scary scenario
Thomas producing ultimate Broadway show if volatile forward joins team

OPINION
By Bob Cook
MSNBC contributor


Bob Cook


If it’s true that Isiah Thomas wants to get Ron Artest on his team, then the New York Knicks will be well on their way to having the scariest team in the NBA -- in every sense of the word.

Following up his blockbuster trade for Zach Randolph, whose scoring and rebounding abilities are as prodigious as his rap sheet, Thomas, according to New York newspapers, is interested in having Artest join him with the Knicks, sending to Sacramento David Lee (and, presumably, someone else to match salaries).

Earlier, New York papers reported Thomas was interested in Rasheed Wallace. It’s only a matter of time before Thomas calls Golden State to inquire about Stephen Jackson, asks Latrell Sprewell if he wants to start feeding his family again, or hires the Hanson Brothers as consultants.

Apparently Thomas has decided that if you’re going to go down, go down swinging -- literally.

No doubt that in the weak Eastern Conference, which the Cleveland Cavaliers won with a lineup of LeBron James and four guys plucked from a pickup game in Euclid, a Knicks lineup of Randolph, Artest, Stephon Marbury, Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford would be an instant contender. All of them can score, and Randolph and Artest can rebound. The only one who can play defense is Artest. But the league’s leading lockdown forward shuts off James, then the four pickup players from Parma should be easy enough for the other Knicks to handle.

But this lineup also would be an instant powder keg.

The first problem is the volatile personalities that will make every possession an adventure. With five shooters and one ball, what sort of offense are the Knicks going to run? The one-on-one-on-one-on-one-on-one isolation? With Artest, you never know whether he’s lights out and will go off for 35 points, or whether he will do nothing but stand around and take 3-pointers, scoring 12 points on 4-for-20 shooting.

The second problem is the volatile personalities that will make every personal interaction an adventure. Just ask Ruben Patterson, whose eye socket was broken by a Randolph punch during a Portland practice. After the infamous 2004 Pacers-Pistons brawl, surely no fan is going to spill a beer in Artest’s presence.


The third -- and potentially biggest -- problem is the volatile personalities that will make every moment off the court an adventure. There’s always the worry that Randolph and Artest, no strangers to the inside of a police station, will get into more trouble by going to New York. But given that both have found a lot of trouble in the state of Indiana (Randolph’s a native, Artest is still living there even though the Pacers bounced him early last season), it’s safe to say Randolph and Artest don’t need the big city to find themselves in a bad situation.

You wonder whether it’s a good idea for Thomas, currently embroiled in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a former Knicks employee (a case that also has painted a not-too-flattering light on Marbury’s conduct toward women), to avail himself of players with pending civil (Randolph) and criminal (Artest) cases involving assaults against women.

The acquisition of Randolph, and the possible acquisition of Artest, also makes you wonder, one more time, what Thomas must have on Knicks owner James Dolan to remain employed as general manager and coach, given how his numerous, dubious acquisitions have so far kept the team blissfully playoff-free. It’s a particular head-scratcher because Dolan has a reputation for wanting to root out bad characters on his team, which is why Sprewell and Marcus Camby were sent away.

I don't think anything in this article is wrong, but at this point you have to take the chance.

Yeah there is something wrong: we are NOT going to give up David Lee in any Artest trade...

At least most of the pieces are tradeable...

Posted by Knicksfan:

At least most of the pieces are tradeable...

the 2 biggest contracts in Marbury & Zach won't be easy to unload... those are the 2 pieces i'd most want to get rid of if this whole thing doesn't work out like i have a feeling it won't.

We're not trading Lee. And not only does Artest play D, but Marbs did last season and Craw did the year before.

I think the only way Isiah goes for Artest is if he steals him. I am not sure if he would go after him even in that scenario. Isiah knows how troubled Artest is. He knows that he cannot handle him. He knows that Artest basically ruined the Pacers and the Kings. You potentially give up more than talent or expiring contracts if you acquire Artest. You may give up your team. I love Artest and his game. I always try to get him for my fantasy team. However, he is mentally ill and Isiah knows this. I do not think that he is stable enough to help a team for an entire season. I also would worry about him back in NY. He may have a support network that would aid him or it might be the worst place for him to play. Isiah has done a nice job of bringing in young talent. I am think he stole Randolph despite trading a huge character guy with alot of upside. I think getting Artest could sabotage everything that he has done. I love Artest on the court and in the past I often talked about how the Knicks downfall started when they passed on Artest. However, problems like the ones Artest has do not go away. I love his talent but I would not go there if I was Isiah.

Isiah aint trading David lee.

Isiah is gonna rape the kings if this goes down. Malik and Nate. Easy like Sunday morning.

Posted by EnySpree:

Isiah aint trading David lee.

I pretty sure about this too. David Lee is the only guy Isiah found that has a real upside and he is never letting that go for Artest who can lose it any second.

But man, talk about rolling the dice. With Artest in NY, we are taking a huge risk. We can become a contender with Artest but we can also turn into the laughing stock with Artest. The guy did a interview with Stephen A which scared the crap out of me. He thinks he is Kobe on offense and I dont think he will like the idea of this being Eddy's team. But wtf, give us your troubled and we'll gamble.