ISIAH HAS NO FEAR OF ARTEST
By MARC BERMAN


July 9, 2007 -- LAS VEGAS - Isiah Thomas yesterday admitted he and Ron Artest were often at odds during their three years together in Indiana, but noted the controversial small forward played his best ball under him for Indiana.
Artest, a native of Queensbridge, was in Vegas this weekend with his kids, watching his brother, Daniel, play for the Kings' summer-league team.

While the Knicks are trying to land Artest in a trade, they are unwilling to part with their two top prospects, David Lee and Renaldo Balkman.

Reached at his hotel, Daniel Artest told The Post last night, "I'm not disrespecting David's game, but I think Ron is a better player than David Lee. I understand about their long term, but they should go for it now. David's going to get less touches with Zach [Randolph] anyway."

Indeed, it makes for slim pickings for Kings GM Geoff Petrie, who stands to lose Artest to free agency after next season.

"He's been quiet about it, but he wants to come home," said Daniel, who lives with his brother in Sacramento.

The good news is the competition for Artest won't be too fierce. Most NBA coaches are wary of coaching the hot-tempered Artest. That is not a problem for Thomas.

Thomas, following yesterday's summer-league practice, was peppered with Artest questions and tip-toed around tampering rules forbidding GMs from talking about opposing players under contract.

Thomas confirmed he and Artest had their blow-ups.

"It's safe to say any player I've coached has had times [where] we didn't get along," he said. "There are times where they don't like me. But that's OK. I'm not trying to be liked. I'm trying to coach them.

"It's also safe to say you look back at any of those guys who played for me, they played some of the best basketball of their lives playing for me," Thomas added.

With Lee and Balkman off limits, the Knicks have made available veterans Jared Jeffries and Malik Rose, neither of whom can be paired with Nate Robinson, Mardy Collins, Randolph Morris and their two new draft picks, Wilson Chandler and Demetris Nichols. Obviously, Petrie would want Lee foremost.

Thomas emphasized Lee is not on the table, unless it's Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett.

"I get [ticked] off when they ask me about [Lee]," Thomas said. "I really do. If you're asking about him for the right guy, we like [Lee]. We put a lot into him. We want to keep him. We have no intention of moving him."

When first asked about Artest, Thomas said, "I can talk about the past. I'm trying not to get fined. I enjoyed coaching our team in Indiana and guys we had, and Ron was one of those guys. He was playing well; our team was playing well."

Thomas believes he and Artest could have won a title together in Indiana if Larry Bird didn't fire him. Coming on the heels of the Zach Randolph trade, the Knicks believe adding Artest might make them a title contender.

"The group we had in Indiana, I felt had we stayed together, we could have won a championship," Thomas said. "And I feel similar to this group I'm putting together now. If we can stay together and go at it for three, four years, add a piece here and there, I'm confident it's a group that can play for it."

marc.berman@nypost.com

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From this 4 guys no one will deal with IT
2 are too smart to have anything in common with him and 2 have to big of an ego to coexist with Isiah

Posted by Pharzeone:

Reached at his hotel, Daniel Artest told The Post last night, "I'm not disrespecting David's game, but I think Ron is a better player than David Lee. I understand about their long term, but they should go for it now. David's going to get less touches with Zach [Randolph] anyway."

Oh ****, it's on now!

Who cares about which player is better?
Each player in NBA has a price tag attached.
Ron is on sale and his price tag is at all time low
David is hot commodity and can be auctioned.
Do you want to trade value for junk?





[Edited by - arkrud on 07-09-2007 10:23 AM]

Posted by fishmike:

this team needs perimeter defense more than anything. I would trade for Artest in a heartbeat. He wants to be here, and Isiah has really only proven to excel at one thing in the NBA since being a player, and thats coaching head cases, so lets stick with our strengths and do it.

I would trade any combo of Nate, JJSkinny, Chandler, Morris, Malik, Jones, Dickau, Mardy

We are a big team, but our frontcourt D is a joke. I would like to see what this group could do:
bigs: Curry, Zach, Lee
wings: Artest, Q, Balkman
pgs: Marbury, Crawford

And those are your eight. Foul trouble, injuries aside nobody else on this roster merits playing time over those guys. 8 man rotations are better.

I think that would be the first Isiah era squad with any kind of identity.

any kind of identity

Hmm... Doesnt sounds positive...

If the Knicks do trade for Artest it should be for Lee. A guy that Thomas doesn't feel is legit starting PF, or else he wouldn't need to get Zach. A guy who should not ever play at 3 position again (triple threat victim). So essentially he is protecting a backup in his mind. I think not trading Lee is more about not including in the Curry deal than what Lee actual talents lie.

Posted by Pharzeone:

If the Knicks do trade for Artest it should be for Lee. A guy that Thomas doesn't feel is legit starting PF, or else he wouldn't need to get Zach. A guy who should not ever play at 3 position again (triple threat victim). So essentially he is protecting a backup in his mind. I think not trading Lee is more about not including in the Curry deal than what Lee actual talents lie.

huh???

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by Pharzeone:

If the Knicks do trade for Artest it should be for Lee. A guy that Thomas doesn't feel is legit starting PF, or else he wouldn't need to get Zach. A guy who should not ever play at 3 position again (triple threat victim). So essentially he is protecting a backup in his mind. I think not trading Lee is more about not including in the Curry deal than what Lee actual talents lie.

huh???

How high is Thomas really on Lee? The fact that he brought Z-Bo in here got to tell me that he didn't feel like he was going to develop into a legit Power forward. The guy's career is not at Small Forward unless he learns how to guard small forwards. Lee was kept out of the Curry deal which cause them at least a lottery pick. You remember your rants right. I am guessing Thomas value for Lee goes beyond what his actual talents are on the court.

Posted by fishmike:

this team needs perimeter defense more than anything. I would trade for Artest in a heartbeat. He wants to be here, and Isiah has really only proven to excel at one thing in the NBA since being a player, and thats coaching head cases, so lets stick with our strengths and do it.

I would trade any combo of Nate, JJSkinny, Chandler, Morris, Malik, Jones, Dickau, Mardy

We are a big team, but our frontcourt D is a joke. I would like to see what this group could do:
bigs: Curry, Zach, Lee
wings: Artest, Q, Balkman
pgs: Marbury, Crawford

And those are your eight. Foul trouble, injuries aside nobody else on this roster merits playing time over those guys. 8 man rotations are better.

I think that would be the first Isiah era squad with any kind of identity.

that's a nice line up- depth and talent. Keep Crawford on the bench backing the 1/2 - maybe some nice chemistry with Lee & Balkman- long, energy-break kinda guys.