Assuming that Zeke is pursuing him the big questions are IMO,can Isiah have that much of an impact on someone who from a distance looks to have some serious emotional problems? Could playing in NY,his hometown be enough to get him under control? And like MaTT4281
brought up will Bird and Isiah bite the bullet and make a deal? Hell if I know.It all seems like a longshot.

Tim Thomas would be the logical choice to offer Bird but it will take more than that.Artest could take this team to an even higher level or he could make Tim Thomas look like a boy scout and be a major cancer.

I think the Pacers won't be able to trade him. He's just one of those egos you have to deal with.

Olajuwon used to do this in Houston all the time, but they could never get equal value, then he hung around and they won it.

Winning will cure a lot of ills with the Pacers. Though, I agree if they EVER stumble for a long period of time, Artest will be the piece they move.

But, if you ask me, right now their team could beat the Pistons. I don't see them breaking that squad up unless they have to.

Indiana with Bird and Carlisle seem to want a certain type of player there. For some reason Jamal Tinsley was benched for Anthony Johnson and some other bum I can't remember. Tinsley proved he could play but after the guys he was benched for got hurt and they had to use him.

At this point Tim Thomas would have to have a break out start of the season in order for Indiana to trade Artest....But if Timmy has a breakout year why would we need Artest?

Artest is nasty.....you can't teach nasty. He loves to play defense and he is a good all around ball player. If he could play ball with Stephon and Crawford I doubt he would mess that up.....

Artest would be like Mark Aguirre was to the Pistons back in 88-89.
He would instantly give NY the edge, toughness and defense to take the Knicks over the top.....

Posted by Ira:

I'd take the chance. I'd offer Kurt and Tim Thomas for Artest and a bad contract to balance salaries. We need a good defensive player at the 2 or 3 and Artest is the best. Plus he can score.

something along the lines of:

New York trades: SF Tim Thomas (14.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.9 apg in 31.6 minutes)
C Kurt Thomas (11.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.9 apg in 31.9 minutes)
New York receives: PF Austin Croshere (5.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.7 apg in 13.7 minutes)
SF Ron Artest (18.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.7 apg in 37.2 minutes)
C Jeff Foster (6.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 0.8 apg in 23.9 minutes)
Change in team outlook: +3.6 ppg, +2.8 rpg, and +1.4 apg.

Indiana trades: PF Austin Croshere (5.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.7 apg in 13.7 minutes)
SF Ron Artest (18.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.7 apg in 37.2 minutes)
C Jeff Foster (6.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 0.8 apg in 23.9 minutes)
Indiana receives: SF Tim Thomas (14.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.9 apg in 66 games)
C Kurt Thomas (11.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.9 apg in 80 games)
Change in team outlook: -3.6 ppg, -2.8 rpg, and -1.4 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED

??

I see this trade as a possibility around the deadline, after TT has an above average half a season for him.
It may just be me, but I see KT's and J O'Neil's games complimenting eachother very well. With Kurt hitting that midrange jumper, teams would have to contemplate on whether to give Kurt the open jumper or take Jermain one on one.

I love TT, and I'm glad to have him on our team, but Artest imo would just made this team better.


[Edited by - MaTT4281 on 09/22/2004 19:27:09]

Posted by EnySpree:

I think the pride of wearing the Knicks uniform would take Artest game to a new level.

It would be awesome if Isiah can make a NY reunion and get Odom too somehow.....

Odom, Artest, Marbs and Craw......your mama at center

I think Odom would play well here. I'm not sure if Artest would. I still really don't think Bird would deal with Isiah.

this is kinda off topic, but since this was talkin bout slam mag, did anyone get theirs in the mail yet. My copy still havent arrived and they been out on newstand for a while. I realli want to read their preview of the season.

Bird: Artest not on the trade block
Pacers forward still contends he missed practice, flight because of migraine headache.

By Mark Montieth
mark.montieth@indystar.com
September 24, 2004


Ron Artest and Indiana Pacers team president Larry Bird appear to have much in common as they prepare for their second season together.

They agree that Artest made some mistakes during his first extended playoff run last season. They also seem to agree on his value to the Pacers and the unlikelihood of a trade.

While Artest's status has been the subject of much speculation, he appears to be on solid ground heading into training camp Oct. 5.

Bird, while refusing to rule out the possibility of anyone being traded, said Thursday he is not actively seeking a deal involving Artest.

"If you trade Ron Artest, you better get a helluva player back," Bird said. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you we're not going to trade any of our guys because that's not the nature of our business. Anybody can be traded. But I think he's one of the top 10 players in the league. You better get one of the top 10 players back if it fills a need."

Bird and Artest said they have talked this summer, but not about a trade.

Artest is coming off a busy summer in which he parted company with agent Mark Bartelstein; signed a contract with LA Gear for a shoe and clothing line that he designed; filmed three league-related commercial spots; produced a recording for his three-girl group, Allure, which will be released Nov. 23; and completed a recording of 13 of his rap songs that will become available on the Internet later this year.

He also organized a charity basketball event in his hometown of Queensbridge, N.Y., of which highlights were shown on NBA TV, lectured at the Five-Star basketball camp near Pittsburgh, and roamed the country in search of pickup games.

All of this while overseeing his brood of four children and eight dogs.

Now the 24-year-old forward is back working out at Conseco Fieldhouse each morning, and on Wednesday he began participating in afternoon pickup games with the IUPUI men's team.

Accepting responsibility

Artest is coming off a breakthrough season that ended in frustration and controversy. He averaged 18.3 points a game in the regular season but lost his touch against Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals, averaging 14.5 points. Artest also missed practice time and the team charter flight to Detroit for Game 6 because of what he said was a migraine headache. He was called for a flagrant foul in the waning moments of the final game.

He accepts blame for the series loss and considers it a learning experience. Among his regrets is not standing up to Rasheed Wallace's guarantee of a victory before Game 2, a pledge the Pistons backed with a victory at Conseco Fieldhouse.

"It's so hard to get there and you have to give it your undivided attention," he said. "That's something I have to get better at this season.

"I let the hype get to me a little bit."

Artest downplayed reports that personal issues were a distraction during the Pistons series and reiterated he did have a migraine. Still, he regrets skipping practice and the team flight.

"I should have fought through it," he said. "To win a championship, you have to be at the shootarounds, you have to be attentive, you have to have energy in practice and the games. You have to be perfect, you know?

"I was trying to get as much rest as possible, but it worked against us. The extra sleep helped me out a lot. But it didn't help the team. It's better to do what helps the team."

Bird acknowledged distractions related to Artest, but he said the fifth-year pro wasn't alone in struggling to handle the pressure of a playoff run.

"There's a lot of things that went on, not just Ronnie," Bird said. "You have to stay focused. These guys have never been that far, other than Reggie (Miller) and a few others. We had our problems with Ronnie, but every year it seems he's getting better.

"Ronnie's a great guy. If we can calm him down a little bit, he'll be fine. He gets frustrated, but everybody does. The only thing keeping him from being one of the top five players in the game is himself."

'I love my game'

Artest, who was voted the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year and played in his first All-Star game last season, raised eyebrows in a recent interview with Slam Magazine in which he said he should have been a contender for the league's Most Valuable Player award because he was the "best player" on the team with the best record.

While that could be interpreted as a slight to Jermaine O'Neal, who finished third in the MVP balloting, Artest said he did not intend for it to sound that way. He also said O'Neal should have been voted MVP last season.

"It's not an insult," he said. "I'm a competitor. First of all, if I'm playing with Jermaine, I'm not going to show up Jermaine. I'm not going to not pass him the ball. But I always feel if I get the ball every time I'm going to average 30 and we're going to win. It's that simple. I can average a lot of assists, too. That's how I feel about my game. I love my game, but I want to get better. I'm not satisfied."

Although Artest said, "I feel I'm the best in the league," he acknowledged there are players he would trade himself for if he were running the franchise.

"I think if you can make your team better, you do it," he said. "If I'm in charge and I have a chance to get a better player, I'm going to get the better player."

Bird agrees. But he doesn't see many better than Artest.

"You ask any of these guys: 'How good do you think Ronnie is?' " Bird said. "I asked Austin (Croshere) after the season and he said, 'Oh, God, he's unbelievable.'

"He plays a different game than most people are used to seeing. That's why he's so effective. He can do so many things."

http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/181194-1940-036.html