The linked article:According to several league sources, the Cavs have been been in contact with Houston Rockets free agent forward Ron Artest. It even included a face-to-face pitch from LeBron James on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, as both were in Southern California for various events.Honestly.... I think I'm OK with this.
First off, this is obviously a high-risk, high-reward situation. However, with Carlos Boozer screwing over the Cavs again (the Pistons would've thrown their money at Boozer, rather than Charlie Villanueva), I'm not sure what other move comes within sniffing distance of Artest's potential high-reward.
Plus, if they sign Ron-Ron, they'll probably just pick up Varejao. So that would be the Cavalier front line: LeBron James, Ron Artest, Shaquille O'Neal as the starters with Anderson Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgausksas coming off the bench (or maybe you start Andy and bring Artest off the bench as the other scorer in the 2nd unit with Mo). Who knows. I just think a crunch time defensive lineup of James, Artest and Shaq would be very very difficult to score on.
Of course, he could also have a meltdown and derail the entire season. He's known for being a black hole on offense and he often takes questionable shots. Plus, he's not the same player defensively as he once was (can't stay with the quicker guards, though he's still a beast on the block) and he's a certifiable crazy person. I love Mike Brown and all, but do you think he'll be able to incorporate both Shaq and Ron freaking Artest into this locker room (let alone the offensive end of the court)?
But hell, I say go for it. I'm pretty sure Ron-Ron can guard the Rashard Lewises of the world.
5 comments:
Ron-Ron was a good soldier in Houston, no complaints there. Plus you think he won't be a good boy with Lebron and Shaq on the same team? I didn't think about Artest at all but I am completely and utterly down for this.
Brown was on the Pacers during the Melee, Artest seems to like him. Artest was on a team that took the Lakers to 7 games. Yes please...
Looks like Ariza is another option we're looking at, per Broussard on ESPN.com.
I think I'd rather go with Ariza, though I think Artest is the better player. Not unstable and much younger.
Doubt we get either though.
Artest is still a screwball, but he's no longer the atom bomb that he was during his Pacers days. Maybe he's mellowing with age. But I also think there's something to the idea that Artest needs structure. He got that in Houston and Sacto, and it made him more stable.
Obviously in Cleveland, he'd have Shaq and LBJ to keep him in line. Artest might be too much of a load for LBJ by himself, considering that he's about six years younger than Artest. But with the big guy here, I think there is a good chance that Artest would fall in line as a Cav, and do what is asked of him.
The question is, if you think you can sign Ron Ron, how many years? He's going to be 30 next year, and he's already slowed a step, to the point that he can't man up on quick-penetrating SGs anymore.
30 is a bad age to commit five years to a guard/SF. Artest has some size to take the edge off his loss of quickness, and he can still guard bigger players, but he's already past his athletic peak, and I don't think you're going to want him at 34-35.
Get him for three years, that's fine. If it takes five years... I dunno.
Its weird. I didn't figure we'd get either nor do I think either is a very good fit here, but somehow it seems like a very bad FA season.
Part of me wouldn't mind McDyess and another wing (Parker or whoever). I think those two - or something like that - along w/ Shaq is a pretty solid offseason.
Seems like they're going for Bosh in 2010. We'll see how that goes, but again....doesn't seem likely
what about matt barnes??? anthony parker isn't even the best basketball player in his family. i would much rather get his little sister candace. barnes at least still has some upside. parker, not so much.
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