Passing the Artest ESPN's Marc Stein reported that Los Angeles Laker Ron Artest wants to be traded. It's already been refuted. Still, might not matter. Because the other rumor flying around is that the Lakers want to shake things up.
Artest, 31, is a certified nut. Still, he brings an edge that you can't buy or teach. He's a natural small forward that can D up like no one the Mavericks have ever had in the Dirk Nowitzki era.
Offensively, Artest has never been a guy you go to in your last possession needing a basket. His offensive and rebounding numbers are all down this season. He's having an all-around awful season.
Artest is due about $29 million over the next four seasons. He does have a player option in 2012-13. His salary rises to about $7 million in 2013-14 when he'll be about 34 years old.
Considering his age, dwindling performance and contract, I doubt it would take too much to get Artest. Then again, the Lakers turned poop into Pau Gasol.
The hottest rumor is that Mark Cuban has no problem "renting" a player if it means it gives them an awesome chance to win an NBA title.
This obviously means Carmelo Anthony.
The Denver Nuggets' attempts to trade their free-agent-to-be small forward have been well documented. The New Jersey Nets want him only if he'll agree to an extension. He wants to be a New York Knick.
The Mavericks apparently have no problem being the bridge between the two teams over the summer as long as it gives Dirk Nowitzki a shot at a title.
Going to be honest: This would be awesome and it would have to put them on a plane unrealized with a starting line-up of 'Melo, Dirk, Jason Kidd, Tyson Chandler and DeShawn Stevenson. It's old, it's built for 2011 only, but it might work beautifully.
Price? Starts with Roddy Beaubois. Probably. The Nets were apparently ready to ship a handful of first round picks to Nuggets. I'm sure the Mavericks would have to do the same. But a first round pick of the Nets is completely different than a first round pick of the Mavericks.
I hate mortgaging futures. But the Mavericks are screwed. Existing contracts make them good enough to compete, but old enough to be handcuffed. Also, Donnie Nelson couldn't draft jack shit. So what good are first round picks?
