BREAKING NEWS: Ariza Out, Artest In

Dear sweet Jesus, say it ain’t so!  Ron Artest is a Laker and Trevor Ariza is a Rocket.  In a related story, up is now down, left is now right and the sky is now green.

Look out Los Angeles, here I come.

As hard as it is to believe the Lakers have cut the cord on Trevor Ariza and replaced him with that great big bucket of crazy, Ron Artest.  In so doing the Lakers are taking a huge but cost-effective gamble in order to increase their team’s versatility but putting an already delicate team chemistry at risk.  What no doubt intrigued the Lakers is what Artest brings to the table that Ariza doesn’t.

As good as Ariza proved to be on defense this year, there is no doubt that Artest is even better and he has a Defensive Player of the Year Award to prove it.  Like Ariza, Artest is an excellent athlete, but unlike Ariza, Artest is strong like bull and can defend the low post and the perimeter with equal effectiveness, allowing him to play both forward positions.  No doubt the Lakers recalled Ariza getting routinely backed down in the block by the likes of Carmelo Anthony and, oh, Ron Artest in the post-season and felt it necessary correct that deficiency.

Where Tru Warier really outshines Ariza though is on the offensive side of the floor.  For the most part, Ariza is limited to being a spot-up shooter who occasionally uses his quick first step to try and drive to the hoop.  Artest can do these same things but also has the handles to take advantage of slower-footed defenders, the strength to rough up smaller opponents in the post and the passing skills to find the open man when need be.  And Lord knows that Artest has more than enough toughness and tenacity to make up for whatever residual softness the Lakers have left in their system after the title run.  Of course, that is also the biggest problem with an Artest deal.

There is such a thing as being TOO tough.

Let’s hope Dennis Rodman returned Phil Jackson that copy of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest that he lent him all those years ago because the Zen Master is going to need it, assuming Ron-Ron’s presence doesn’t scare the old man into retirement.  Though it has been a few years since Artest went, well, Artest on anyone, he still can’t shake the label of a one man riot waiting to happen.  Maybe that is what the Lakers need since they are prone to the infrequent mental letdown, but it might also be exactly what causes the Lakers to come undone.

Trevor Ariza was a quiet, unassuming role player, content to do what was asked of him and nothing more.  He was a gracious locker room presence and a guy who definitely knew his place in the Laker pecking order.  But Artest is a completely different story.  To call him intense is a gross understatement, and he has never really played with another player who had such a forceful personality as Kobe Bryant.  Surely Artest will do what he has to at first to play nice with Kobe, but if those two forces ever come into conflict, I highly recommend seeking shelter.  Even if the two become BFFs, the Laker coach (whoever it might be) is going to have to work hard to keep him in check.  Artest is a very talented player, but in his mind he is an immensely gifted player, which often causes him to try and do too much on both ends of the floor.  What he needs to get through his skull is that his new job with the Lakers is almost strictly limited to defense.  Whoever the opposition’s best player is, it will be Artest’s job to shut him down.  Anything he provides on offense is gravy.  This is a role Trevor Ariza accepted happily, but Artest may not be so keen on the concept once he gets bored of serving as the third or fourth banana on offense all season long.

This tendency to get out of control is central to judging the wisdom of giving up on a young talent like Ariza for a wild card like Artest.  There are conflicting reports on the length of Artest’s still unofficial contract.  The primary figure that is being reported is a three-year, $18 million pact, but other outlets have claimed it is a five-year, $33 million deal.  Obviously, it would be foolish to tie themselves to a volatile commodity like Ron Artest for longer than they have to, making the three-year deal far more palatable.  With a short deal, the Lakers can extricate themselves from any potential chaos should Artest go insane again, but more importantly, the allure of a obtaining a future contract should be enough to keep Artest in line as it did the last two years.  A five-year contract would essentially uncage Artest’s inner beast, a beast that would be 35 by the end of the contract.

So, the Lakers have made their play.  What do you think?  Has Mitch Kupchak lost his mind or is Artest exactly the upgrade the team needs to position themselves for a repeat.  Let us know with a comment below!

Tags: Breaking News, Free Agency, Ron Artest, Rumors, Trevor Ariza