Ted Green: Artest’s passion can only help the Lakers

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

The newsprint isn’t dry yet and I can already hear the more traditional and cautious Lakers fans among you.

Ron Artest? THE Ron Artest? Has Jerry Buss lost his everlovin’ mind?

Let me answer for the good doctor: No, he hasn’t.

Phil Jackson coached the ultimate looney tunes, Dennis Rodman, and they won three championships together. Knowing the strength and character of the Lakers’ core players, you think the Tenmaster is worried about Ron Artest acting out? Not in his Zen lifetime or the afterlife, either.

Moreover, let me state this in its most basic terms: If the Dodgers are steeped in enough True Blue Tradition to accommodate a (mostly) happy landing for an outsized personality like Manny in L.A., then the Lakers, no newbies to sports glory themselves, can certainly find room for Ronny, who’ll be as eager to please as the happiest little child.

Plus, any city brazen enough to hold a memorial for Michael Jackson right in the heart of downtown is more than big enough to handle Ron Ron, a minor celebrity by comparison.

And just a few days after the Cavs made a 7-foot splash, bringing in an aging Shaq to team with LeBron, and on the same day the Big Cavalier was introduced to the Cleveland media, the Lakers fired back with a free-agent salvo heard ‘round the NBA.

Buss being a poker nut, he just saw the Cavs’ Shaq and raised them a Ron Artest. Lebron won’t fold, but if the Lakers win a second ring, this time with Artest, he’ll probably go to New York in 2010.

Now as for Ariza, I know, you’ll miss him. He was local. He was growing up. He was fun to watch. He made a difference. And now he’ll be set for life with his next contract, thanks to the grand stage the Lakers provided him to show his stuff. Don’t feel bad for Trevor. He’ll be fine and almost as rich as Rockefeller.

In this apparent, impending exchange of Ariza for Artest, the Lakers are giving up a developing forward with some holes in his game to get one of the top 10 two-way players in the NBA.

In case you missed the Houston series during the playoffs, Artest was key in willing that thing to go to seven games against the Lakers, even though the sadly undermanned Rockets were half a team without their All-Star 7-6 center, Yao Ming.

Artest, bless his crazy heart, has a will and competitive fire not unlike Kobe‘s. In fact, outside of maybe Tim Duncan, I’m guessing there is no opponent in the league whose athletic heart Kobe respects more than Artest’s.

Oh, and Ron Ron is a ferocious defender, particularly around the perimeter, and a mean sonofagun too...much meaner and more physical than the lithe and polite Ariza, who relies on speed and quickness to get his work done on the court.

I might also add that this has the makings of a brilliant move by the Lakers. Instead of bringing back the championship cast intact, and probably having to fight some ennui and complacency through the long season, Artest figures to infuse his new team with a hunger and enthusiasm borne of both his desire to win HIS first NBA title, and also his own personal excitement playing alongside Kobe, Pau and Lamar, his boyhood buddy from Queens.

And with Artest often guarding the other team’s stud, think of how this will free up Kobe at the defensive end and save his legs so that he isn’t so exhausted at the end of playoff games, he needs IV drips to get to the bus.

Yes, I know, Artest went up into the stands at the Palace back in ’04 and embarassed himself and the league in perpetuity, a stigma he will never fully shake. But honestly, that was so five years ago.

In other words, I am so down with this genius signing that I can’t wait for training camp to start. In fact, I’m now counting the days.

It’s 94, I believe, if you’re scoring at home.

-- Ted Green

Green formerly covered the Lakers for the L.A. Times. He is currently Senior Sports Producer for KTLA Prime News.