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

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.

Photo: Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, left, and Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest embrace following the Lakers' Game 7 victory in the Western Conference semifinals on May 17. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Comments

[Zen and Tonic]

Ted
Great article (as was the honest assessment of officiating article, a few weeks ago). I'm sharing this with my Laker team page regulars because it eliminates the spin, puts the facts at a standstill and talks realistically about what just happened to our Lakers. I'd put this move right there with picking up Rodman, Horry and McAdoo, to put it in perspective. We just got better, tougher and added some passionate senior motivation...Well played (Mitch/Buss family and PJ, who we can now expect to stay). Lakers! We need 3 rings while the window is open! Best of luck Trevor! (BTW-dump David Lee) And thanks Ted, for the straight talk...

[minmilesjr]

Lakers 2010 champs!

[DFresh]

The only thing wrong with this article is that it underplays Artests' status as a two-way player. Come on! Name 5 players who are better? Ron is definitely in the Top 5. I'm going to send some Kleenex to Ariza's agent, though...what a sap!

[JN]

You could not be more right. This move is a major upgrade given they retain Odom. 94 days and counting....

[lakerfanintx]

I like the move. artest is an upgrade on offense and defense for around the same price..this move will help odom decide to stay in la. If thats the case the move will b genius! Go lakers!

[skateboardP]

"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."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------GREAT POINT!

[Joseph]

On the face of it, giving up Ariza for Artest seems like a huge gamble, but I agree that Phil Jackson can make it work having seen the miracle of that Bulls threepeat with Dennis Rodman, who was by far a bigger loon (remember what happened when Rodman was a Laker with Rambis coaching) and way more unstable. So I bid a fond farewell to Trevor, thanks for the memories, only too bad my final memory of him will be that of a greedy ingrate who chose money over championships. Don't let us down, Ron.

[gerrrg]

Nope, you're completely wrong. This is how it'll play out next year: Ron Artest will add fuel to the fire of the rivalry between Portland and LA. LA will make it to the playoffs, but will self-destruct with Artest at the core of the meltdown, and it'll likely be against Portland in either the conference final or semifinal.

[Ron]

This is a great move by the Lakers! Bill Plaschke has no clue what he is talking about when he says this is a bad signing by the Lakers.

[ian]

thanks to David Lee. Some agents are just so full of BS. I'm prett sure Ariza would have preferred to stay with LA. I like Ariza but I like Artest even more.

[Larry Ramsey]

Ted ... Here's hoping you're right!!! I do like the fact that there will be someone with hunger to get his first ring!

But most of all, David Lee, you are an embarrassment to your profession (if that is possible) !!!! Burying Trevor on a hopeless, non-contender like Houston when he could have made up the additional millions he wanted just by being in Tinseltown and getting endorsements and hometown love. Dude deep down inside you have got to be ashamed of yourself. "It's about respect not money" HA HA HA. You just failed on both fronts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LakerMike]

Great article, really fired me up reading it! I was already excited about this signing, but now even more so. So true about his willing Houston to take the Lakers to 7 games, and he was the best player the Lakers faced in the entire playoffs. Trevor should be thankful for the Lakers trade, credit Mitch for spotting the diamond in the Magic's junk-heap and bringing him here for next-to-nothing. Not that Ariza didn't excel in his time in the spotlight, but he had the perfect situation for him to excel in here in L.A. - he could be the 4th or 5th option on offense, had a lot of good defenders and long-arms around him to help him out, and this was where he grew up. I'm sure that he will not do as well when he is a 2nd option in Houston, with the comfort of a large-contract, being brought in on a large contract and expected to produce in an unfamiliar place and with the thought in the back of his mind that he turned down the same offer from the Lakers he took to go to Houston.

I HOPE Trevor does well, he seems like a genuinely nice human being, quiet and softspoken and he did fill a role very well with the Lakers to help them win their championship. I do hope he does well, but fear we're probably witnessing another Devean George post Laker career in the making...