You don’t stay on top without making the right moves, and after seeing the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, and San Antonio Spurs make big trades last week, the Los Angeles Lakers have made a big splash early on in free agency by nabbing one of the top names on the board.
Former Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest has given word that he’ll be signing with the reigning NBA champions, and though it’s not a certainty that Artest would’ve re-signed with the Rockets, it’s safe to say that their chances of keeping him likely took a significant hit when it emerged that the Rockets would likely be without Yao next season.
There are some who, given the negatives in Artest’s track record, that might question why the Lakers would take a chance on him, but this is a fantastic move for L.A.
Artest has had his issues in the past, but next season will be his 11th in the league, and inking with the Lakers gives him a dream opportunity to get that elusive championship ring. He knows what the situation will be going in, and I don’t see any reason for any problems to creep up. Safe to say that the Lakers don‘t either, otherwise they wouldn’t have signed him.
The Lakers made a necessary move in getting Bryant extra support when they landed Pau Gasol, and this is also a move that gives Bryant extra support and takes even more pressure off of him on offense. The addition of a dangerous perimeter shooter in Artest means a world of trouble for defenses next season, and because Kobe is still going to be the focus of defenses no matter what, Artest is going to have more than his fair share of opportunities to burn opponents, whether scoring himself or opening up opportunities for his teammates. Not only will it pay big dividends for the Lakers, but it also makes him all the more attractive as a fantasy option.
There’s also the impact that Artest has on defense. He averaged a career-low 1.5 steals per game last season, but for his career, he’s averaged 2.1 steals per game.
Artest signing with the Lakers effectively means that the only way we’ll be seeing Trevor Ariza playing at the Staples Center next season is if he’s in a visiting uniform. As it happens, that uniform could be a Rockets one, as the former UCLA star met with the Rockets today. I’d think that it’d go without saying, but if you’re given the choice between Artest and Ariza, there’s really no contest, even if you have to fork out a little more for one than the other. Ariza was a huge asset on defense, but in Artest, the Lakers get the same defensive impact and a whole lot more on the other end.
It remains to be seen what will happen with their other top free agent, Lamar Odom, but if they do bring Odom back, the Lakers will be primed and ready to reign in the Western Conference and in the NBA yet again.
