[Piolo_Pascual]

Believers and doubters chime in. What do you think? will this make the lakers a better team? or will they regret losing ariza?

[LamarButler]

Hell no they won't regret losing Ariza. People need to stop overrating role players (James Posey, Trevor Ariza). Artest is 2x the player that Ariza is. He'll defend guys better than Ariza, get just as many steals, and he'll hit those 3's too, especially if he's as wide open as Ariza was all season. Artest will do exactly what Ariza did, but better. Plus, he'll be threat to score 20-25 on any night, and he'll add another playmaker to the Lakers lineup and make them even more dangerous. Sure, Artest might take really really bad shots and make terrible decisions and lose the Lakers a playoff game or two, but for most games Artest will make the Lakers much better than they've been these past 2 seasons.

[Piolo_Pascual]

yeah but people are questioning artest and his poor shot selection.

[rocketeer]

artest won't improve the lakers. they'll regret signing him and he will be traded before his contract is up.

[Damian Necronamous]

It's gonna be another threepeat, folks.

[Diable]

exactly what does Artest do better than Ariza?He's not a better defender and he's a woefully bad shooter who acts like he thinks he's reggie miller.Really what makes Artest a star?Is he actually famous because of his ability on a basketball court?It seems to me that all his notoriety derives from his behaviour and that has not exactly benefitted his teams.

[HB]

Originally Posted by LamarButler

Hell no they won't regret losing Ariza. People need to stop overrating role players (James Posey, Trevor Ariza). Artest is 2x the player that Ariza is. He'll defend guys better than Ariza, get just as many steals, and he'll hit those 3's too, especially if he's as wide open as Ariza was all season. Artest will do exactly what Ariza did, but better. Plus, he'll be threat to score 20-25 on any night, and he'll add another playmaker to the Lakers lineup and make them even more dangerous. Sure, Artest might take really really bad shots and make terrible decisions and lose the Lakers a playoff game or two, but for most games Artest will make the Lakers much better than they've been these past 2 seasons.

Those players you mentioned know their role, which is to take open shots when needed, defend their man and playoff their super stars. Ron Artest will improve the Lakers defense, though I wonder by how much, considering Ariza was a darn good defender too. But offensively I dont know man, that guy is too unpredictable. He's just really weird.

[Sir Patchwork]

Originally Posted by Diable

exactly what does Artest do better than Ariza?He's not a better defender and he's a woefully bad shooter who acts like he thinks he's reggie miller.Really what makes Artest a star?Is he actually famous because of his ability on a basketball court?It seems to me that all his notoriety derives from his behaviour and that has not exactly benefitted his teams.

Artest is not as stable as Ariza and has worse shot selection, but he absolutely is better than Ariza at everything basketball related. Artest didn't have the luxury of open three pointers because he had to create them himself, and he hit a high percentage of them when he was open. He is a much better defender than Ariza too, I don't see how that's even debatable.

If he can keep his head on straight and realize he is a roleplayer, it's an amazing pick up. Big if though.

[rocketeer]

Originally Posted by Sir Patchwork

Artest is not as stable as Ariza and has worse shot selection, but he absolutely is better than Ariza at everything basketball related. Artest didn't have the luxury of open three pointers because he had to create them himself, and he hit a high percentage of them when he was open. He is a much better defender than Ariza too, I don't see how that's even debatable.

is shot selection not basketball related?

If he can keep his head on straight and realize he is a roleplayer, it's an amazing pick up. Big if though.

if there was evidence that artest could do this, the reaction of laker fans would make more sense.

[Sir Patchwork]

Originally Posted by rocketeer

is shot selection not basketball related?

It is, and Ariza has better shot selection, but shot selection is also one of those things that can change with surroundings. Artest has so much respect for LA, or else he wouldn't have been so set on playing there even if it was for free (maybe an exaggeration, but his point is taken). Lakers just won a title without Artest. LA will go over what they want Artest to do on both ends. I think he is much more likely to play within his role when being asked to by Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant, on a historically great Lakers franchise, coming off of a title year.

I know that if I was a good NBA player, my shot selection would not be the same playing with Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry as opposed to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

Originally Posted by rocketeer

if there was evidence that artest could do this, the reaction of laker fans would make more sense.

Sure things in this league are usually pricey. It's the risks that really put you over the top. Rodman for example. Rasheed Wallace joining the Pistons for example. It's when guys are considered cancerous and such because of their attitude when teams roll the dice and get them for cheap. Then afterwards the revisionist history begins like everyone knew it was a great move.

[rocketeer]

Originally Posted by Sir Patchwork

I know that if I was a good NBA player, my shot selection would not be the same playing with Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry as opposed to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

artest's shot selection was just as bad with yao as it was without him. it was understandable when yao was out. someone had to take shots. it wasn't understandable when yao was healthy.

Sure things in this league are usually pricey. It's the risks that really put you over the top. Rodman for example. Rasheed Wallace joining the Pistons for example. It's when guys are considered cancerous and such because of their attitude when teams roll the dice and get them for cheap. Then afterwards the revisionist history begins like everyone knew it was a great move.

of course. there is always some amount of risk. but at no point in artest's 10 year nba career has he shown that he could be an effective role player. he's always been a top 2 option on his team(his early years in chicago that's debatable, but he was pretty bad offensively there so i don't think that really matters). most recently when the rockets tried to have him as a 3rd option, he was pathetic.

i would understand laker fans thinking artest was going to be slot into ariza's role on offense and be happy with it if at any point in his career he showed he could be happy and effective in that role. but he hasn't. it seems strange for everyone to instantly assume that a 10 year player is going to instantly change his game to something it's never been before.

[Sir Patchwork]

Originally Posted by rocketeer

i would understand laker fans thinking artest was going to be slot into ariza's role on offense and be happy with it if at any point in his career he showed he could be happy and effective in that role. but he hasn't. it seems strange for everyone to instantly assume that a 10 year player is going to instantly change his game to something it's never been before.

He has never been on a team as talented as LA either. Not even close really. Players have done it successfully before and other players haven't. So we'll see.

It's also worth noting that despite Artest's shot selection issues, his teams in both Indiana and Houston have overachieved with him on the court.

[VanillaPrice]

I think that it will make the Lakers a bit better, seeing as Artest is basically a rich man's Ariza (albiet one with a very poor shot selection) and I think that this move keeps the Lakers in as the favorites heading into next season.

I will admit that I am worried about the team chemistry, but hopefully the "toughness" factor that Artest is bringing to L.A. will more than make up for that.

[Cap]

Artest has been a clearly superior offensive threat to Ariza his entire career, and playing next to Bryant, Gasol, Odom, etc. will be a big upgrade from a crippled Tmac, Yao, and jump shooting role players. You'll see his %'s skyrocket and his passing skills utilized more often. He'll still have the same flaws, but they won't be nearly as magnified, as history shows and in particular with the Lakers.

[afobisme]

artest got 20 ppg in sacramento on 45% from the field. i'm hopefuly he's going to improve his shot selection with this team. he knows he can't always stall the ball.