As you guys know, I am a Pacers fan, and I love to write, so I got bored today and decided to write this piece. Please let me know what you think about it, as I love hearing other peoples opinions, esp. on ways I can improve my writing.
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To keep Artest, or to not keep Artest, that is the question
Sure, it may not be of same quality that Shakespeare had, but it is a question the Indiana Pacers must answer. With the 2004 season over, Kobe Bryant a free agent, and Tracy McGrady demanding a trade, this off season proves to be very busy.
Let’s start with the basics. Artest is 24 years old, and is under contract until the 08-09 seasons. His current contract is worth $35,750,000. He was runner up for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He was also a second team All-Defense selection, leading the Pacers in steals with 159 and finished second in the NBA in steals per game, averaging 2.30. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004. He also averaged 16 points per game and was selected to the All-NBA third team in 2004.
Now it could be debated back and forth for a long time, (there is no doubt in my mind Pacers fans could debate this topic in there sleep), but the ultimate decision is left up to Pacers management. There are several pros and cons to Artest, and it is up to the Pacers to decide if the pros outweigh the cons in order to keep him, or if it is time to trade Artest while his trades value his high.
The obvious pro to having Artest on your team is the defensive mindset he brings. He is constantly assigned to the opposing team’s top players, and shuts them down. On nights when he does get outplayed, which are rare, he is willing to take the blame and you can guarantee he won’t get outplayed in two consecutive games. This mindset carries over to his teams mates, who have there game raised through Artest’s presence, both in practice and in games. He also averaged 18.3 points per game and 5.3 assists per game, both career highs.
The problem comes when Artest lets his emotions get the best of him. If Rodman was a headache on the basketball court, Artest could be considered a migraine, in the 2002-2003 NBA seasons. I have gotten sick and tired of the media, who see all of one or two Pacers game, call Artest a big problem in 2004. The Fact is he had 2 or 3 technical fouls, one of which was rescinded by the NBA. I am not sure on his flagrant foul numbers, but I think he had 2 or 3, again, way down from his previous season.
With that said, Artest can be a headache. He has a temper, and has chosen back times to show it. When you are around a person with a bad temper, and I know from experience, you are always on alert looking for signs of when they may snap next. The thing is, you never know when this will happen. Say what you want, but I guarantee you his teammates are always keeping there eyes open when he is around, monitoring his behavior. I would think management is also getting tired of babysitting him, although that is in there job title, as it is in any managers job description, even if it isn’t stated directly. Artest had a great regular season and a good first couple of rounds in the playoffs, but had a big slip-up in the series against Detroit. His flagrant foul gave Detroit two points, and lit a fire under the Pistons that carried them to a victory. You can say Rip Hamilton flopped, but the bottom line is, if Artest doesn’t put his elbow up, none of this happens, and the Pacers could have a game 7 or even be in the finals.
It will not be a simple decision, but Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh have to decide if the Pacers will keep Artest for next season. My personal opinion, not that anyone cares, is that they should keep him. This situation reminds me of Pistons after they lost to the Nets in 2003. Some people want Ben Wallace to be traded, but after the
Pistons won the finals against the Lakers everyone was bowing down to Big Ben. I thing the Pacers will need to keep Artest to advance to the next level, as not only does he bring great defense and good offensive, he brings a mindset very few players have today, “win at all costs”. Artest is a player you love to hate unless he is on your team, and in a couple of months we will see if Artest is still a Pacer, or if he is wearing a different team’s jersey.
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</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
To keep Artest, or to not keep Artest, that is the question
Sure, it may not be of same quality that Shakespeare had, but it is a question the Indiana Pacers must answer. With the 2004 season over, Kobe Bryant a free agent, and Tracy McGrady demanding a trade, this off season proves to be very busy.
Let’s start with the basics. Artest is 24 years old, and is under contract until the 08-09 seasons. His current contract is worth $35,750,000. He was runner up for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He was also a second team All-Defense selection, leading the Pacers in steals with 159 and finished second in the NBA in steals per game, averaging 2.30. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004. He also averaged 16 points per game and was selected to the All-NBA third team in 2004.
Now it could be debated back and forth for a long time, (there is no doubt in my mind Pacers fans could debate this topic in there sleep), but the ultimate decision is left up to Pacers management. There are several pros and cons to Artest, and it is up to the Pacers to decide if the pros outweigh the cons in order to keep him, or if it is time to trade Artest while his trades value his high.
The obvious pro to having Artest on your team is the defensive mindset he brings. He is constantly assigned to the opposing team’s top players, and shuts them down. On nights when he does get outplayed, which are rare, he is willing to take the blame and you can guarantee he won’t get outplayed in two consecutive games. This mindset carries over to his teams mates, who have there game raised through Artest’s presence, both in practice and in games. He also averaged 18.3 points per game and 5.3 assists per game, both career highs.
The problem comes when Artest lets his emotions get the best of him. If Rodman was a headache on the basketball court, Artest could be considered a migraine, in the 2002-2003 NBA seasons. I have gotten sick and tired of the media, who see all of one or two Pacers game, call Artest a big problem in 2004. The Fact is he had 2 or 3 technical fouls, one of which was rescinded by the NBA. I am not sure on his flagrant foul numbers, but I think he had 2 or 3, again, way down from his previous season.
With that said, Artest can be a headache. He has a temper, and has chosen back times to show it. When you are around a person with a bad temper, and I know from experience, you are always on alert looking for signs of when they may snap next. The thing is, you never know when this will happen. Say what you want, but I guarantee you his teammates are always keeping there eyes open when he is around, monitoring his behavior. I would think management is also getting tired of babysitting him, although that is in there job title, as it is in any managers job description, even if it isn’t stated directly. Artest had a great regular season and a good first couple of rounds in the playoffs, but had a big slip-up in the series against Detroit. His flagrant foul gave Detroit two points, and lit a fire under the Pistons that carried them to a victory. You can say Rip Hamilton flopped, but the bottom line is, if Artest doesn’t put his elbow up, none of this happens, and the Pacers could have a game 7 or even be in the finals.
It will not be a simple decision, but Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh have to decide if the Pacers will keep Artest for next season. My personal opinion, not that anyone cares, is that they should keep him. This situation reminds me of Pistons after they lost to the Nets in 2003. Some people want Ben Wallace to be traded, but after the
Pistons won the finals against the Lakers everyone was bowing down to Big Ben. I thing the Pacers will need to keep Artest to advance to the next level, as not only does he bring great defense and good offensive, he brings a mindset very few players have today, “win at all costs”. Artest is a player you love to hate unless he is on your team, and in a couple of months we will see if Artest is still a Pacer, or if he is wearing a different team’s jersey.
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