Well Ron Artest is on the market so......

[Henacy]

Well Ron Artest is on the market so the question is would you want to see him in a Nets Jersey. I know we already have the 2 and three positions filled with big money invested in Jefferson and Carter. But honestly, as much as I love Jefferson's all around game..I have to admitt on-court he(Ron Artest) is a better all around player then both Jefferson and Carter. So the question arises would you take Artest's baggage in Jersey, I say I would...but Iam interested in what you guys opinions are.....he said he would not mind being a bench player, so that would even open up the opportunity to keep both Jefferson and Carter.

I would do this deal...Marc Jackson, Antoine Wright and the Clippers 1st round pick for Artest.

I know you might say, man giving up the Clipper pick...but honeslty that pick loses more and more value as the Clippers gain more and more confidence. And look like a playoff lock....as it stands right now they are probably going to finish with a better record then us. I know its still early, but I do believe that winning feel is for real that they have. So I dont think that pick will have lottery value come draft night. And I dont think it will have the value to other teams to get us a quality bigman. But it might be enuogh to get us a quality wing guy with baggage....and in turn we can then move Carter or Jefferson to a team to get us a bigman, whether it be at the trade deadline or during the offseason. Jefferson or Carter imo, gets us a better big then that draft. So thus the trade for Artest, is pretty much replacing the guy we plan to move thus making the move for New Jersey even easier since they already have their replacement.

But until the Nets unload Jefferson or Carter, the Nets can go with a small frontcourt...playing both Artest and Jefferson together with a big. I love Jefferson and respect Carter...but I honestly think Artest replacing one of the two & then the trade of the other for a bigman puts the Nets alot closer to a championship then they currently seat. Anyway, what do you cats feel about this?

 

[phunDamentalz]

response

What's up man, I have to say when you say Artest is a better allround player than RJ or Vince, that is debatable big time. It's true that Artest beats either of those guys defensively without question. Vince however can create his own shot out of nothing in a way that only about 3 other guys in the league can - TMac, Kobe, Manu. Artest has a post-up game and can shoot pretty well, but that's the limit of his offense. THere is no limit to Vince's offense. As far as RJ, RJ is also a better offensive player and playmaker. He's much quicker, plays hard and gets the team fired up. He's a good leader on the court.
A straight up trade of RJ for Artest would make Nets contenders for the East. But that ain't happening. ANd I can't see Indiana being interested in Antoine Wright, Mark Jackson and a pick late in the first round, clippers are playoff bound this year. So I can't picture Artest going to NJ. As an NBA fan you have to be excited to see exactly where Crazy Ron is going to end up in a week or so, huh?

 

[NJNetz]

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Nets need defensive toughness, and Ron Artest is offering it. So New Jersey is likely to be one of many teams that will at the least discuss a trade for the troubled but talented Pacer forward. Rumors continue to fly about where Artest will wind up, after the Pacers' management agreed to trade him.</div>

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/sports/b...l/13artest.html

 

[kobimel]

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">NEW JERSEY NETS
Rod Thorn is trying to find a power forward, not a small forward, and Artest would have a hard time fitting in with Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter manning the two and three spots. But if the Nets would be willing to move Carter ($13.8 million) to shake up a team in a funk, they could take back Artest and Jeff Foster ($5 million).
</div>

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/col...02=stateChanged

 

[Henacy]

Ron Artest bring more to the overall table then Vince Carter...Iam sorry, I repsect Vince....but he cant guard a player in a wheel chair. And its not because he isnt talented enough to be a quality defender..its just that he doesnt care about that end of the floor.

Yes, Carter is a better offensive as far as putting points on the board. But lets be honest here...Ron Artest brings a post game at the small forward position that is comparable to alot of power forwards in this league. And that creates mis-matches...and also foul trouble for opponets...just look at the difference in free throw opporunties Artest creates compared to Vince...why because Vince takes alot of long and quickshots. Also when Vince isnt the feature guy he looks lost alot of the time...Artest can get 20 without being a featured by working the offensive boards..and filling lanes.

This team has not had an indentity since K-Mart left to be honest...yes, late last year we made a quality run...but we never established a long term indentity either during that period...it was pretty much give Vince the rock everybody else get out the way, let him try and get 40 then we will likely win...but that was with guys like Travis Best, Rodney Buford, Jabari Smith and a bunch of other guys who arent even in this league anymore...that type of play doesnt work when you replace those guys with a healthy Jefferson, Jeff McInnis and Marc Jackson, guys who have proven in the past they can score in this league. And want a fare share of their shots...so the just let Vince shoot everytime look doesnt work with the group Rod Thorn has assembled in the offseason.

So that means that this team has to build an indentity much different from that of last year...and it has to be one based on defense and ball movement. And I think the arrival of Artest would create a bit more of that needed indentity, especially in the defensive areas. I look at Ron Artest in the same light as K-Mart..a guy that brings pshyical toughness and is an enforcer type of players..we lack both right now.

 

[thedude9990]

even thought vince is my favorite lpayer i would trade carter or jefferson for artest in a heartbeat if i was getting artest in return....imo artest is one of the top 10 players in the league and hes not even making that much but what i dont understand is that jefferson has been playing pf alot (alot they have mciness kidd carter jefferson and etiher krsct/robinson) so i guess it owuld work but it wont be that great cause we would lack in size

 

[Avery]

I didn't read the entire thread, but I have to say before the Nets can think of Artest they need to get a big man. The elite teams in this league are predominately dominated by big men, and the Nets got all the perimeter players that they need and they are just missing that big man to cure the woes. That?s why they went after SAR in the offseason because a big man is clearly what they are missing.

 

[Henacy]

Well,its definately clear cut that a bigman is New Jersey's #1 concern..but you can only do so much if their arent quality bigs that are out their on the trade market...and right now, I cant think of one(I dont consider KG on the market cause Mchale already said he isnt moving him)...the best big that is really on the market is Carlos Boozer. And he isnt worth Carter or Jefferson..so we probably arent in the running for him cause VC/RJ is too much and everything else we have isnt enough.

So yes a bigman is definately on the agenda...but realistically right now it would have to be someone like Wilcox, Ely or my personal hope Battie in Orlando...but a deal like that wouldnt involve anyone we are talking about in a Artest trade.

Lets just say Vince for Artest and Foster, if Indy would do that deal, I honestly dont see how Rod Thorn could say no...we fix alot of holes with one deal.

 

[NJNetz]

Carter for Foster and Artest seems like a good trade but I really doubt Indiana will want to do it. It's good trade considering the fact that someone like the Knicks can't match it. Also I believe Thorn would still want to keep Carter instead of having him pack again. Artest is major defense improve, but I don't really feel that he will give as much on offense as Carter. I don't know, its just this feeling

 

[NJNetz]

Carter for Foster and Artest seems like a good trade but I really doubt Indiana will want to do it. It's good trade considering the fact that someone like the Knicks can't match it. Also I believe Thorn would still want to keep Carter instead of having him pack again. Artest is major defense improve, but I don't really feel that he will give as much on offense as Carter. I don't know, its just this feeling

Edit- I saw a couple of people saying that, Ron Artest will go to NY when his contract is up, no matter the team he is on. Supposably that's what he said

 

[Henacy]

Honestly, I would like to know what Carter brings to the table that is so special that it is un-replacable....besides a couple of Espn highlights. Right now...Iam not talking about what he did last year, Iam talking right now this year.

He hasnt done anything special at all in my opinion...has he made plays for guys around him to elevate their play not really imo...His shot selection has been horrid imo...I dont want to totally bash Vince but come on, people are making it seem like Carter is really bringing something extra special to the table.

Yes, I admitt Carter is a special scorer...but that is in situations where the ball is in his hands 80% of the time. And imo that isnt the type of team or play that will be effective with the type of guys we currently have on the roster ie that is the style we are pretty much playing now...and well you see our play. New Jersey needs to get back the ball movement and motion offense back into the play more consistently.

And everybody keeps saying well yeah, Ron Artest can defend but he isnt going to score like Vince...honeslty, just because he wont go off for a spectacular 30 or 40 like Vince doesnt mean, he doesnt have a huge offensive impact for a team. Ron Artest is way too strong on the block for most wing players around this league...and has to much perimeter skills for bigs to try and cover. And that creates alot of mis-matches most nights...and offensively that is what this league is about creating mis-matches and then executing to take advantage of those mis-matches.

 

[NJNetz]

Yea but Ron Artest, if traded to Nets, would wait till his contract ended and would most likely go to the Knicks. What would be the point of getting him.

 

[Henacy]

I think he said that he would do that because being close to his family is best right now, New Jersey is close enough for now..and then moving to BK puts the Nets right in the heart of the city. So I see no reason why he would be in a rush to leave the Nets, like he would those other teams he might get sent to...

 

[giftedvisionz]

I also think we should look for a big man instead of Artest. Nabbing Artest either means him playing at the 4 or Jefferson at the 2, which I wouldn't be personally comfortable with. Aiming for Swift without losing our backcourt will give us our best chance of becoming a legit contender.

 

[Next Level Game]

Henacy, I agree Artest will help the Nets, but how much more than Carter? Not that much in my opinion. I think losing the offense and gaining some defense would just be a wash. It won't change things up enough for me to say to do it. Either way, we will still be struggling and in the end we'll still be a low playoff seed and outed in the first round. If we can get Artest without trading Jefferson Carter, or Kidd (which I think is impossible-though Rod did land Carter for nothing) then we'll be the Suns on the west coast, replace Amare with Ron (though I think Ron weighs more than Amare-and it's all muscle). But no need to get excited for it.

 

[Air JerseY]

Net's starting line-up if Artest comes to New Jersey

C: Krstic
PF: Jefferson
SG: Artest
SF: Carter
PG: Jason Kidd


I wish that Artest joins the Nets!

 

[kobimel]

that lineup won't happen, we'll going to have to give up kidd, jefferson, or carter in order to get artest.