(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The day started just like any other in the world of NBA free agency.
Marc Stein had his rumor mill brewing, J.A. Adande was spouting off Laker plaudits as if they were going out of style and players were being courted.
Hell, Shaquille O'Neal, The Big ______ was introduced as the newest member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. And he used his smile and his unique marketing tool to make some calls.
As a guest on SportsCenter, O'Neal addressed two free agents in particular.
"Hello, Ron, Hello, Trevor." he said sheepishly toward two of the marquee free agents. "Come join me."
He repeated the offer a couple more times; after all, as much as the Diesel likes to say that the Cavs were a "damn good" team last season, they need a lot more help than a 37-year-old Aristotle.
It was Artest and it was Ariza.
And The Big ______ came away empty-handed. So did The King.
While Cleveland was courting both Artest and Ariza to join yet another new-found home of O'Neal's, someone else and more importantly, somewhere else made an offer that wouldn't be refused.
Ron Artest is going to be a Laker next season. Believe it. The enigmatic, and often loony 29-year-old swingman accepted a three-year deal worth about $18 million from the defending champs.
As for Ariza, he was offended by the Lakers. Offended that they were not willing to show more dexterity and appreciation fiscally that he wished. Mitch Kupchak, Jerry Buss, and even Kobe Bryant didn't seem to worry.
Artest is a game-changer. Ariza is a role player.
That's the difference between the two. Aside from the age difference—five years to be exact, as Ariza is now 24—both players bring many of the same qualities to an already-stacked Lakers squad.
They both defend the perimeter.
They both shoot the three.
But Artest brings a different element to the game. Ariza is tough, but Artest is tougher. He is unsympathetic. Artest doesn't back down from anyone—not even his newfound teammate Bryant, the same guy he was incessantly jawing with all of last season.
Artest symbolizes thorny and tricky. Ariza proved himself well in one season on the best team in the league. Kudos.
Los Angeles' new prized package legitimizes the versatility that will be at the front-and-center of the Lakers next season.
Ariza was nice—he hit open 3-pointers given to him by Bryant and he poked away a few balls here and there. He did his job admirably. And he won a championship for it.
But the Lakers saw this off-season as a chance to get richer, and we all know, the rich often do get richer. Especially in Southern California.
The Lakers are trading five years in age away with Ariza and getting back the most implosive force in the league.
But hey, the guy's talented...very talented, and by taking a look at who's at the helm of this team, it would be safe to assume that Artest knows what he's going to deal with.
He'll behave. Probably.
As Artest was a guest on SportsCenter later that evening in L.A., he said that Phil Jackson had already talked to his wife, and that scored some points for Artest.
"He's my coach," Artest said, staunchly.
He's right.
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