Ron Artest in Los Angeles?: Lakers Midsummer Report

If that's the case, then the Lakers just might have the necessary piece to trade that would allow them to take on Thomas' contract. Odom and Vujacic (should he take the qualifying offer) would be due to make a combined $17.2 million next season. Thomas and Artest are due to make a combined $17.6 million next season. So the deal wouldn't cost them much financially next season.

The Lakers would then exercise their option on Coby Karl's contract that would give them a replacement outside shooter for less than $2 million with the luxury tax.

The only caveat is that by allowing the trade, Vujacic would have to relinquish his Bird Rights. But with the money that the Kings would be saving by getting rid of Thomas' deal, combined with the fact that so many teams are trying to save money for the summer of 2010, Vujacic couldn't ask for a better team to be traded to. He would also be united with his fellow Slovenian, Beno Udrih.

The Lakers would much rather give up Vujacic than either Farmar or Ariza. The loss of Farmar would send them scrambling to find a backup point guard, and the loss of Ariza would cost them one of their better on-ball defenders.

Where Thomas' contract would really hurt them is the following season. Right now the Lakers have looming contract extensions due next summer to Ariza, Bynum, and possibly Artest. Don't forget that Kobe also has the ability to opt out and sign a new six-year deal.

Even if Kobe doesn't opt out, the 2009-10 season could see the Lakers paying $23 million to Kobe,  $16.5 million to Gasol, at least $10 million to Artest, another $10 million to Bynum, $8.5 million to Thomas, $6.5 million to Radmanovic, $5 million to Fisher, $5 million to Walton, let's say $4 million to Ariza, and another $2 million to Farmar. That's a little over $90 million for 10 players.

There are a few scenarios the Lakers could explore to relieve themselves next summer. They could try to trade Radmanovic's contract to a team with the cap space to absorb it. Although this scenario is unlikely, it won't be as farfetched next season when Radmanovic only has two years left on his deal.

They could opt to let Trevor Ariza walk in free agency. This would not only save them money on Ariza's contract, but would also save them on the luxury tax.

The last option, and the one that seems most realistic, is convince Kobe to do what Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan did—opt out of his current deal and take a pay cut in exchange for a longer deal.

Garnett is slated to make about $25 million next season but will take a pay cut to about $16.5 million in 2010 and about $19 million in 2011 before going back up to about $21 million in 2012.

Duncan is making about $20.5 million next year and $22 million the following season, but his contract goes down to about $19 million before going back up to $21.5 million.

Kobe could rip up his current deal and sign for six years, starting at about $17 or $18 million in 2009-10 and then increase each of the following seasons. This would allow the Lakers some relief for the 2009-10 season by making Thomas' contract less of a liability and allowing them to re-sign Ariza.

So if you're a Laker fan, or a fan of one of the many teams that don't want to see them acquire Artest, then pay attention to the following—does Ronny Turiaf end up a Warrior? Does Sasha Vujacic accept the Lakers' qualifying offer? Does Shareef Abdur-Rahim retire?

Don't expect the Lakers to offer their mid-level exception to anyone now that James Posey is a member of the New Orleans Hornets. They could offer a portion of their mid-level to someone—or, more likely, they could offer their bi-annual exception, around $1.9 million, to someone like Alonzo Mourning, Devin Brown, Matt Barnes or Fred Jones.

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