What Next for the Sacramento Kings?

After months spinning ideas through ESPN's Trade Machine, my latest idea showed up on the news wires yesterday: "Mike Bibby to the Hawks for leftovers and a Cherry Coke".

Nice!  Someone out there is sitting on the other side of the internet, jotting down my thoughts and forwarding them to Geoff Petrie when they make the most sense (or cents, depending on your perspective).

I'm not kidding when I say that the exact trade (as well as a version that included Josh Childress instead of Shelden Williams) was in my Trade Machine as recently as last Thursday.  While others have been considering the Cavs and Heat, I have been considering cap space and a team with a real need for a point guard.

As much as I loved the daggers Bibby gave the Lakers in the 2002 playoffs, his contract was extremely unjustified.  It was the Maloof's last-ditch effort to hold together a team that was reaching the end of its useful life.  First they gave Webber max money (which the 76ers are still paying), then it was Bibby's turn and they felt obligated to outbid themselves for his services when Bobby Jackson would have been 90 percent of the player for half the price. Sorry, I digress.

Now that Bibby is in the ATL, I wonder what Geoff Petrie can do for an encore. Rather than hoping for the Trade Machine fairy to pass along my note, I thought I'd use the Bleacher Report grand opening to toss out some (reasonable) suggestions.

First, the assumption is that Ron Artest should be the next man out of town.  I beg to differ. I have been arguing for the Kings to keep Artest since the rumors starting flying last season. Now, with Artest's player option at the end of the year, good business becomes an additional argument for keeping Artest.

Let's get over Artest's history already.  While Stephen Jackson is getting MVP credit and Nate Robinson is on every GM's wish list, Artest remains the guy no one will touch.  I am convinced that his history will keep his price tag way under his value, which is quite rare considering the money we've seen thrown at Rashard Lewis and others without half the iron that Artest has in his tool box.

Here are the Kings' general options with Artest:

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?