Lakers Rumors: L.A. Will Not Find Any Takers for Metta World Peace

The Los Angeles Lakers have lost touch with the realities of the NBA landscape if they think they can find a taker for the slumping Metta World Peace. 

The player formerly known as Ron Artest is reportedly perceived at reaching a boiling point, and it should go without saying that when that happens things can get a little ugly. 

This, combined with his poor play on the court, means he has become a much bigger liability than an asset to the Lakers.

Trading Artest would be a wise move for the Lakers—it's just not a feasible one.  

The Rumors

Joe McDonnell of Fox Sports dishes the latest dirt on what's going on with World Peace, the effect on his teammates and his coach's stance that he wouldn't object to a trade involving him. 

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World Peace is "walking around all crazy-like. We're just waiting for him to go off," one Lakers player recently told FOXSportsWest.com, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Added another teammate, also requesting anonymity: "He's always talking about how he should be playing no matter how bad he's shooting, but he can't figure out that when he takes bad shots and misses eight in a row it puts us in a hole."

What's more, a source close to the team told FOXSportsWest.com that Brown wouldn't be averse to trading World Peace. 

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It's always a little sketchy when you see a report from a player who doesn't want to go on the record. Who knows if those words are more rooted in fact or by a hidden agenda? However, given Metta's history and his poor performance, these sentiments certainly don't seem outlandish. 

Why the Rest of the NBA Doesn't Want World Peace

The is an easy answer, isn't it? Mr. Peace is barely an NBA-caliber player, and he is being paid like a starter. He is being paid almost $7 million this year, and just over $7 million for the next two, and he isn't producing anywhere near that level. 

Metta is playing just 22.6 minutes, 4.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. He is also shooting just 33.8 percent from the field and 20.6 percent from three. 

What's even worse is that a player once lauded for his defense is no longer anywhere near a stopper anymore. 

McDonnell noted that Synergy Sports Technology has Metta as the 192nd-ranked individual defender in the NBA. He is allowing an insanely high .833 points per possession.

There is no team in the NBA that will want to take on this contract for this broken-down headache.