Should we be kind and warn the Magic fans before or after they acquire him.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbc...plate=printart
July 5, 2007
Next Magic target: Ron Artest?
BY JOHN DENTON
FLORIDA TODAY
Rashard Lewis, soon to be the newest member of the Orlando Magic, is a 6-foot-10 small forward who likes to shoot from the corners and doesn't necessarily specialize in defense.
Hedo Turkoglu, a member of the Magic the past three seasons, is a 6-foot-10 small forward who likes to shoot from the corners and doesn't necessarily specialize in defense.
Notice the duplication?
With Lewis just days away from signing a five-year, $75 million free agent deal with the Magic, Turkoglu could very well be the odd man out on the Magic's roster. And apparently Orlando has already looked into trading the mild-mannered Turkoglu for a drastically different sort of player.
The Sacramento Bee, quoting an unnamed source, reported Wednesday that the Magic have inquired about the availability of volatile forward Ron Artest. The proposed deal would reunite Turkoglu with the Kings, the franchise he played with for the first three years of his career, and would send Artest back East to give Orlando a much-needed attitude adjustment.
Magic general manager Otis Smith repeatedly lamented the Magic's lack of a killer instinct last season, saying that his team "liked each other way too much," and didn't always hold each other accountable because of their mostly mild-mannered players.
The gritty Artest, of course, could dramatically alter that mindset. The 2004 Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All-Defense selection would bring an aspect of toughness that was missing last season when the Magic struggled to a 40-42 record and were swept out of the playoffs by Detroit.
Because Artest is set to make $7.8 million and Turkoglu is due $6.3 million, the trade could be made straight up and would fall within the parameters of the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, said his client, a New York native, would welcome a move back to the Eastern Conference.
"You hear trade rumors all the time, so you just have to let them play out," Stevens said. "It would be good for Ron to get back to the East, not just Orlando in particular. Coming back East would be something that Ron would really like."
The New York Knicks are also reportedly interested in trading for Artest, 25.
Because Artest can play shooting guard or small forward, he could be seen as insurance if the Magic lose Grant Hill in free agency. Hill had discussions with new Phoenix Suns general manager Steve Kerr on Tuesday. He's already talked with representatives from Detroit, San Antonio, Dallas, Miami and Orlando.
Hill told FLORIDA TODAY last week that he came away from a meeting with new Magic coach Stan Van Gundy very impressed, and could see himself re-signing with Orlando. Hill said Tuesday via text message that the discussions were ongoing and a decision could come by the end of the week. Playing for a championship, and playing major minutes, are primary concerns for the soon-to-be 35-year-old Hill.
Artest averaged 18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists this past season for Sacramento, which missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. In addition to being one of the league's premier on-ball defenders, Artest has averaged at least 15 points and 5 rebounds a game for six consecutive seasons.
If they were to acquire the 6-foot-7, 246-pound Artest, the Magic would have to agree to accept the gobs of personal baggage he would bring with him. Artest is most notoriously known for starting the brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans in 2004, an incident that resulted in him being suspended 73 regular-season and 13 playoff games.
He's been accused of domestic assault three different times, the most of serious of which was this past March when he was charged with four misdemeanors (alleged battery, corporal injury to a spouse, false imprisonment and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime). He has pleaded not guilty.
Turkoglu averaged 13.3 points a game this past season for the Magic, a sharp decline from the 14.9 points he averaged in 2005-06. He shot just 41.9 percent (third-worst of his career) and missed nine games with a mysterious illness that caused his body to tremble from time to time.
With Dwight Howard set to sign a five-year, $80 million extension next week, Lewis' $75 million deal soon to be on the books and point guard Jameer Nelson also wanting a contract extension, the Magic might be looking to trim some long-term payroll.
Turkoglu is due $20.4 million over the next three years. Artest, meanwhile, is thought to be underpaid for his talent level and will assuredly exercise an opt-out clause in his contract next summer. Trading for Artest would allow the Magic to take a short-term gamble on the troubled, but talented guard without the long-term financial repercussions if he runs afoul of the law or team rules again.
"We have one more year on the current deal before Ron can opt out, so wherever (the Kings) send Ron or if he stays in Sacramento, we're going to play it out and see what happens," Stevens said.
Contact Denton at 242-3792 or e-mail jd41898@aol.com
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbc...plate=printart
July 5, 2007
Next Magic target: Ron Artest?
BY JOHN DENTON
FLORIDA TODAY
Rashard Lewis, soon to be the newest member of the Orlando Magic, is a 6-foot-10 small forward who likes to shoot from the corners and doesn't necessarily specialize in defense.
Hedo Turkoglu, a member of the Magic the past three seasons, is a 6-foot-10 small forward who likes to shoot from the corners and doesn't necessarily specialize in defense.
Notice the duplication?
With Lewis just days away from signing a five-year, $75 million free agent deal with the Magic, Turkoglu could very well be the odd man out on the Magic's roster. And apparently Orlando has already looked into trading the mild-mannered Turkoglu for a drastically different sort of player.
The Sacramento Bee, quoting an unnamed source, reported Wednesday that the Magic have inquired about the availability of volatile forward Ron Artest. The proposed deal would reunite Turkoglu with the Kings, the franchise he played with for the first three years of his career, and would send Artest back East to give Orlando a much-needed attitude adjustment.
Magic general manager Otis Smith repeatedly lamented the Magic's lack of a killer instinct last season, saying that his team "liked each other way too much," and didn't always hold each other accountable because of their mostly mild-mannered players.
The gritty Artest, of course, could dramatically alter that mindset. The 2004 Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All-Defense selection would bring an aspect of toughness that was missing last season when the Magic struggled to a 40-42 record and were swept out of the playoffs by Detroit.
Because Artest is set to make $7.8 million and Turkoglu is due $6.3 million, the trade could be made straight up and would fall within the parameters of the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, said his client, a New York native, would welcome a move back to the Eastern Conference.
"You hear trade rumors all the time, so you just have to let them play out," Stevens said. "It would be good for Ron to get back to the East, not just Orlando in particular. Coming back East would be something that Ron would really like."
The New York Knicks are also reportedly interested in trading for Artest, 25.
Because Artest can play shooting guard or small forward, he could be seen as insurance if the Magic lose Grant Hill in free agency. Hill had discussions with new Phoenix Suns general manager Steve Kerr on Tuesday. He's already talked with representatives from Detroit, San Antonio, Dallas, Miami and Orlando.
Hill told FLORIDA TODAY last week that he came away from a meeting with new Magic coach Stan Van Gundy very impressed, and could see himself re-signing with Orlando. Hill said Tuesday via text message that the discussions were ongoing and a decision could come by the end of the week. Playing for a championship, and playing major minutes, are primary concerns for the soon-to-be 35-year-old Hill.
Artest averaged 18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists this past season for Sacramento, which missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. In addition to being one of the league's premier on-ball defenders, Artest has averaged at least 15 points and 5 rebounds a game for six consecutive seasons.
If they were to acquire the 6-foot-7, 246-pound Artest, the Magic would have to agree to accept the gobs of personal baggage he would bring with him. Artest is most notoriously known for starting the brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans in 2004, an incident that resulted in him being suspended 73 regular-season and 13 playoff games.
He's been accused of domestic assault three different times, the most of serious of which was this past March when he was charged with four misdemeanors (alleged battery, corporal injury to a spouse, false imprisonment and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime). He has pleaded not guilty.
Turkoglu averaged 13.3 points a game this past season for the Magic, a sharp decline from the 14.9 points he averaged in 2005-06. He shot just 41.9 percent (third-worst of his career) and missed nine games with a mysterious illness that caused his body to tremble from time to time.
With Dwight Howard set to sign a five-year, $80 million extension next week, Lewis' $75 million deal soon to be on the books and point guard Jameer Nelson also wanting a contract extension, the Magic might be looking to trim some long-term payroll.
Turkoglu is due $20.4 million over the next three years. Artest, meanwhile, is thought to be underpaid for his talent level and will assuredly exercise an opt-out clause in his contract next summer. Trading for Artest would allow the Magic to take a short-term gamble on the troubled, but talented guard without the long-term financial repercussions if he runs afoul of the law or team rules again.
"We have one more year on the current deal before Ron can opt out, so wherever (the Kings) send Ron or if he stays in Sacramento, we're going to play it out and see what happens," Stevens said.
Contact Denton at 242-3792 or e-mail jd41898@aol.com
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