Artest and Ariza Swap Teams

By Scott

Free-agent forwards Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza have agreed in principle with the Lakers and Rockets respectively. Artest will choose from two deals: $18.7 million over 3 years or $33.5 million over 5 years, while Ariza's deal is expected to give him around $5.8 million per year, and could total up to equal Artest's contract which is insane for a guy who averaged under 9 points-per-game, but we'll get that.

First, the Lakers' signing of Artest could end up being the most significant move of the offseason. Artest adds not only a suffocating defender and offensive threat, but a great presence in a Lakers locker room that totally lacks character. Although Artest's zaniness and unpredictable behavior is a concern, he has been a popular figure in locker rooms throughout his career. Remember the Melee at Auburn Hills? Artest ran into the stands and his teammates followed him. A sign of loyalty and trust. Would Kobe's teammates follow him into the stands? Probably not. And Artest could be a key component in brining this Lakers' team closer. On the court, Artest is one of the best defenders in the game and averages a solid 17-points-a-game. He is undoubtedly an upgrade from both Ariza and Lamar Odom, and the Lakers will likely make another visit to the NBA Finals with Artest as as a key difference maker that could also force teams to divert their attention away from Kobe.

Trevor Ariza's contract is everything that is wrong with the NBA. Ariza averaged under 9-points-a-game, and not much else. His game relies on hitting open 3's that became available because of double teams on Kobe. Much of the hype surrounding Ariza also resulted from the two inbound steals he made against Denver in the Western Conference Finals. ESPN replayed

those plays so many times it was drilled into the minds of viewers and Ariza was hailed as a defensive mastermind. Granted, Ariza is young and his upside is tremendous especially considering how much his game has grown since he came out of UCLA, but giving such a massive contract to a guy who has ultimately done nothing in this league is not worth the risk. However, Rockets GM Daryl Maury has proven himself one of the best in the business in evaluating talent, so Ariza's development will be worth watching.

The most interesting part of these deals is the fallout. There were reports swirling around the internet that Ron Artest was close to signing with the Cavs. Now that Artest has chosen L.A., it'll be interesting to see if Cleveland pursues another piece to the Lebron/Shaq show. With Lamar Odom now on the market, he could be a decent replacement for Artest especially because of his experience playing with star-driven teams with Kobe in L.A. and Dwayne Wade in Miami. Another possible landing spot for Odom is Orlando. With Hedo Turkoglu on the way out, Odom would be solid fit for the Magic who are still on the verge of establishing themselves as a true power in the East.