The Show Must Go On

This just in: The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent F Ron Artest. In a text message, Ron Artest said "I am happy to say, I am going to L.A."

Am I happy? I have mixed emotions.

This signing makes it VERY clear to me that the Lakers have given up on negotiations with Ariza. Think about it. A forward who made their name as a defensive player and can be depended on for a good 12-15 points a night. This upsets me because I have grown attached to Ariza. I have grown attached to his late game heroics. I remember TWICE he stole an inbounds pass in the last 20 seconds of a game. I remember in Game 4 of the NBA Finals when he was pretty much teh only person to score in the 3rd quarter. We won that game because of him. He was so very important to us. He and I (and I am sure jesse and cho) have very fond memories and I will cherish them always. I wish him well wherever he ends up.

The signing of Artest intrigues me. He has better defense than Ariza, he is better than Ariza at creating his own shot, and he is more experienced. But does he fit in the triangle offense? Will his lack of touches hurt him? He is the 4th (arguably the 3rd) option on the totem (spelling?) pole. Can he be okay with mediocre averages and minimal touches? Can he sacrifice for the good fo the team? I am not sure. Also, there is always the question of whether or not his anger issues will come back. I dont want him running in the stands and hurting my precious jack nichelson. He hasnt missed a home game in forever. Dont you dare hurt him Artest!!

All in all, I think it will be a good match. I will miss Trevor Ariza. But the show must go on...