My Thoughts On This Blockbuster Trade

I just recently heard the breaking news.

Ron Artest is heading to the Houston Rockets for Bobby Jackson and a first round pick.

Well first you have to give credit to the Rockets G.M. Dawson for pulling off this magnificent trade. Hell, this trade is so beautiful that he should be getting a raise in his salary.

Now as for the Maloof brothers you got to be furious if your a Kings or an non Rocket fan at them. I've been hearing for years that this team is in "Rebuilding Mode". Well, I'm tired of hearing this from the Kings front office. Those fans in Sacramento are easily one of the best fans in the league. They have been patient enough with this organization.

Why would you trade for a 35 year old if your in rebuilding mode?


I am honestly disgusted with the Maloof brothers right now. They had their chance to get quality young players for Artest. They could've gotten a player like Lamar Odom with someone like Luke Walton or Vladimir Radmonvic. Instead you take a 35 year old who has NEVER played a full NBA season healthy. Even if Bobby Jackson some how plays the full season healthy he still wont be able to bring the production Lamar Odom can put up.

The Sacramento Kings are the worst team in the league now talent wise. Their gonna make a good coach like Reggie Theus look like nothing when their at the bottom of the NBA. The only quality players they have on this team is Beno Uriuh, Fransisco Garcia, Brad Miller, Miki Moore, Shareef Abdur-Rahim (When healthy), Bobby Jackson (when healthy), and Kevin Martin.

This Kings management has to do something quick if they don't want to be the joke of the league. I have nothing else to say about this organization. I'm done. Their a complete waste of my time. I'm sorry to all loyal King fans.

This trade automatically puts Houston in front of everyone in the league. I dont even think my Lakers match up well against this team. Their starting line up will be looking like this:

C. Yao Ming/ Dikembe Mutombo
PF. Luis Scola/ Carl Laundry
SF. Ron Artest/ Shane Battie
SG. Tracy Mcgrady/ Brent Barry/ Steve Francis (great player when healthy)
PG. Rafer Alston/ Luther Head

Thats an amazing staring line up right there. Look for this Rocket team to be one of the leagues best defenses due to the trade.

Why I pick the Rockets over the Lakers?

Now that the Lakers lost Ronni Turiaf and couldn't sign someone like Kwame Brown to body up on Yao Ming they dont have a good back up big man to compete with this strong Rocket team. Criticize Kwame Brown all you want but one thing you cant take away from him is his defense. He is actually the best defender to match up with Yao Ming that this league has. Second that comes to Brown is Kendrick Perkins.

This is what really hurts the Lakers, The Rockets have the two best one on one defenders in the league. We all know that when it comes to crunch time the Lakers offense goes from the Triangle Offense to the Kobe Bryant offense. Kobe will have to be on the top of his game to beat Ron Artest and Shane Battie on offense. Kobe will probably be to tired to out last both of these defenders. Then again, Who am I to question the best player in the league?

As of right now

Rockets > Lakers.

I did feel this Rocket team was already gonna be in the top 5 in the league when Yao returned because they finally started to click together. Now with Ron Artest their arguably the most stacked team since the 04 "Dream Team" Lakers with Malone, Payton, Kobe, and Shaq.

However the biggest disadvantage that the Rockets have is Ron Artest. Let me explain.

As much as I love this trade for the Rockets they forget how devilish Ron Artest can be. He is not the guy thats gonna bring joy to the locker room. Hes known to be a chemistry killer. Remember Ron Artest was on that very talented Pacer team, playing with players like Jermaine O'Neal, Reggie Miller, and Stephen Jackson. Slowly but surely due to Ron Artest behavior the team went down hill.

What does Ron Artest need?

Its simple really he needs a "Leader". Tracy and Yao aren't those kind of leaders that can change Artest like a Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett can. Artest needs someone like those two to be at the top of his game.

If the Rockets can solve that big problem they have in hand they'll be one hell of a team.

Top 3 Teams In The League Talent Wise:
1. Houston Rockets
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Boston Celtics

This is the toughest the league has looked since 1998.

Thank you for reading