Artest to Lakers is NBA's Most Intriguing Off Season Move

Just when we thought we'd seen something, we realized we'd seen nothing. The NBA off season has been an ongoing chess match, a constant attempt to one-up the other. Richard Jefferson to the Alamo. Shaq to Bronland. Vinsanity to Disney. But it's all been ho-hum compared to this. None of the moves can compete in "intrigue value" with Ron Artest joining Kobe in Los Angeles. Two opposing personalities. The world at stake. Hollywood cameras to watch all the drama unfold. It's like John and Kate with a basketball.

Is Artest the final cog in a second Lakers dynasty this millennium? Will World War III spark in the Staples Center's home locker room? Will Artest combust while Trevor Ariza blossoms into an All-Star (Celtics fans, feel free to uncross your fingers)? Will Artest's defensive upgrade be worth him bogging down the triangle offense? Will Artest turn Showtime into MMA on the hardwood? (I'm definitely rooting for this, at least for the comic value. Could we please get Jack Nicholson to referee? Or, even better, could we pair Jack with Kobe and Denzel with Artest in a tag team format? Think about it. We're talking about Hollywood here. The possibilities are endless!!)

Seriously, I can't believe how excited I am to see what happens next season in SoCal. I'm going to feel like I'm stuck in Super Bowl week and March Madness for the next four months. There are an endless amount of unknowns I want answered now. One L.A. Times columnist said Artest will end any chance of these Lakers developing into a dynasty. Another columnist with L.A. ties blessed the Artest-Lakers union on ESPN.com.

Which will it be?

I've been mulling over the Artest deal the past 24 hours, and I'm honestly stuck in the middle. I see the pros and cons with this issue. The biggest question surrounding this is whether the benefits are worth the risk.

I've heard/read numerous critics blasting Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak for signing Artest and letting promising star Trevor Ariza walk free. But understand Kupchak didn't have a choice. He inked Artest out of necessity. It was a reaction to San Antonio's trade for Jefferson.

With a veteran nucleus of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Jefferson, the Spurs became the clear favorite in the West. The Lakers championship core of Kobe, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher and Ariza wasn't enough firepower to make a run at a repeat. Kupchak was aware. Artest doesn't make L.A. the undisputed favorites to win the Western Conference, but he's enough to pull the Lakers even with San Antonio.

On the other hand, Artest does provide a significant risk to a roster that already proved it had what it takes to win a title. He's always been a headache - at best - off the court, but I'm not worried about any Brawlean blowups. He was a model citizen last season in Houston and steered clear of any major issues in 2 ½ years in Sacremento. (I'm a lifelong, die-hard Pacers fan. No one is more impressed and surprised with Artest's good behavior than me).

There's a better chance of conflict with Artest's style of play. He's averaged a hair more than 18 shots per game during the past three seasons, a substantial number for a team with Kobe, Gasol and Odom. Artest's 18 shots per game were three more attempts than Jefferson averaged as Milwaukee's primary offensive weapon last season. Kobe averaged a hair less than 21 shots per game last season. That's an inordinate amount of shots for someone with Artest's offensive capabilities, or, sometimes, lack thereof. I'm really not sure one basketball will suffice for this team. There's no way Artest is willing to cut his shots in half, and the triangle offense isn't designed for four alpha dogs. Stay tuned.

Another knock on the Artest deal is the mortgage it puts on the Lakers' future. When Artest's contract runs out in 2012, none of their top four players will be younger than 31. A 34-year-old Kobe will have the opportunity to opt out of his contact and leave L.A. Nothing will be left in the tank.

Who cares?

Take it from someone who's spent his entire life rooting for an NBA team as it fruitlessly attempts to get over the hump. Three years with a shot at a championship is worth a decade of Clippers style basketball. When you have a chance to win it all, put all the chips on the table and don't look back. That's what the Lakers are doing. That's why Kupchak decided to bring Artest on board.

The chance to repeat is worth the headaches, drama and risk Artest brings to Los Angeles.