Michael Ventre

Well, it’s official. Ron Artest is the Terrell Owens of the NBA.

It was touch and go there for a while. I thought there was a chance Artest would be chastened by the embarrassment of the brawl, and devote himself to becoming a better person and a better teammate.

I thought maybe all his run-ins with officials over the years, and his declaration that he wanted to take time off to promote a CD that he produced, were simply the antics of a spirited young man who needed maturity and direction, and that he had finally settled upon a path of redemption.

Wrong!

Last weekend, Artest let it be known to The Indianapolis Star and others that he wanted to be traded, preferably to the New York Knicks. He made it sound as if it would be the best thing for his team, the Indiana Pacers, since “I’m so demanding of the ball. It’s not my fault. Every time somebody is on me it’s a mismatch. It messes up the offense.” Nice touch by Artest to throw in an altruistic wrinkle to his selfish demands. Transparent and laughable, but nice.

On Monday in response, Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said he would attempt to accommodate Artest, saying that the player’s trade request wasn’t the only factor in wanting to move him. Explained Walsh: “This is kind of the last straw of a lot of issues, and it’s at the point where we should look for a trade.”

Obviously, Walsh reads newspapers and magazines, watches television and peruses the internet. Because he appears to be fully versed in the T.O. situation and is determined not to let that happen to his franchise.

In this case, the Pacers discovered the cancer early, and the prognosis is favorable.

It’s a bit irritating that someone like Artest can get his way by using the media to burn a bridge and force his employers’ hands. The temptation is to wish that the Pacers would stick it to him by exiling him to the bench, or making him serve a suspension. That would show him, right?

FREE VIDEO Ron on way out? Dec. 13: Pacers star Ron Artest talks about his desire for a trade, and president/CEO Donnie Walsh and Jermain O'Neal weigh in.

Not really. With someone as incorrigible as Ron Artest, all it would do is embolden him to commit future acts of insubordination. He would fester like an open gash. Although it appears he has already alienated teammates, most notably superstar Jermaine O’Neal, by his disruptive behavior, keeping him around would further poison the locker room atmosphere of a team that should be in contention for the Eastern Conference crown.

Keeping Artest around would create a blizzard of controversy, much like the escalation of tensions that occurred with T.O. in Philly. All that’s missing here is Drew Rosenhaus snapping, “Next question.”