Harrington wanted to start in the worst way, so he was sent to Atlanta after the 2004 season, and he has come to realize he indeed can start in the worst way. Miller, who played with Artest in Chicago and Indiana and would have been his welcome wagon in Sacramento, has already mentally checked out of the Kings. Miller recently said he would sign with his native Indiana’s Pacers for the veteran minimum once his contract expired. Unfortunately for Sacramento, Miller has five more seasons to kill.

So what now? A deal that would have sent Artest to the Los Angeles Clippers for Corey Maggette got scotched when Indiana determined the oft-injured small forward appeared to inherit his feet from old Clip Bill Walton.

It’s doubtful the Kings, who had tried for almost two years to get Indiana to bite on a Stojakovic-for-Artest deal, are going to open up talks again.

The Pacers have suspended Artest since his trade demands, but they can’t do this forever. Artest’s contract runs through 2008 (with a player’s option for 2009), and the money stays on the books unless the Pacers can trade him.

Also, it appears the Pacers players themselves are finally succumbing to the uncertainty. They’ve lost five of six games, down to a 21-20 record — still good for the Detroit-and-everyone else Eastern Conference, but a disturbing trend nonetheless. Indiana has looked listless, blowing big leads to league dregs Chicago and Atlanta during the slide. Thursday night in Cleveland, they looked worse than listless, getting chippy and desperately rough in the few times they appeared to have any energy.

So it looks like the Pacers and Artest have no choice but to kiss and make up.

I’m not sure if this is how Jimmy Carter would arrange it, but here might be a way to get Artest, Pacers executives and Pacers players to get along again.

First, encourage O’Neal to arrange one of his team bowling outings. While that’s going on, Artest and his agent can meet with Walsh and Bird, and Jimmy Carter, and have a serious heart-to-heart conversation. Everyone can air their differences, yell and scream if need be, and then have a good hug and cry afterward. Carter can supply the pens for the ensuing peace accords.

Outside the room is Stephen Jackson, Artest’s lone supporter among his teammates, the guy who hit more people than Artest did during the Pacers-Pistons brawl. Jackson can drive Artest, and Jimmy Carter, to the lanes where O’Neal and his teammates are bowling.

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Jackson walks in the lanes, finds O’Neal, and tells him an old friend has arrived to bowl with him. In comes Artest, holding a bag, in which is an ABA-style red-white-and-blue bowling ball, just like O’Neal has.

O’Neal, stung by Artest’s trade demand and his general refusal in the past to go bowling with him, turns away. But Jackson brings him back.

Again, all parties air their differences, yell and scream if need be, and then have a good hug and cry afterward. O’Neal’s teammates, seeing their leader take Artest back, join in. Jimmy Carter, who’s been standing behind the shoe-rental counter just in case, gets some of those little eraser-less bowling-alley pencils so the players may sign their peace accords.

Jimmy Carter then smiles, picks up his hammer, and goes back to building houses. His work here is done.

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