Bob Cook

There's probably some aphorism about being careful what you wish for, or the thrill of the chase being more exciting than actually catching something, that would apply to the Sacramento Kings now that their two-year quest to get Indiana's Ron Artest is, presumably, complete.

At the time the Kings first began pursuing a deal for Artest, which then as now involved shipping Peja Stojakovic in return, they and the Pacers were both championship contenders. Each team hoped the swap would bring skills — shooting to anemic-scoring Indiana, defense to matador-ish Sacramento — that each team hoped would give it the juice to make it to the NBA Finals.

Now, the Kings have sunk to the bottom of the Pacific (Division, that is). Only a raft of mediocre teams in the East is keeping the drowning Pacers' playoff chances afloat.

At least getting rid of Artest is addition by subtraction for the Pacers, who suspended the oft-troubled small forward in early December after he told the Indianapolis Star he wanted to be traded. It's harder to see what Sacramento is getting out of this.

It's fitting that the Peja Stojakovic-for-Ron Artest trade took an extra day to be consummated, considering this deal has been on the table for about two years, back before each player became damaged goods.

The Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings began talking about swapping small forwards in 2004, when the Kings' Stojakovic requested a trade after an All-Star season in which he scored a career-high 24 points per game. He made the request, Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie told reporters at the time, because he felt “he doesn’t feel going forward he could be as successful as he wants to be.” But Pacers president Larry Bird's affinity for Artest kept this particular deal from happening.

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As it turns out, Stojakovic was a prophet, at least about the not-being-as-successful part. His scoring average dropped to 20.2 points last year. This season, racked by back, finger and groin injuries that have cost him nine games (not counting a 10th game he missed while Artest hedged on going to Sacramento), Stojakovic is averaging only 16.5 points per game, shooting a near career-low of 40 percent. On Tuesday morning, a humbled Stojakovic told the Sacramento Bee he would love to stay with the Kings for the rest of his career, and might even take less money to do so. By Tuesday afternoon, word was out Stojakovic was leaving town.

Apparently, when Stojakovic makes his requests to be traded or not traded, he does so on Opposite Day.

Stojakovic's decline has brought him his own baggage and question marks, though the Pacers feel confident he won't charge into the stands or focus a lot of attention on a stable of Serbian singers.

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He might still have plenty of game to help Indiana right away. The Pacers can’t seem to find consistent shooting, which they especially need now that it appears their best player, Jermaine O'Neal, might need groin surgery after getting injured Thursday night in Cleveland.

Stojakovic, at 6-foot-10, can give Indiana a size advantage at small forward, while moving the 6-foot-8 Stephen Jackson back to shooting guard does the same thing in that position. Even a Stojakovic scoring only 16 points a night is better for Indiana than extended time for lesser lights such as Austin Croshere and Fred Jones.

Plus, if Stojakovic doesn’t work out, his contract is off the books after this season. Stojakovic is due to be paid $7.6 million this season, and he has a player’s option for $8.2 million next season. No one expects him to exercise that option, leaving him a free agent, and giving Indiana some salary relief.

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