Lakers learning to live with Artest’s oddities
Champs are better with forward, but potential problems always linger
Ramin Rahimian / ReutersRon Artest makes the Lakers a better team on the court, but one never knows what to expect from him writes NBCSports.com contributor Ira Winderman.
ASK THE NBA EXPERT MAILBAG
By Ira Winderman
NBCSports.com
updated 2:06 a.m. ET Jan. 1, 2010
 | Ira Winderman |
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You ask, we (try to) answer.
Q: Hi Ira, how happy are the Lakers with their trade for Ron Artest? Thanks.
— Eric, Melbourne, Australia
A: These days, you have to wonder.
On one hand, happy because they have had a chance to see in recent days what otherwise would be in place. If anything, the Lakers learned that their big lineup with Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol hardly is a guaranteed winning combination.
On the other hand, Artest's Christmas Day injury remains more than a bit sketchy, not the type of thing you likely would have had to endure if Trevor Ariza was still the small forward.
The struggles in the absence of Artest have demonstrated just how necessary he is to the Lakers' perimeter defense. But what if there is a similar fuzzy incident in the postseason?
Remember, he is Ron Artest, and that means expect the unexpected, and, sometimes, the unexplained.
And therein lies the concern: that one moment that could change everything.
Would it be out of the realm for Artest to get himself suspended during the postseason? Certainly not. And, if so, then what?
Artest's recent absence demonstrated the Lakers have only limited recourse when it comes to otherwise addressing small forward.
Putting aside the Christmas Day loss to the Cavaliers, when these Lakers are whole, they are an exception team.
But with Ron Artest you are constantly living in the moment.
Q: Why do you all love to compare NBA players? Each player is different. How can you compare LeBron James to Kobe Bryant? Compare James to players of his own age, such as Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. Bryant already is a Hall of Famer.
— Rannie, Birmingham, Ala.
A: You can because this, uh, is still a game, and it's fun.
While the ages and the degree of career accomplishments are at opposite ends of the spectrum, and while the builds and positions differ, the two remain the game's premier perimeter players.
In many ways, it is easier to draw comparisons between the two than, to use your example, the more age-appropriate comparison of LeBron and Dwight.
We watched on Christmas because it was Kobe vs. LeBron.
And, honestly, if you polled scouts (and I have), most would come up with the same answers:
If you needed to win one game, make one play, the choice, right now, would be Kobe, if only for his more reliable jumper.
But if you were building a team, you would pick LeBron, not only because of the age, but because of the upside and freakish ability to overwhelm with both perimeter skills and physical strength.
Even more than that, the debate is enjoyable, because it is constantly evolving. In 2006, the debate was whether Wade was better than LeBron. At the start of this season, Carmelo was making his own case. And no player was as dominant during last season's playoffs as Howard.
For now, Chris Paul has gotten lost in the shuffle, but certainly don't count him down or out.
Amid the 2010 free-agency debate, there are, in my view, only seven players right now in the league deserving of maximum contracts: Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Howard, Paul, Kevin Garnett and Steve Nash.
The more unpalatable debate will come next summer, when Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire and perhaps even Carlos Boozer try to work themselves into that pay structure.
Q: I'm actually, believe it or not, a big Zach Randolph fan. He may not have the best attitude all the time, but the man can straight out play. His defense isn't as good as his offense, but he's posting huge double-double numbers. So my question is: With him and the young studs playing for Memphis now, do you see the Grizzlies as a threat in the years to come? Maybe even a competitive challenger to the Lakers?
— Kurtis, Swanzey, N.H.
A: Randolph has been nothing short of a revelation for the Grizzlies. But a threat to the Lakers? No. I would put Memphis in the same class as Oklahoma City and Sacramento, part of the Western Conference's next wave.
Remember, Randolph has posted similar numbers at other stops, and, for whatever reason, it never ended well. Feed him the ball, and he's a happy camper.
The interesting part will be what happens if the offense starts to turn in the direction of Rudy Gay or O.J. Mayo.
I do, however, agree that the defensive part of the equation can be overstated with Randolph. Yes, his cover often posts significant numbers, but few right now are approaching the type of numbers Randolph is producing in this recent stretch.
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All of a sudden, Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace, save, perhaps, for the Allen Iverson blip, doesn't come off quite as confused as previously viewed.
The Grizzlies are worth watching, even though it seems no one in Memphis is.
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