While We’re Waiting… Ron Artest’s Twitter, 2010 Free Agency, and Cavs Jersey History
While We’re Waiting aims to be the round-up of the recent WFNY-esque information for your morning viewing. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email in the sidebar.
Quite the Tweeting Tease: “But rumors of interested teams carry only so much excitement; a wild goose chase on a public social media platform is much more entertaining, right? Besides, wherever [Ron] Artest does end up signing will become fact soon enough. Until then, all we can do is follow the man’s Twitter feed and hope that when the real deal does go down, that we’ll be among the first to know.” [NBA FanHouse]
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Is 2010 really that big of a deal? “The truth is, you can count on one hand the organizations that figure at all in these two conversations. Mostly, it’s about Cleveland and Miami proving they’re worth it for these two superstars to stick around. The other names hitting the open market in 2010? The likes of Bosh, Amare, Dirk, Nash, Yao and T-Mac are hardly worth mortgaging your team’s future, financial and competitive, over. In fact, there’s a good chance now that the latter two will have trouble getting any long-term deal next summer. The more you look at the vaunted Class of 2010, the more it looks like … the motley bunch that populates 2009.” [Bethlehem Shoals/The Baseline]
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A history of Cavaliers uniform numbers that links Lenny Wilkins to Damon Jones. I’m sure Lenny’s thrilled. [Vince Grzegorek/'64 and Counting]
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Ohio State continues to add to the backfield. “[Roderick Smith] is ranked as the No. 6 running back in his class by Scout.com and the No. 5 running back by Rivals.com. His final choice came down to Ohio State and Michigan State. In his freshman season in 2010, he’d be looking at joining a running back crew that would include Brandon Saine, Dan Herron, Jaamal Berry and Carlos Hyde.” [Doug Lesmerises/Plain Dealer]
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Scout.com’s Ed Thompson sits down with D’Qwell Jackson to discuss attitude and accountability in Cleveland. What’s all this “accountability” talk? [Scout.com]
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:17 am
I’d LOVE to see Ariza and Artest…
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:21 am
IF (caps necessary) Ariza is truly that bitter that he would accept the exact same offer from Cleveland and not L.A. that would be truly amazing. If that happens, then you have to keep AV over Artest right? Artest and Ariza are essentially the same player, with Ariza being much younger.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:43 am
Um, what? Artest and Ariza are essentially the same player?
that’s like saying chocolate and carab are essentially the same flavor.
Artest has consistently been among the 5 best defensive players in the league for years, while bringing mental toughness and a pretty dynamic offensive game.
Ariza has has a few average seasons and 2 weeks of above-average playoff basketball. Anyone who’s actually looked at the stats, or even watched Ariza in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, should know he’s not even sniffing Artest’s sneakers.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:43 am
I think Ariza would be great, and I think AV would bring more to the team then Artest. Obviously Artest is a very talented basketball player, and a much better offensive and probably defensive player than AV. Andy just has the intangibles tha bring teams together. He is always giving his all out there…no matter what, and that spreads to the rest of the team. Plus…I love his hair.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:44 am
@ #3, Ariza is still very young though, and has potential. If we can get him with the MLE, I say do it.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:44 am
true…but I guess it depends on what Ferry deems as necessary now…do we need more scoring? or does he feel like we need to get longer on the wings and have great D? personally, I think that we need a post scorer and artest consistantly will play in the block on mismatches, whereas it seems that ariza is more comfortable with jumpshots and drives…(i could be wrong, correct me if i am)
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:45 am
Also, judging by the fact that LeBron went to personally meet with Artest, if Artest is signed to a multi-year deal could there be any doubt LeBron will re-sign with the Cavs?
I mean, who’s crazy enough to lie to Artest?
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:47 am
Id say yay to Artest.. Nay to Ariza.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:48 am
@4 Watching a few regular season Lakers games and the playoffs, Ariza has the potential to be every bit the “intangible/energy” player that Andy is, only much better on both sides of the ball. If we could sign and trade Andy for Artest and sign Ariza with the MLE I’d say we’re incredibly stacked for next year while looking good down the road as well.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:50 am
@7 – LOL
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:59 am
@4: AV > Artest? I didn’t realize Andy learned how to score all of the sudden?
But lets be honest, if we could get either Artest or Ariza at the MLE that’d be amazing. I think it’d be a better move than landing CV31 to be honest.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:02 am
CV’s questionable motor and D kinda scared me at first, but he is a good scorer and another tall wing type guy…plus his lack of eyebrows sorta made me feel bad for him…woulda still liked to have got him, but, such is the life of a Cleveland fan…I mean seriously…Detroit? its a ghost town…but then again, with the $$ that he and Ben Gordon just signed for, they may buy half the city and just make it a big open field…which would be an improvement…
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:02 am
I may very well be AV’s biggest supporter as evidence of my 4 AV jersey’s and 2 wigs, but I absolutley think Artest OR Azaria is an upgrade. I would hate to see AV go, but to get a plyer of either of their caliber/potential would be an asset on both sides of the ball, where as AV is mostly a defensive end of the floor type of guy. Lebron + Shaq + Artest = WOW!
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:36 am
If Artest was here he would be what the number 4 scorer? Tell him that…he’ll proably shoot you.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:46 am
If you tell Artest “You’re the number 4 scorer, the number 1 defender, and if you play that way you’ll get a ring” I’m pretty sure he’d play ball.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:00 am
No, he’s going to LA. WELCOME.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:22 am
artest will be wearing a ring this time next year if he come’s to the cleve….book it!
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:32 am
@ ben- i was merely suggesting that AV may be better for the team then Artest. I said that Artest is a much better player. Personally, if we win with Artest, i’m totally happy with it. He has calmed down a lot in the last few years and he is a great player. I’d love to have him…but i do like andy. You’re prolly right though, Artest is a much better asset on your team then Andy…
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
A starting 5 of Shaq, Lebron, Artest, Williams, and West just looks disgusting. then if they could get a guy like Leon Powe with the biannual to come off the bench and get inside points when Z is in the game, then they have a great team. AV coming back would even be good in this scenario, I just hope Ferry doesnt overpay!
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:58 pm
LA smack talk – Artest to the Lakers …
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Shoals makes a really good point.