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Breaking News: Artest e-mails SacBee about opting out!?

Well this just got interesting in the world of Ron Artest. And oh, Mr. Artest, we here at the Lakers Nation are salivating over you… In fact, you are more than welcome with open arms:

SacBee: In an e-mail to the Bee just minutes ago, Kings small forward Ron Artest indicated he may indeed opt out of his contract before the Monday deadline and become a free agent.

45 Comments

  1. banuelos_714 says:

    WELCOME TO LA ARTEST!!!!!

  2. MichaelJordan says:

    YEAH ARTEST BETTER COME!

  3. LakersFirst says:

    Man, Artest is like a woman – he can’t seem to make up his mind.

    It’s obvious he’s debating whether to stay with his current contract and just take the $7M or opt-out and see what free agency will bring him.

  4. daboss1848 says:

    “Kings small forward Ron Artest indicated he MAY indeed opt out of his contract before the Monday deadline and become a free agent.”

    nutcase – - kookoo kookoo

  5. Sako says:

    Calm down Sako, calm down. We can get Artest?

  6. Short Diezel says:

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!

    ANYONE HAVE ARTESTS’ PHONE NUMBER? ISN’T HE CLOSE FRIENDS WITH KOBE AND LAMAR?

    THEY NEED TO CALL HIS ASS AND TELL HIM THEY WANT HIM IN PURPLE IN GOLD!!!!!!!

  7. LD2k says:

    I think we’re going to be just fine…

    Kobe/Odom/Artest/Gasol/Bynum
    :o

  8. True Lakers Fan says:

    WE WANT ARTEST WE WANT ARTEST!

  9. Omie says:

    GET ARTEST WE NEED DEFENSE AT THE SF

  10. Lakers 24 7 says:

    But Artest said he won’t sign with a championship contender for less money..at first he did..then he didn’t..DAMN YOU ARTEST MAKE UP UR DAMN MIND!!!!

  11. Michael24 says:

    omg plz plz plz happen come here come here to L.A

  12. Mr.81 says:

    See? You never know with Artest.

  13. Michael_23 says:

    I don’t believe it until we see Breaking News on ESPN …

  14. ricky says:

    dang it this is just like a crazy merry-go-round. artest just cant make up his crazy mind. if indeed he opts out, i think the lakers will definitely go after him because they cant do anything unless he opts out anyways, unless their is a trade.

    i say, screw the draft, screw everything else. if we can keep this team intact, resign ronny and vujacic, add another veteran big man for the veterans minimun and sign artest to the MLE if he’s willing to take it and play for a contender, then thats all we need to do for this off-season. the rest is up to the players to improve themselves.

    we will be fine, things are looking up in lakernation! =D

  15. lakersfan576 says:

    if they get artest what are we gonna do wit odom

  16. Thuggishdeer says:

    CALM DOWN PEOPLE!!!!! HE PROBABLY WANTS MORE MONEY FROM THE KINGS OR ANOTHER TEAM! we cant give him money so i doubt it. ill wait and see for myself if he does opt out

  17. Ko8e_f@n says:

    …he’s pulling a “kobe” on us! lol :D

  18. lakersfan576 says:

    look guys if we get artest, we have to trade lamar odom, cause artest aint gonna come off the bench

    trade odom and luke for baron davis

  19. nazanin says:

    If the Lakers get Artest, I don’t think the other teams in the NBA will even have a chance given that they don’t trade anyone important. But he said he wouldn’t take less money just to play for a championship contender, so unless some players are let go, I don’t think it is possible for L.A. to get Artest. So Mitch better figure something out if Artest opts out.

  20. pjt says:

    We should sign Ron Artest, Phil wants to coach him. Odom is going to be the 1st guy off the bench when Bynum is a starter. Or we should trade Odom for a Jason Kid or a star type player… Rad, and Sasha should be let go… We Should resign Ronny Turiaf. I think it would be great if we signed a good defensive PG to come off the bench as well, but yes WE NEED ARTEST…

  21. lakersfan576 says:

    yea we need artest and we also need a good backup center, a slasher, a good shooter, a distributing part guard, and some cap space, i dont think the lakers would get all of that

  22. thevoiceofreason says:

    [Comment ID #42253 Will Be Quoted Here]

    We’ll be fine with just
    Artest.

    Odom is a team player and wont mind coming off the bench for his homie.

  23. lakerschamps08 says:

    well great news but he might be messing with us to sign with kings for more money or with spurs.. i just saying im happy u cant sign him unless he does not opt out so he needs to opt out…

  24. omfg will u guys shut the f*** up already. We have a good line up already with bynum comin back. I do no want Artest. He doesnt care about winning but only about the money. Plus i dont want kobe in the pg position and i especially dont want lamar in the sg position.

    I beileve in this team

    Lakers 09 F*** ARTEST

  25. BringDFishBack says:

    Fuck Artest. He’s changed his mind on this like 20 times. He’s a nutcase and a cancer.

  26. DCLAKER says:

    I don’t care if we get Artest or not,Mitch should get on the ‘Hitter’and see what others players he can get to come to LA,ya’know,THE ONES THAT WOULD DROP KICK THEIR OWN MOTHER TO PUT ON THAT “PURPLE/GOLD”!!!

    PIETRUS/HASLEM!GET RID OF VLAD AT FOR…..PIETRUS!!!

  27. Rinnegato says:

    So how soon do we find out? lol :D either we’re happy he’s on our squad, or worried if he goes to the Spurs and toughens up that D…

  28. Banzai says:

    All these rumors are making me crazy..I’ll wait until something “official” happens.

  29. gugy says:

    Artest, Come to LAkerland. WE NEED YOU!!!!!!!!

  30. einyo says:

    artest is a punk

  31. ab4sure says:

    [Comment ID #42227 Will Be Quoted Here]

    I have his number… 1-RLR-COA-STER.

  32. west213 says:

    Lets go Ron D Don u got till Monday. D clocks tickin’

  33. e says:

    where are we gonna get the money to sign him as a free agent??
    maybe im missing something here??
    someone please answer this question

  34. daboss1849 says:

    82-0 baby

  35. Nabil says:

    I think it’s totally natural for him to flip flop, because it’s probably a tough decision for him. Thing is, some guys are smart and keep their feelings private until they’re 100% sure and other people (like Artest) don’t.

  36. Fred A. says:

    We could still if RON wants a little bit more money, and the MLE 4.3 million, cut down on Odom contract sence his contract is coming to an end from 13.5 mill to probly 11 mill and release Newble/Karl/Mebanga that would probly free up more space for Artest to probly get about 7.5 mill and probly room for a free agent for dirt cheap.
    So please come to LA ARTEST!!!!!!!!!!! WE NEED YOU!!!!!!!!!!! :)

  37. Cmatth says:

    I got a feeling he’ll end up a Laker.

  38. dub824 says:

    u guys should update this.. after that came out.. his agent said hes still gonna be a king

  39. DieHardFan says:

    First off I would much rather have Posey! Second of all if the Lakers have a chance to sign artest they should do it before the Spurs sign him or much worse that the Celtics end up getting him. But one is for sure the Lakers need to add at least two other players with mental and physical toughness.

  40. NoParadeonFig says:

    Just what LA needs. One more criminal in town.

  41. NoParadeonFig says:

    “daboss1849
    Jun 26th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
    82-0 baby”

    Dude! Seriously you need to put down the crack pipe. Drugs are bad…Don’t do drugs!

  42. daboss1849 says:

    [Comment ID #42353 Will Be Quoted Here]

    A nigga can dream can’t he?

  43. sclakerfan says:

    Fred A, unfortunately, the Lakers are well over the salary cap this year and so they can’t offer any more than the MLE to Artest which is around $6 million this year. Any changes that Odom makes to his contract, even if he could restructure his contract this year, would still keep the Lakers over the salary cap. Newble/Mbenga/Karl are minimum players so they’ll have little effect on the cap. The best hope Lakers have is that he’ll just take less money for a few years and that the Lakers will give him a much larger contract after he gets his Bird Rights.

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Author: Chris Manning

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Chris Manning is a co-owner and video director for TheLakersNation.com. In addition to his "LD2k" video productions, Chris is involved in the marketing and blogging aspects of the website. You can follow him on Twitter for a wide array of sports/Lakers talk!