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Artest says he's content as a King
The forward likes the team's playoff chances
By Sam Amick - samick@sacbee.com
Last Updated 5:54 am PST Monday, February 25, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Ron Artest mute button wasn't depressed for long, with only a few "no comments" offered in recent days before the Kings' small forward returned to his sound bite-a-minute ways.
Artest, who had declined to discuss how he felt about not being traded before the Thursday deadline when asked at Friday's Charlotte game, had an impromptu open-mike outing before the Kings faced Orlando on Sunday.
"The (Kings) team likes me; the players like me; the franchise likes playing me," Artest said. "There are a lot of good reasons to be in Sacramento still."
Yet as Artest knows, he might have been dealt if the Kings had received offers they deemed fair value. As it was, the most notable situation, with Denver, was hung up because of a player who isn't even a starter (Nuggets small forward Linas Kleiza).
"They were trying to bargain shop," Artest said. "They were trying to get government cheese, and I'm Kraft."
The Artest of old returned in another way, as he took talk of reaching the playoffs to another level, saying the Kings still could surge to as high as sixth in the Western Conference. They are in 11th place, seven games out of the No. 8 spot shared by Denver and Golden State.
And after his agent said Thursday that Artest is not likely to opt out of his contract this summer and become a free agent, Artest said he's content in Sacramento for now.
"Coach (Reggie Theus) has been going to me," he said. "What more could a player who wants the ball want, when your coach is going to you and asking you to win games? I've got to be blessed and thank God for the situation I'm in right now."
Playing with the Kings beyond this contract, of course, would require co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof and basketball president Geoff Petrie to make a competitive offer this summer or next.
"I guess I can put a camera in Geoff Petrie and the Maloofs' office and see if they might want me," Artest said with a laugh.
Lue recovering: Recently acquired point guard Tyronn Lue said he expects to return from his calf injury in "a week or less." Lue strained his left calf during his first Kings practice after he was traded from Atlanta on Feb. 16 and has missed four games since.
About the writer:
- Read Sam Amick's Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.
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"They were trying to bargain shop," Kings forward Ron Artest said of teams interested in him at the trade deadline. "They were trying to get government cheese, and I'm Kraft." Randy Pench / Sacramento Bee file, December 2007
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