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NBA
Pacers trade Artest for Peja
Associated Press
Published January 26, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS - Ron Artest needed a place to play. The Pacers needed to unload their biggest problem.
And the rebuilding Sacramento Kings were willing to gamble on the league's most unpredictable All-Star.
The elements came together Wednesday, and this time they stuck: The Kings sent sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic to the Pacers for Artest in an on-again, off-again deal that's been talked about for months.
"We're glad this is over with," Pacers president Larry Bird said. "We wanted to be patient with this one because Ronnie is a heck of a player and someone's always going to take a chance on someone like that."
The deal ends a turmoil-filled career in Indiana for Artest, best known as the man who set off one of the nastiest brawls in U.S. sports history last November. The fight with Detroit Pistons fans earned Artest a 73-game suspension - the longest in NBA history.
The latest mess with Artest began with a trade rumor in December that wound up coming true: Artest for Stojakovic. Upset at the perceived slight, Artest demanded a trade. The Pacers responded to the tantrum by deactivating the former NBA defensive player of the year.
Trouble follows Artest. He had kicked a ball into the stands, broke a television camera when he threw it down and verbally sparred with Heat coach Pat Riley during games.
On Tuesday, it appeared Artest would no longer be Indiana's problem. Not so fast. Artest reportedly balked at playing in Sacramento, temporarily scuttling the deal. But the Kings were more interested in Artest's skills than his sideshows.
"We're gamblers. So we're going to take a chance on him," said Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof, who also owns a casino with his brother, Joe. "We want to look forward, otherwise we wouldn't have made this happen."
[Last modified January 26, 2006, 01:02:16]
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