Monday, December 01, 2008

By SAM AMICK
THE SACRAMENTO BEE

last updated: July 15, 2008 04:46:18 AM

LAS VEGAS -- The Ron Artest media tour continued over the weekend, when the Sacramento Kings small forward submitted his longest e-mail rant yet.

Having already shared his regret over not opting out of his contract last month after learning he wasn't in the Kings' long-term plans, Artest expressed a desire to be traded and claimed, in an e-mail to to ESPN's Marc Stein, that he was "blinded by friendship" with the Maloof family that owns the Kings.

A day later, Kings co-owner Joe Maloof had a message for his conflicted player.

"He has to balance the way he acts," Joe Maloof said by phone. "He's got to control his emotions a little better. You've got to try and keep your cool a little bit.

"Take a deep breath and quit flying off the handle with comments that don't make sense. I hate to say it that way, but that's how I feel. It doesn't make sense to me."

He's not alone.

Artest's latest public venting came six days after he had apologized to the Kings for "being mistakenly frustrated" by their stance. He not only e-mailed The Sacramento Bee and ESPN to get his message out, but reiterated the remorseful sentiments via cell phone text messages to Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie. Less than a week later, he was pointing to the Maloofs as the root of his frustration.

"I was blinded by friendship," he wrote to ESPN. "Even Mama Maloof (Joe and Gavin's mother, Colleen) told me she wanted me to stay. I never knew that meant one more year. I thought it meant several. When Mama (Maloof) talks, you listen."

In his e-mails to ESPN, Artest also indicated he would now act as his own agent. Yet his actual agent, Mark Stevens, said he has not been fired. Asked Monday if he was still Artest's agent, Stevens said, "Yes, I am." Artest did not respond to numerous e-mails for comment.

On the night of April 15 inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Artest -- who was not playing because of a sore left thumb -- left his team at halftime to take a seat next to Colleen Maloof courtside. As he sat in street clothes during the regular season finale, he exchanged pleasantries for some 15 minutes.

While only Artest knows, that may have been the night he began to believe he was in the Kings' long-term future. There were other indications as well, from complimentary public comments made by the Maloofs late in the season to a gushing of praise from Kings coach Reggie Theus in a postmortem media session April 16 in which he repeatedly deemed him the team's "best player." Public comments, however, don't typically serve as the pulse for real negotiations.

To those close to the team last season, the prospect of Artest being given a long-term extension in the summer was minimal at best. And if any of the public signs should've been heeded, it was the month-long trade discussions with Denver before the February trade deadline. The sticking point on the Kings' end was their unfulfilled request for third-year forward Linas Kleiza, a reserve whose solid reputation remains built mostly on his promise. Then, like now, the Kings were more than willing to bring Artest's Sacramento stay to an end for the right deal.

While the Lakers continue to head the list of likely destinations for Artest, the combination of his expiring contract ($7.4 million) and his indisputable talent have led to increased interest as compared to February.

Lakers forward Lamar Odom and his expiring contract ($14.5 million) would be the significant piece coming Sacramento's way in that scenario, though there are other similar opportunities that may arise for the Kings.

Miami is believed to have interest in Artest and be willing to part with Shawn Marion, whose $17.1 million deal is also expiring. As will be the case with most suitors, the question will be whether the Kings can include forward Kenny Thomas and his deal that includes two more seasons and approximately $18 million.

In the meantime, Artest's boss would prefer that he tones it down while his future unfolds.

"(Artest's comments have) never changed our opinions of him," Joe Maloof said. "We brag about him every chance we get. We speak out about how appreciative we are for everything he's done. And he's done a lot. People like him. We like him. He's just got to settle down."

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