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Why would anyone want this ganbanging thug?

spanky norman | 04/18/08, 09:15 AM

Rebounds and the Kings are a laughing stock

jackman! | 04/18/08, 09:23 AM

cuz he is one of the best ball players playing right now. jack. He can come to the LAKERS so we can stomp on you suckas even harder!!

CHUUUUUCH...PREACH...JUJU....GOOD GAME...

ITS NOTHING | 04/18/08, 09:23 AM

Reggie Theus has had nothing but praise for Artest from the beginning and is a very good coach for him. Given how unhappy he has been in other cities, he ought to stick around Sactown for a while.

dynamic | 04/18/08, 10:12 AM

Denver was smart no to trade for Artest.

I Like Turtles | 04/18/08, 11:03 AM

Personally if the LAKERS could fit him into our scheme, I would be interested.

Jabril1217 | 04/18/08, 11:24 AM

who is Reggie Theus?

jgb | 04/18/08, 11:25 AM

who is Reggie Theus?

jgb | 04/18/08, 11:25 AM

The one dude in the league who dresses more like a pimp then Sam Mitchell. Reggie Theus is also the guy that used to bang Juanita Jordan before Mike. Also he had some kind of television show and I think he used to play basketball.

Twizlamic | 04/18/08, 12:09 PM

Theus played for the Kings in the 80's, had a short stint on the Saturday television show "Hang Time" where he played a basketball coach, then went to coach college basketball before returning to the NBA as the Kings head coach.

knerona | 04/18/08, 01:01 PM

Theus was a 6'7 guard out of UNLV. Drafted #9 in '79 by the Bulls. Runner-Up for rookie of the year. Played with the Bulls, Hawks , and Kings. as well as overseas somewhere. Was an All'Star in 81. More interesred in Hollywood than basketball in later years. He's actually not a bad coach. knows the game fairly well. And he's dead on this time. If Artest can stay out of trouble, who would they replace him with.

Hllywd: Old Schoolin' | 04/18/08, 01:02 PM

"King's Theus wants Artest back". Sure. Question is do the "Kings want Theus back" ?

ESPN | 04/18/08, 01:09 PM

I didn't know Theus was an all-star

Twizlamic | 04/18/08, 05:14 PM

C'mon folks. Get with the program. Reggie Theus was the best-known Bulls basketball player before Jordan came in. Of course, the Bulls were just a mediocre team back then. But afterward, he was a basketball commentator, and I can't believe that you guys don't remember seeing him on TV.
Anyway, what Reggie is trying to say is that every team needs a RESIDENT THUG, and Artest fits that mold perfectly. Think about it. If you're running a team, you want a physical, defensive threat who can intimidate the other team and pay back any cheap shots that the opponent takes on one of your players.
Back in the 90's, Dennis Rodman was the resident thug for the Pistons and the Bulls. The Pistons have since replaced him with Rasheed Wallace. Why do you think Shaq is still in so much demand and was picked up by the Suns?
- JL

Jay L. | 04/18/08, 06:00 PM

I don't think Theus is saying that every team needs a thug. "Every team needs a best player" is what he said. Artest is their best player. And don't say Kevin Martin he's their best free throw shooter not their best basketball player.

Honestly I didn't know Theus was that good of a player.

Twizlamic | 04/18/08, 07:43 PM

This guy is a beast. Oh by the way the only reason why the trade didnt happen is because of 2 things #1 Karl's seat is hot and he just couldnt trust trade. #2 JR Smith emerged. The Nuggets were going to switch philosphies and be a more post drivin team. Then JR emerged and they basically kept the same offensive. Therefore no need for Artest. Artest is a top twenty player in this league, stop hatin please.

MacaDamien | 04/18/08, 08:44 PM

Twiz - Sometimes, your resident thug also happens to be one of your best players. There's no reason that a player cannot be both.
Of course, Theus is not going to come out and say "We need a thug" openly. However, that's the real meaning of what he was trying to say, and I simply translated that meaning for the rest of us.
If you look at the Knicks of the 90's, their thug Charles Oakley also happened to be their best player after Ewing. (Their second thug Anthony Mason was also one of their top players.)
In situations like that, it just means that the team is lacking depth and talent, and the thug actually scores more points than most of the other teammates.
Of course, the thug is also valuable for defense, and that's why he is valuable to the team.
- JL

Jay L. | 04/18/08, 11:48 PM

Good one JL

MacaDamien | 04/19/08, 10:11 AM

i live in sac and theus is on a sports show weekly and he explained what he said. I know way did he ever say he WANTED artest back, the word want was never used. And in basketball terms, "throw the ball too" only means someone who demands a double team on the block, and in that case, yes he is the only one on the team like that. This is just the media not knowing anything

ktap11 | 04/19/08, 02:16 PM

i live in sac and theus is on a sports show weekly and he explained what he said. I know way did he ever say he WANTED artest back, the word want was never used. And in basketball terms, "throw the ball too" only means someone who demands a double team on the block, and in that case, yes he is the only one on the team like that. This is just the media not knowing anything

ktap11 | 04/19/08, 02:16 PM

By saying "throw the ball to..." he means "pass the ball to a guy who's going to draw a double team," like Kobe, Wade, LeBron, etc - a guy who can draw the defense during crunch time and kick it out to an open player, or create off the dribble. Every playoff team needs that type of guy. Right now, Artest is the only guy on the Kings who commands a double team, although Kevin Martin is close. If Kevin has a good offseason and continues his late season momentum he'll be an all star next year. This is what Theus himself has explained ad nauseum on the radio this week. He's been doing tons of damage control on local sports talk.

sonomanate | 04/24/08, 01:34 PM