I've already shot down J.O. and K.G., so why don't we talk about a trade scenario that's at least somewhat palatable in my eyes?
Mike Dougherty's blog, Knicks Knacks, suggests that Ron Artest might be a good deal. Dougherty:
"He's only making $7.4 million next season, and can opt out afterward."Sounds good, right? Well...Dougherty also mentions that Artest would benefit from a good leader of a teammate, which he says the Knicks don't have. I'd nominate someone like Quentin Richardson or Malik Rose for that role...but who knows. There's always the possibility, also, that the pressure of New York causes Ron to snap. We wouldn't want any more blemishes on the face of a team that's already been the source of some embarassment."Artest clearly needs to be on a team with a strong coach. Isiah Thomas qualifies, and he doesn't mind redirecting players haunted by a troubled past."
"Artest is exactly what the Knicks need, defense and shooting."
In my opinion, Ron's the only guy who might be worth looking into. I'm not sure how many real rotation players I'd be willing to give up for Artest, but I think it's worth looking into.
I leave this to you, my readers. Is a year with Artest worth the gamble? How much would it take to get him? Is he what we need? Let me know what you think in the comments.