Re: Ron Artest joins Kobe and the Lakers

Kobe and RonRon? Sounds like a great combo, but you think these guys will play together after the huge elbow and recent arguements these two have gotten in to. We all know RonRon won't take ish from no one. I'm excited to see how this team will unfold. In my opinion the Lakers are already good enough the way their team is built, they don't need RonRon to mess up the chemistry they got going in LA

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. That's the mindset that Ron Artest has apparently taken following today's news that he's agreed to join Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. Artest was instrumental in helping the Rockets take the eventual champion Lakers to seven games during the Western Conference semifinals. Instead of serving as Kobe's antagonist, he'll become Kobe's sidekick.

According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, Artest met with Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss and spoke with Phil Jackson on Thursday before instructing his agent to get a deal done. Details of the agreement -- both the length and the amount -- are still unknown, but from the sounds of it, Artest isn't about to quibble over the details.

"I don't really care about the money," Artest told Berger. "I'll play there for nothing. ... L.A. was very interested in me, and they got me."

The agreement was confirmed via Twitter by both the Los Angeles Daily News and Sacramento's 1140 AM (KHTK). Stay tuned as more details emerge.

Update: Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. Times confirms a deal is close.

Update: ESPN's Chris Broussard reports Artest will sign a three-year, $18 million deal. Three years is something of a magic number, as that's the minimum amount of time until the Lakers attain Bird Rights on Artest, which would allow them to go over the salary cap to re-sign him.

The addition of Artest basically ended the Lakers' pursuit of Ariza, who met today with the Rockets.

"I understand that they did sign Ron Artest," Ariza said. "They did what they had to do. I understand it's a business."

Artest was also connected with other championship-caliber teams, including Cleveland and Orlando.

Artest is a great pick-up for the Lakers, especially with Ariza leaving.  He adds toughness that the Lakers lacked down low.  In my opinion, Artest is one of the most under-rated, if not the most under-rated, player in the NBA.

AGREE W/YOU THERE EVAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ehhh...granted Artest plays a grinding style of basketball, but he's a big time player.  He's invaluable just because of his defensive tenacity and ability to get under the other team's skin.

In the picture above I guess Kobe is not only a man of words when he said "I feel ya Ron".....he's a man of action too!

how about what a doush this guy is...all the shit he was talking last year about koby and the lakers and then he takes a little over the mid level to sign with them?  he even brought up how he played in a game that someone got stabbed in the heart in to show koby how tough he was?  real street cred ron!