Would Isiah Thomas jump at the chance to aquire Pacers F Ron Artest? That’s like asking if Deb Kaufman isn’t the most talented and likeable person in all of sports broadcasting. Sealing the deal is easier wished than accomplished. The Star Ledger’s David Waldstein explains.
For the Knicks to acquire him, they would have to find someone with a matching salary, which would be tricky considering all the players the Knicks want to trade make about twice that amount. Malik Rose makes $7.1 and $7.6 next year, but if the Knicks wanted to trade him, they would have to package him with someone else. Indiana would probably ask for Channing Frye.
Writes the New York Daily News’ Darren Everson,
According to a Pacers source, the team fully expects Thomas to make a run at Artest. Whether the Knicks president can make a deal is another matter. Quentin Richardson’s salary roughly matches Artest’s $6.5 million, but Indiana would surely prefer Sacramento’s Peja Stojakovic, whose name has come up in Artest rumors.