Ron Artest Will Be Signing with the Lakers

Wow! Things seem to change very quickly in the NBA these days as at the beginning of the day we heard that Ron Artest was meeting with LeBron James in LA to talk about coming to Cleveland, but now it appears Ron Ron might have been in LA to talk to the Lakers about signing with them and LeBron James came there to talk him out of it.

Most Los Angeles Lakers fans will probably be pissed off about Ron Artest signing with the Lakers, but those were the same fans that hate Artest after his dust up with Kobe in the second round series with the Houston Rockets.

I'll admit, I thought Artest was a punk for getting in Kobe's face, but he threw no blows and just let Kobe he wasn't going to take his elbows in the paint and I can't say I blame the guy. The Lakers need an enforcer like Artest, that is the one thing this team has been missing for quite some time.

Granted, Artest does bring some baggage, but he also brings a tireless work ethic and the total package in terms of a great defender and a player that can be a force on offense as well.

If Ron Artest does sign with the Los Angeles Lakers like he has said he will do, that will most likely, if not definitely mean that Trevor Ariza will be going elsewhere.

When I heard that the Lakers were not going to offer Ariza anything more than the mid-level exception of $5.6 million I thought they were making a huge mistake, but after learning that Artest intends to signing with the Lakers it is starting to make perfect sense.

Although some people may disagree, signing Artest over Ariza is the right move. Ariza is a great young defender with a bright future, but Artest can great lockdown defense at multiple positions and is without a doubt a much better offensive player.

So even though it will be tough to see the hometown boy Ariza go to Cleveland or Houston, it is all for the best in order to make another run at a title for the Lakers next season.

Nothing is set in stone, and God knows Artest changes his mind like the wind blows, so this could just be rumor, but I am telling you that signing Artest is move in the right direction!