Artest Arrested

[Andrew]

Perhaps Artest's tenure with the Kings isn't quite over yet.

Artest apologizes, returns to team

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Five days after his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence, Ron Artest said he'd stumbled as a father and husband -- and the Sacramento Kings announced they would let the volatile player return to the team.

"First, I want to apologize to my wife, to my family," Artest said Saturday.

He then lowered his head and fought back tears for nearly a minute before continuing. "I want to apologize to the Kings, to my teammates, to the NBA, everybody."

All the same, I wouldn't be surprised if they still explore trading him this offseason or cutting him loose somewhere down the line, particularly if his legal problems escalate.

[Andrew]

Artest won't confirm, deny if he's talked about retiring

Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest told multiple teammates this week that he wants to retire at season's end to spend more time with his family, according to club sources.

Reached via e-mail, Artest wouldn't confirm or deny making such declarations, telling ESPN.com: "We can talk about it after [the] playoffs."

Artest added that he will indeed play Sunday afternoon when the Kings, 4½ games out of the eighth and final playoff berth in the West, play host to Phoenix in an ABC game. Since being arrested at his Sacramento-area home March 5 after a domestic dispute with his wife, Artest has missed three games, most recently Thursday night's road loss to the Suns.

Artest pleaded not guilty Thursday to four misdemeanor charges stemming from the dispute. He tried to make it to Phoenix in time for the Kings' game after his court appearance, but weather-related travel complications prevented Artest and Kings broadcaster Grant Napear -- who also was also traveling on a commercial flight that day -- from joining the team.

The possibility of the eight-year veteran walking away from the Kings after the season to focus on family life is also raised at hiphopgame.com, where Artest has been posting journal entries this season.

As the article notes however, this isn't the first time we've heard Artest talk of retirement.

But it should be noted that this isn't the first time he's brought up retirement. Before and after his 73-game suspension with Indiana during the 2004-05 season, Artest suggested numerous times publicly that he could be content without the NBA in his life. Few league observers believed him then, and similar skepticism is bound to greet his latest sentiments.

It wouldn't be surprising if he pulls a Barkley with the retirement talk, but I guess it remains a possibility.

[TSquared]

bah! artest sucks anyways! he can't function in any team in the NBA nor the Euroleague.. Hw should just retire and play in the NFL.. if he likes to bang and get banged.. but i think he'll get shot in the streets and have a tragic end.. if he doesn't change his attitude..

[Dan's Brain]

but i think he'll get shot in the streets and have a tragic end.. if he doesn't change his attitude..

Probably not such a cool thing to say...


Anyway, Artest could be just blowing smoke with the retirement talk, angling for another trade. If it's true, i can see him being one of those jerks who keeps making comeback after comeback. (Author's note: Michael Jordan is not a jerk, nor were the 96-98 championships the work of a jerk)

Artest will sit out a season, have a personal epiphany that he is the greatest thing to ever happen to basketball, and make a comeback with a shithouse team, proclaiming that they will win the championship in whatever year that is. The team will drastically "under-achieve", he will make more public trade demands, then retire again.

Wait another year, and the cycle begins again.

[---]

artest sucks anyways!

When he's not being a maniac he is one of the top 20 or so players in the league. He is a huge threat on both offence and defence.

Anyway, he said he is not retiring.

[Andrew]

Despite his denial, rumours persist he's still mulling retirement or playing overseas. If I had to hazard a guess I'd say he takes a break from basketball for most of the offseason while (supposedly) resolving to get his head on straight, returning to the Kings next season where he'll remain until at least the trade deadline in 2008 (barring a trade demand in November).