After suspending Ron Artest on Dec. 6, using all 19 shopping days before Christmas and 31 more before next Christmas, the Indiana Pacers finally found a new home for their controversial forward, sending him to Sacramento for Peja Stojakovic.
"We're gamblers," Sacramento co-owner Gavin Maloof said Wednesday night in New York before the Kings' game against the Knicks, "so we're going to take a chance on him."
As usual with anything involving Artest, it wasn't simple. The deal was agreed to Tuesday but looked as if it would fall through when Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, told the Kings his client didn't want to go there.
Stevens announced that Artest "did not want to be traded to Sacramento weeks ago and he does not want to be traded to Sacramento now."
Meanwhile, Stojakovic, who was told to stay at the Kings' hotel in Philadelphia for Tuesday's game, which they ultimately lost to the 76ers, announced that he, too, felt "kind of disrespected."
Wednesday morning Artest, 26, was summoned to the office of Pacer President Donnie Walsh. The team has been paying his $6.8-million salary but there was no guarantee that would have continued had Artest refused to report.
Within hours, the Pacers announced that the deal had been completed.
The Pacers' search went on for seven weeks and involved the Lakers and Clippers. With Laker Coach Phil Jackson keen to get Artest, General Manager Mitch Kupchak called the Pacers to say they were interested. However, owner Jerry Buss reportedly opposed putting Lamar Odom into any offer and there were no further talks.
The Clippers tried to get Artest for weeks, first offering a package that included reserve forward Chris Wilcox but no starters, turning down the Pacers' request for Corey Maggette.
However, in early January, when the Clippers learned Maggette's injury wouldn't let him return until March -- if at all this season -- they made him available.
However, the Pacers then pulled back for the same reason, the uncertainty about Maggette.
Stojakovic, a 28-year-old two-time All-Star, is one of the game's great shooters. However, he'll be a free agent in the summer and his game has declined in recent seasons.
With the departure of his mentor, Vlade Divac, a great passer who had always found Stojakovic, there were problems getting the ball where he needed it from -- Chris Webber, before he left, and Mike Bibby.
