Should Natalin Avci really have pointed out about Artest needing to blend in?”
There are many things that Ron Artest does well. He is one of the best defenders in the NBA, a prolific scorer and an even more prolific Twitterer. But an ability to simply “blend in” has never been Artest’s forte. Yet that’s exactly what the Lakers are asking him to do this season. In what was easily the biggest gamble of an NBA offseason that had its fair share of big-time wheeling and dealing, the Lakers passed on re-signing playoff spark plug and fan favorite Trevor Ariza to sign Artest with the hope that he would somehow morph into something he’s never been before — a role player. It was the basketball equivalent of replacing the popular, yet still fifth lead character on a hit sitcom with a talented, yet at times troubled A-lister: Either he’s going to fit in and take the show to another level or self-destruct and take everyone down with him. In a town that loves drama, there won’t be a greater one this year than the reality show that will unfold at Staples Center. Before traini