Knicks Acquiring Ron Artest? Why the Heck Not?

Many people are afraid of Ron Artest's presence in a locker room, but the Knicks should welcome the city's native son. (Credits: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

Whenever people hear the phrases "Ron Artest," (I refuse to call him Metta World Peace) and "My Team" in the same sentence the alarm always goes off in their head. "I don't want that clown on my team," or "What a distraction" or "Locker room cancer," they'll say. However in the Knicks case, at this point, it's a little bit different. There's no more wiggle room to hide from "team cancers" or "distractions." The way the Knicks have constructed this team, it's to win now and if you want to win now you get whatever talent you can find and you acquire it now. If possible, the Knicks should welcome Ron Artest with open arms.

The 33-year-old is long removed from his Pacers days when he was one of the elite all-around wings in the game, yet at the same time he's not a shell of himself either. He can still play. He still is an imposing force on the perimeter and on the wing and he can provide offense if given the right opportunity. By morphing into an off-the-box-score player (much like Tony Allen), Artest's value has dropped in the public's eye. People don't see his +191 rating, which led the Lakers last year, instead they see his crazy eyes and his disastrous past. Once a "punk" ages, he simply becomes an old punk and any positives on the court are outweighed by his past missteps, no matter how much he's matured.

Artest won the J. Walter Kennedy CITIZENSHIP AWARD in 2011. A guy, who many thought should've been banned from the league after "The Malice at the Palace," winning a citizenship award? If that's not proof that he's at least somewhat matured, then I don't know what is. The NBA isn't giving out this award to improve Artest's public image, not even close. Also, it takes a bit of maturity to be a key part to a championship run and that's exactly what he was in 2010. He was, behind Gasol and Bryant, an integral part of the team's ability to shut down Paul Pierce keeping him to a pedestrian 18 points per game.

While Artest hasn't exactly become the NBA's on-court Ghandi, he certainly has toned down his insanity. Since 2004 he's only been suspended 15 games (that's in comparison to the 86 games he missed in the '04 campaign). I see that people are worried about him being in his hometown and what that might do to his unstable psyche. Yet, I see it as a positive. For a guy with such an ugly past to come home late in his career with a chance to propel a team towards a championship? All I see is positives. All I see is Artest coming in motivated, intense and maybe a times a little crazy (but crazy is sometimes a good thing). Just look at what Kenyon Martin did last year for the Knicks. At an even more advanced age, he came in late in the season and gave them energy and physicality. He brought that intimidating nature that the Knicks sorely missed. Sure, he faded down the stretch and made some dumb fouls here and there, but it was more a result of his age than anything else. Martin might not be on the same "clown level" as Artest, but there certainly in the same stratosphere. Best part? Artest is a far superior player. 

I don't think the Knicks have the choice at this point. If Artest falls into their lap, they must sign him. He wants to be in New York and if his head's right he can bring crucial energy and intensity. You're trying to win a championship with this group right? Well, your window of opportunity is closing fast. So if one of the greatest winners of all-time in Kobe Bryant wanted Artest to join his ranks (and did so successfully) then why the heck shouldn't the Knicks do the same?