Deal Involving Artest Stalled
Trade to Kings For Stojakovic Hits a Snag

By Michael Lee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2006

A deal that would've sent Ron Artest to Sacramento in exchange for Peja Stojakovic was stalled last night, but the Kings have not given up trying to pry the volatile forward away from the Indiana Pacers.

After six weeks of speculation, the Artest trade spectacle came close to an end yesterday when the Pacers and Kings reached a tentative agreement to trade the former all-star. But while waiting for league approval, the deal hit a snag, according to Joe Maloof, who owns the Kings with his brother, Gavin. "The deal is not dead," Maloof said in a phone interview last night. "It's not dead yet."

Maloof would not specify what caused the problem -- there were rumors that Artest didn't want to play in Sacramento -- but said that he plans to speak with the Pacers and Artest today in hopes of persuading them to move forward with the deal. "We want players that want to play for our team. We haven't talked to Ron. We want to talk to him first. I want to hear what he has to say," Maloof said. "We're going to try to see if we can work things out. If not, then the deal is dead."

Artest, who was named defensive player of the year in 2003-04, has missed 95 games the past two seasons because of suspension or deactivation. He was averaging 19.4 points in 16 games this season.

Before the Pacers played in Cleveland last night, Indiana Coach Rick Carlisle shot down earlier reports that the trade was about to happen. "There is no trade right now and there may not be a trade," Carlisle told reporters before the game. "There's nothing to talk about because there is no trade. Anything involving speculation and 'what's up' can be saved for another time. If there is a trade at some point, you'll hear about it."

David Bauman, Stojakovic's agent, said the Kings informed his client yesterday that he had been traded. Stojakovic was not with the team when it faced the 76ers in Philadelphia last night. Bauman had no explanation about how or why the deal fell apart. "It's dead for now. Is it dead for the future? Who knows? Until I hear a final word on something, I'm never confident something is finished," Bauman said in a telephone interview. "That's a very difficult thing for any player to deal with, but Peja will be fine. He will meet the team in New York [today] and we'll go from there."

Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, declined to comment when reached by phone. Pacers chief executive Donnie Walsh issued a statement saying that the team "will not comment on any premature reports regarding a trade involving Ron Artest. As I have said before, until there is a deal completed, we do not have a deal."

The failed deal is the latest chapter in the seemingly never-ending Artest saga. Last season, the talented but troubled forward ignited the infamous brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills that led to a record 73-game suspension and this season, the Pacers deactivated Artest in December when he demanded a trade. The Pacers came close to completing a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers for Corey Maggette earlier this month, but concerns over Maggette's sprained left foot ended those talks.