Hello Happiness!

With Ron Artest finally on his way to Sacramento, the trade winds of the NBA finally started blowing and Danny Ainge was again at the fron of the line. Ainge finally unloaded Mark Blount, but it took Ricky Davis, Marcus Banks, Justin Reed and two 2nd round picks to get it done. In return the Celtics got Wally Swerviak (I am resisting learning how to spell his name as long as possible), Michael Olowokandi, Dwayne Jones and a first round pick in 2008. I like this trade for both teams. The C's traded a few of their most turnover-prone players (Davis, Blount) along with two guys that wouldn't be on the roster next year(Banks & Reed) and two second round picks we didn't need anyway for a one time All-Star averaging 23 ppg in the last four weeks, an expiring contract and a player to be drafted later. Yes, Wally has a ridiculous contract, but the C's weren't going to be under the cap any time soon. Yes Wally's defense is suspect, but it's not like Ricky's was very good. He's given up his fair share of buckets this year, amny of them game winners(Gilbert Arenas and Jerry Stackhouse say hello). Wally will spread the floor for PP and the young 'uns(Perk and Jeff) and continue to shoot at a high percentage. We also clear up some playing time for Tony Allen, Ryan Gomes and possibly Gerald Green.

Minny didn't do too bad in this deal either. Ricky and Blount can score, Banks and Reed can be help off the bench. They need more players, plain and simple. KG needs help and he got some today. This is a trade that's good for both teams but won't put either over the top. Minny needed to make a change to their roster and Blount is as good as any free agent they would have been able to afford over the summer. For Boston, it's addition by subtraction. The team was 3-1 when Blount collected DNP's and now we'll be able to see what we have with all the young guys on our bench. Plus, we have like 5 picks in the next three drafts.

Also, reports have the Celtics signing Will Bynum to fill in their final roster slot.

The C's host the Kings (and Ron Artest) tonight. Wally's wife is due sometime in the next day or so, so his first game with the team figures to be Monday, when the Celtics travel to...Minnesota.

Ah, now we know what really held up the (now completed) Artest to Sacramento deal. Artest's new agent. From ESPN (emphasis mine):

One source involved in the inner workings of the deal suggested that agent Mark Stevens was the person most opposed to the trade because it would preclude Artest from earning any of the endorsement money from companies embracing street cred that might have been available to him in a larger market.

The absurd notion of Artest somehow being a marketable commodity at this point in his career helps show the degree of delusion under which Artest's advisers sometimes operate, but Artest long ago replaced a much more established agent, Mark Bartelstein, with the less-experienced Stevens. Bartelstein continues to collect a percentage of Artest's salary, while Stevens won't be in position to earn a similar commission until Artest decides whether to opt out of his contract following the 2007-08 season.

Straight from the Rosenhaus School of Client Representation. Who cares what's good for the player, how much money does it bring me? It's worth noting that the only significant endorsement Artest has garnered to this point in his career was with And1, which also sponsored Latrell Spreewell after he almost choked his old coach PJ Carlisemo. When Artest played in the All Star game a few years ago, he wore a different pair (and different brand) of shoes in each quarter in an effort to expose himself to potential advertisers. That obviously didn't work out very well.

Moving offices today (To an office. With a window!). More tomorrow.

(Image via Boston Dirt Dogs)

I present you the World Cup draw.

The US is in Group E with Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic.

Yikes!

After what happened last time, I was a tad apprehensive to go back and do the whole book signing thing again, but I figured the cold weather would keep most of the people away, and I was right. Michelle and I left the office a little before 5:00 and made our way down to the ESPN Zone. When we got there, there were 12 people in line before us. The wait in line wasn't very long and before I knew it, it was my turn. I made sure to tell The Sports Guy that the person in front of me bought the last book at the last signing (which was on 10/4, not 10/3) and he was very apologetic, overly so in fact. I asked him why there was no NBA fantasy draft column from this year (it happened really fast and wasn't very funny), why on earth Justin Reed gets any PT (he must have naked pictures of Doc Rivers somewhere) and his thoughts on Kendrick Perkins (So far, so good). Then I was out the door and on the subway by 5:42. So I had plenty of time to get home and eat dinner before watching the Celtics play their worst game of the season against the Rockets. Tracy McGrady was nigh unstoppable.

Slightly off topic, I received some very good news today that I'll share with everyone when the time is right. And no, it has nothing to do with the Super Furry Animals, which is a big change, I know.