Link
here.
From the story:
Artest, who destroyed one potential championship season and now may derail a second, has demanded a trade out of Indiana. On Monday, the Pacers said they would oblige, marking the official beginning of the end of a relationship that had gone too long with lopsided loyalty.
In hindsight, even Bird will have to agree that it made no sense. Sticking with Artest after last season's 73-game suspension for charging into the stands at the Palace of Auburn Hills was risky.
Artest told the Indianapolis Star, he wants to be traded in part because he doesn't feel he can maximize his offensive talents under coach Rick Carlisle's structured offense. Being the second leading scorer on a title contender apparently isn't enough.
But his most telling comment dealt with the question everyone had already asked: Wouldn't a change do everyone good?
"I still think my past haunts me here," Artest said. "I think somewhere else I'm starting fresh. I'm coming in with baggage, but people already know about it and how I'm going to be."
On ESPN today:
What Artest said: I'm not like Michael Jordan or Larry Bird or those guys. I just gotta be me.
What I heard: I'm not a team player, and never will be. I'm just a self-centered, over-paid, immature jerk, and I like it.