Push The Button, Frank

Ron Artest to the Rockets.

Deeeeeeep huuuuurting.

Ron-Ron, provided he doesn't implode and wind up in legirons or a straitjacket, is an asset the Mavs could very much use. Was.

Now I am not going to panic. As of yet, we do not have permission to panic. But anxiety's ranked up another notch. I've thought for a while now that the Organization was serious about taking the Mavs to the new seasons as is. Upside -- with the major difference of Jason Kidd at the point, that would be essentially the same team as the '06 Miracle-Crash-And-Burn. Downside -- the rest of the world's caught up and passing.

And then there's the downsides the Rockets are dealing with. Yao sat out half of last season because of injury (there was even talk of him missing the Olympics, although I get the idea that he'd play standing up dead if that were required). Ron-Ron is, to put it mildly, a toxic presence on any happy team (the league suspended him for 73 games as a result of the riot at the Palace a few years ago).

And . . . okay, my optimism died. With a healthy Yao and a good Artest-tamer, the Rockets can kick our asses. And they got him for the NBA equivalent of loose change.

I think I'm going to go into the corner and suck my thumb for a while. Or the grown-up equivalent -- line my mouth end-to-end with lit Djarum Blacks and breathe deep.
-BJ