Ron Artest Says Trevor Ariza’s a Better Player

Here’s Ron-Ron telling the LA Times what no Laker fan wants to hear with the Playoffs looming: “The long list of those who think the Lakers miss Trevor Ariza just increased by one. Even Ron Artest agrees? ‘He’s a better player than me,’ Artest said Tuesday. But Ron-Ron, nobody ever said he was better, we just said he was a better fit. ‘He’s a better player,’ Artest repeated emphatically. ‘He’s won a ring, I haven’t. I can’t even compare to him. He’s a better player.’ Artest also agrees, incidentally, with the part about Ariza being a better fit. ‘He probably is,’ Artest said. ‘He’s a role player, a great role player. I haven’t been a role player. Many times I’ve had to carry the load, this is a different look for me.’ It is this different look that has some of the Lakers covering their eyes. Entering the season’s final stretch, basketball’s wackiest star is performing his nuttiest act yet.”