The NBA, above all things, is a business. Teams and their actions, such as trading beloved players, demonstrate this regularly. Athletes take matters into their own hands by joining teams which present the best situation for their career. Metta Sandiford-Artest, frequently known as Metta World Peace or Ron Artest, had to make a difficult choice to give up some contract stability to help his team.
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World Peace concluded the 2008-09 season with the Houston Rockets. They didn’t end the season the way they would’ve hoped, losing in the second round to the eventual NBA champion, the Los Angeles Lakers. That summer, his contract expired and he became a free agent.
The four-time All-Defensive player had developed into a go-to player for the Rockets. After all, he averaged 17.1 points per game during his sole season in Houston and played excellent defense. The minute free agency began – or maybe a little earlier, if tampering occurred – Metta’s phone began ringing.
“The Lakers called me at 12:01 on June 30th,” World Peace revealed on the PBD Podcast. “I did not expect that call.” His immediate reaction wasn’t one of excitement. The Lakers had just eliminated World Peace. Being the competitive player that he is, he wanted to beat them, not join them.
He made the mature decision not to let his emotions get the best of him. The following day, World Peace agreed to meet with the Lakers.
The recruitment meeting didn’t include a room full of people. Instead, it was just a one-on-one meeting. “I meet with Dr. Buss the next morning,” World Peace said. “He was like, ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going to be able to pay you what you’re worth, but we really want you on this team.”
Legendary Lakers owner, the late Dr. Jerry Buss, took the time out to show World Peace how much he valued him. As a result, his transparency and honesty resonated with the 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year. World Peace’s other avenues would’ve seen him securing lucrative deals. “At that time, it was 12-15 [million] being the number one guy in the playoffs,” World Peace said.
Instead, the Lakers offered him a mid-level exception at $6.7 million a year. It didn’t take long for the 6-foot-7 forward to finalize his decision. Subsequently, signed a five-year, $33.9 million deal with the Lakers. He reaped the benefits immediately, helping lead them to an NBA championship in the 2009-10 season.
