“The Lakers sign Metta World Peace” seems like a headline from 2009, when they actually did sign a guy named Ron Artest to replace Trevor Ariza at small forward from their championship-winning squad.
It was the key offseason addition that paid off handsomely when Artest played a critical role throughout the 2009-10 season that culminated in his game-clinching three-pointer against Boston in Game 7 of the Finals.
But this year, it’s a far different scenario.
Metta is essentially being brought in as a veteran leader and locker room guy, looking to nab one of the final few roster spots that typically go either to young guys on a flier or to veterans who can play a few minutes, but are in some ways closer to assistant coaches on the floor.