It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are in a pretty tough position right now. Despite an abundance of talent, they have been a major disappointment so far and there are no obvious answers on how to turn things around.
Still, even amid bad times, LeBron James found a way to joke about it. In a recent chat with the media, “King” James recruited former Lakers Metta Sandiford-Artest to L.A., telling him to stay ready for a 10-day contract.
Well, Artest has since responded to the shoutout, hilariously telling James that he’s not ready for such a task.
“Hey guys. I wish I was ready for a 10 day. But I’m not. Man I wish I was. I’m for sure ready for a 10 minute contract though.”
Hey guys . I wish I was ready for a 10 day. But I’m not. Man I wish I was. Lol.
I’m for sure ready for a 10 minute contract though
— Coach Metta (@MettaWorld37) December 29, 2021
At 42-years-old, there’s not a chance in the world that Metta comes back to suit up for the Lakers.
But Metta has already contributed enough to the organization. From 2009-2013, he was among their most important members, serving as a defensive wing alongside Kobe Bryant. He helped the Lakers earn their second-straight title in 2010 and has been beloved by the fanbase ever since.
He retired in 2017 after returning to the Lakers for a while and now spends his time enjoying life and offering his opinion on the NBA world today.
Regarding the current state of the Purple and Gold, Metta has actually been among the most optimistic voices.
“We know that if LeBron was here, our record would be maybe 7 losses,” said Artest earlier this month. “And he would have probably had more 30-point games. It’s just amazing that he’s taking so much importance on his career and want to finish off strong. Melo wants to finish off strong.”
“And it’s just so impressive to see. And that’s why I think that these guys are going to be champions because it’s something special about this season. It’s failure, you failure to be successful because of adversity. And that’s why there’s something special happening here.”
It remains to be seen if the Lakers can turn things around, but one thing is for sure: it would take more than the arrival of Metta Sandiford-Artest to start winning ball games.
They need to get healthy, work in unison, and figure out how they can fix their biggest flaws on the basketball floor.
There’s still plenty of time to figure it out, but the clock is ticking.
