Ron Artest has had one of the most high profile offseason's this side of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.  He has been a "Wiretap" fixture with his comments, number changes and endorsement deals.

Earlier in the summer, Artest suggested that he should have been the league's MVP, with the logic that he was the best player on the team with the best regular season record.

Artest also announced that he will be changing his number to 91 this season, as a tribute to Dennis Rodman.  He wore the number 23 the past two seasons as tribute to Michael Jordan and he is considering wearing No. 5 (John Paxson) and 25 (Steve Kerr) in future seasons but doesn't count out trying something less traditional.

Artest's business manager, Mark Stevens, said he was able to sell his image to L.A. Gear, a dark-horse player in the basketball shoe market. Stevens said larger shoe companies showed interest, but Artest wanted to go with a smaller one that fits his profile.

"A lot of times, companies like to market the individual who appears to be nice on the court," Stevens said. "But a lot of people like the underdog, the guy who's always fighting and had to work extra hard. That's why certain companies that are underdogs, like L.A. Gear, (wanted Artest)."

L.A. Gear has contracts with just two other NBA players, Shaquille O'Neal and Luke Walton. Artest said O'Neal recommended him to the company, although the two have never talked about it.

L.A. Gear spokesman Kevin McCarthy said Artest appears to be a good fit for his company's targeted marketplace.

"When I talked to Ron, I asked him what he believes a true warrior represents to him," McCarthy said. "He said it's not just being a true warrior on the court, it's the ability to say no to difficult situations, the ability to stand up for yourself, the ability to have pride.

"He's real. We believe he's greatly appreciated for his point of view and his efforts. There aren't many players in the NBA who play like Ron."

The Indiana Pacers recently added 6?9? forward and former second-round draft choice out of San Diego State, Randy Holcomb, to their training camp roster.

Holcomb will compete with point guard Rashad Wright, shooting guard Desmon Farmer and center John Edwards to earn a roster spot with the Pacers sans the guaranteed contract.

Holcomb has yet to play in the NBA, however he has played professionally in Poland.

Ron Artest has inched even closer to becoming his generation's Dennis Rodman, as he will wear the number 91.

Artest won the defensive player of the year award last season  He plays amazing defense, throws televisions and makes intriguing comments.  Artest is also an underrated scorer, far better than Rodman, but with the number 91, Artest will highlight further the similarity.

Ruben Patterson of the Portland Trail Blazers is available for the taking by a team offering expiring contracts according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  Patterson, the self-proclaimed Kobe stopper who in seasons past has been considered a key member of this Blazers squad, is a victim of not enough minutes at the forward spot with Darius Miles and Shareef Abdur-Rahim both expected to be in front of him in the rotation.  

Owed $5.9 million this year and $19 million over the next three, moving Patterson for expiring contracts will offer Portland cap relief in future seasons.

One such team who could be interested in Patterson is said to be the Miami Heat, but the problem for the Heat is it has little to offer, behind, say, a compilation of the contracts of Wang Zhi-Zhi, Malik Allen, Udonis Haslem and Bimbo Coles.

Pacer Ron Artest, a highly talented but unpredictable player, would cost the Heat much more.  They would have to give Indiana Eddie Jones while taking back the contracts of either Austin Croshere or Scott Pollard.

"If you trade Ron Artest, you better get a helluva player back," Larry Bird said. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you we're not going to trade any of our guys because that's not the nature of our business. Anybody can be traded. But I think he's one of the top 10 players in the league. You better get one of the top 10 players back if it fills a need."

Bird didn't rule out the possibility of a trade entirely, but it is clear that he will have to be blown away by a terrifc offer.

After having a breakthrough season with Indiana and earning the NBA?s defensive Player of the Year award on route to a 61-win season, Ron Artest is positioning himself to be traded.

During the Eastern Conference finals versus the Pistons he was reportedly goofing off in practice, threatened to quit the team during Game 5, and was not at practice the day before Game 6 because he missed the team?s charter plane to Detroit.  Artest also blew off a postseason meeting with Larry Bird to boot.  In an attempt to maintain team unity, the Pacers never let his actions leak to the public until now.

In a recent interview with Slam Magazine Artest went as far as to say, "I thought I was the MVP last year because we had the best record and I was the best player on the team, so I felt that I should have at least been talked about for it."  He does not mention Jermaine O'Neal of course.

In light of all of Artest?s actions, the Pacers may be looking simply trade away the problem.  The biggest name out on the market is Peja Stojakovic who has said he wants out of Sacramento, albeit in a more tactful manner than Artest.

In the end, the Pacers might not be able to get fair value for Artest, and a trade -- for Stojakovic or anybody else -- might not happen. But they're going to try.

Desmon Farmer, an undrafted rookie out of Southern California, signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

The 6-foot-5 guard, an All-Pac-10 first-team selection, averaged 19.4 points a game as a senior and finished fourth on USC's career scoring list with 1,606 points.

Terms of the contract with were not disclosed.

Farmer shot below 39 percent from the field last season but impressed NBA scouts with his defense and his muscular build, which helped him overpower smaller guards.

He will be backing up Reggie Miller, Stephen Jackson and Ron Artest.

Coming off a season that saw him average a career-low 10 points per contest, long time Pacer, Reggie Miller still owns the starting spot.

"In my mind, to start the year he's the starter," (Pacers Coach)Carlisle said. "I would think the starting team (from last season) will remain intact."

Miller will have some competition as the Pacers required Stephen Jackson in the off-season.

Coming off a season that saw him average a career-low 10 points per contest, long time Pacer, Reggie Miller still owns the starting spot.

"In my mind, to start the year he's the starter," (Pacers Coach)Carlisle said. "I would think the starting team (from last season) will remain intact."

Miller will have some competition as the Pacers aquired Stephen Jackson in the off-season.

Indiana Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird announced today the team has agreed to terms with second round draft choice guard Rashad Wright and undrafted free agent center John Edwards, who is not to be confused with the Democratic candidate for U.S. vice president.

Terms of the contracts were not released.

Wright was the 59th pick overall in the NBA draft. A 6-2, 190-pound guard from Georgia, Wright averaged 8.8 points per game in four seasons with the Bulldogs and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year his senior season.

Edwards is a 7-foot, 275-pound center who played at Kent State. He was first team All Mid-American Conference and led the MAC in blocked shots. He averaged 13.2 ppg and 6.7 rpg last season a senior.

Fresh of his gold medal performance, Ruben Wolkowyski is hoping to work out a deal soon to return to the NBA and play with the Pacers.

?They are telling me they have to send Scot Pollard to Atlanta before they can sign me,? Ruben Wolkowyski said.