Kings forward Ron Artest will need surgery for a chipped bone in his right elbow.

A timetable for the procedure and his return have yet to be determined.

Artest, who missed the first seven games this season while serving a suspension and one other to be with his sick daughter, sat out Friday's loss to the 76ers because of the injury.

Robert Hernreich, a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings, was arrested Thursday night in Colorado and charged with domestic violence and two counts of criminal trespassing.

Members of the Eagle County Sheriff's office in Edwards, Colorado, responded to a 911 call, which led to Hernreich's arrest, according to a police statement.
Hernreich, 62, was released without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan.14.

Hernreich's attorney Terry O'Connor said his client wasn't involved in a physical altercation.

Hernreich is also an owner of the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League, his lawyer said.

Two years ago - when Indiana put Ron Artest on the trade market - his agent told The Post that if the Queensbridge native wasn't dealt to the Knicks, he'd just opt out of the final year of his contract and sign with them as a free agent.

Some dismissed the idea, but with that deadline approaching in June, Artest says it's a possibility.

"No matter how much you think about it, it's going to present itself," Artest - now with the Kings - said last night.

"There's so many things you have to take into consideration: The season, my agent, the teams. It's definitely my decision, but you have to take advice."

An Illinois judge has tossed out a 2?-year prison sentence for former NBA player Keon Clark, saying he deserves a new hearing.

Clark, 32, of Danville, said in Vermilion County Circuit Court on Friday that he is an alcoholic and was drinking a half pint to a pint of gin daily when he was playing pro basketball.

"I never played a game sober, unfortunately," said Clark, who last played for the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns.

Clark said in court that he started drinking in high school and, after he was drafted in the NBA by the Orlando Magic in 1998, he drank at games during halftime.

"It just never stopped," he said.

Two civil lawsuits against Kings forward Ron Artest stemming from the infamous 2004 brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons were dismissed Monday by a District Court judge in Michigan.

"You know what?" Artest said. "I didn't even know that case was still going on."

William Paulson claimed he suffered a concussion after Artest, then with the Pacers, and teammate Stephen Jackson fought with fans in one of the most notorious incidents in NBA history. In a separate suit, John Ackerman blamed Artest for starting the fight that resulted in Ackerman suffering a concussion after being punched by Indiana's David Harrison.

Artest's lawyer, Allan Rubin, told the Associated Press the plaintiffs were overreaching with the case.

"That's cool," Artest said of the outcome announced a few hours before the Kings played the Bucks at Arco Arena. "They were just trying to get a couple bucks. I guess just a couple guys trying to get money."

The Sacramento Kings signed swingman Dahntay Jones on Monday and waived center Darryl Watkins.

Jones, a first-round draft pick by Boston in 2003, spent his first four NBA seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 5.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 221 games.

Watkins, a rookie from Syracuse, played in nine games with the Kings.

Two civil lawsuits against Ron Artest stemming from the November 2004 brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills have been dismissed.

U.S. District Court Judge Anna Diggs Taylor on Monday dismissed the civil lawsuits against the former Indiana Pacers star.

Artest's lawyer Allan Rubin said Taylor ruled on motions filed by the defense.

"We're extremely happy. We believe the court made the right decision," Rubin said. "We believe the plaintiffs were overreaching in their claims."

William Paulson, of Grand Blanc, claimed that he suffered a concussion after Artest and former Pacer Stephen Jackson fought with fans at the close of Indiana's game with the Detroit Pistons.

In the second suit, John Ackerman of St. Clair claimed he suffered a concussion after being punched by Pacer David Harrison. Ackerman's suit blamed Artest for starting the fight.

Separate cases against the Pacers, Jackson and Harrison are pending.

Kings' forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim had surgery on his right knee Friday and is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Abdur-Rahim, in his 11th NBA season, averaged 1.7 points, 1.7 assists and 8.5 minutes per game in six games off the bench this year for Sacramento.

The Sacramento Kings suffered another blow when leading scorer Kevin Martin left Tuesday's game against the Utah Jazz with a pulled groin muscle that is expected to sideline him four to six weeks, the team said on Wednesday.

The 6-7 Martin was averaging 24.5 points a game for the Kings (7-10), who were already missing starting point guard Mike Bibby with a thumb injury and forward Shareer Abdur-Rahim because of an ailing knee.

"Without Kevin, we definitely won't be as good," Kings' small forward Ron Artest told the Sacramento Bee. "But we've got to hang in there. We've got to play every possession like it's our last."

The Kings persevered on Tuesday after Martin, 24, left the game at the end of the third quarter against the Jazz. John Salmons, a 6-6 forward, picked up the slack for Sacramento, scoring 13 consecutive points for the Kings, who had 43 points in the final quarter to beat Utah, 117-107.

Sacramento Kings' guard Kevin Martin left in the third quarter of the team's game Tuesday with the Utah Jazz, after pulling a groin.

Martin, the Kings' leading scorer with 24.5 points per game, had scored 25 points in just over 30 minutes of playing time. He did not return to the game.