Metta World Peace, Formerly Ron Artest, Returns to NBA & LA Lakers
After taking his talent to China, Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, is returning to the NBA. World Peace re-signed with the LA Lakers in a one-year unguaranteed deal to resume his career in the NBA.
As reported by USA Today, the veteran forward, who didn't play in the NBA at all last season, is reportedly scheduled to sign his deal with the Lakers today, before taking a physical tomorrow. Assuming that all goes well, he will be joining the team in Hawaii next week, which is where the Lakers will be holding their training camp this preseason.
Metta World Peace spent a lot of time working out with the Lakers recently, so the Lakers' decision to sign World Peace doesn't come as much of a surprise. As per SB Nation, general manager, Mitch Kupchak, even acknowledged the "possibility" of World Peace's return during his preseason news conference before the deal was announced. Even though he admitted that World Peace is a little too much of a veteran, "clearly Metta is much closer to the end than the beginning."
According to Yahoo Sports, World Peace has agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the team. This is actually pretty exciting news for Laker fans considering the fact that he already predicted that Kobe Bryant is going to win his sixth ring this season.
Hopefully he'll be able to bring his championship knowledge back with him to the Lakers, who just so happened to be the team he won a championship ring with back in 2010.
Although World Peace was much of a troublemaker in the NBA, which is quite ironic considering his name change, his role as a Laker probably won't play a huge part for the team this season, but he is expected to serve as a mentor to young Lakers star-in-the-making Julius Randle, as reported by Sports Illustrated.
"I think he'd be great in the locker room with young players," Kupchak said, according to SB Nation. "But we have to be careful not to use a roster spot too early because we have a lot of young kids."