On Tuesday, Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird told the Associated Press that the NBA team is close to trading Artest.
"We're closer than we were," Bird said. "To say we're going to do something today, well, that's not going to happen."
Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, also confirmed that "a deal is imminent, almost as soon as possible."
The Indiana Pacers are close to trading Ron Artest. (AP Photo)
The Pacers have been looking to unload Artest since last month. The club deactivated Artest after he publicly requested a trade in early December.
The NBA levied a $10,000 US fine against Artest for publicly demanding to be dealt, a no-no under the new collective bargaining agreement.
Artest, named NBA defensive player of the year in 2003-04, has been suspended several times over his career, including for 73 games last season, when he charged into the stands to try and punch a Detroit Pistons fan who threw something at him during a game on Nov. 19, 2004.
Artest has averaged 14.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.1 steals and 33.0 minutes in 368 games (348 starts) over seven NBA seasons with the Chicago Bulls and Pacers.
Drafted 16th overall by the Bulls in 1999, he was packaged to the Pacers along with Ron Mercer, Kevin Ollie and Brad Miller for Jalen Rose, Travis Best, Norm Richardson and a second-round draft pick on Feb. 19, 2002.
