Larry Brown Sports

Metta World Peace is likely out six weeks after having surgery Thursday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, and the injury is causing speculation that the forward’s Laker career may be over.

World Peace was hurt in the Lakers’ loss to Golden State on Monday. A six-week timetable for recovery means MWP would be out the rest of the regular season. He might be available if the Lakers reached the playoffs and won a first-round series.

The LA Daily News’ Mark Medina points out that World Peace has a $7.7 million option for next season. He could opt out in hopes of receiving a longer contract. If he opts in, the Lakers could still release him via the amnesty provision.

World Peace’s agent told Medina that they would be open to all options.

Metta has been with the Lakers the past four seasons ever since signing a five-year deal with the team in 2009. He took less money to be with the Lakers, and he was rewarded by winning the championship in his first year. He saw his playing time and individual stats decrease the next two seasons, but his minutes and stats were back up this year playing in Mike D’Antoni’s system.

World Peace will be 34 next season. He can probably find a job pretty easily, but we doubt it will be longterm or for more than the $7.7 million amount in his Lakers contract.

Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

There is very little Metta World Peace could do at this point that would surprise us. The guy has said and done more insane stuff throughout his NBA career than almost all people will do in a lifetime, but he still manages to come up with something new from time to time. Such was the case earlier this week when the artist formerly known as Ron Artest found himself in a classic mix-up with the law.

According to the LA Times, World Peace was woken up early Tuesday morning by his son informing him that there were police with their weapons drawn outside his condo complex in California.

“I’m in my underwear and my son says, ‘Hey dad, there’s police at the door,’” World Peace explained on Wednesday evening. “So I jump out, I’m nervous. I see these police with rifles and scopes.

“I’m like, ‘What happened?’ I don’t know what’s going on at this point. ‘What happened, what happened?’ And then the police was like, ‘The building is being taken over by guys downstairs.’”

The guys downstairs were apparently actors who are filming a movie with World Peace’s company, Artest Media Group. They were using fake guns as props for one of the scenes. One of the actors was World Peace’s nephew, who failed to inform Metta that they were going to be doing some filming. Several actors, the director and World Peace’s brother — who had gone down to investigate and didn’t bring an ID — were handcuffed by police officers. And now for the best part:

At first when I seen the police, I was like, ‘What the hell is going on?” World Peace said. “I just got finished watching ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ or whatever that movie is. I’m like, ‘I’m dreaming, I’m dreaming. Is there a terrorist in the building? Do y’all need my help?’”

After a brief conversation with the police, World Peace put on his Cookie Monster pajamas and accompanied them outside.

Of course he has Cookie Monster pajamas. World Peace said that there were about 20 police cruisers outside, but he was able to explain the situation and the officers later laughed about it. Maybe that whole hidden prank show idea isn’t so far-fetched after all.

H/T Arash Markazi
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

Metta World Peace loves messing with people and seems to enjoy being in front of a camera, so you have to assume television is going to be a part of his future in some capacity. According to Deadline.com, World Peace could have his own TV show sooner rather than later.

Metta’s company, Artest Media Group, is reportedly in discussions with the producers of CBS hidden camera series “I Get That A Lot” to develop a new hidden camera prank series that will involve professional athletes. Here are some of the details:

In addition to Metta and other professional athletes, the show’s practical jokes will also include family members, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends and fans. ‘Pranking and practical jokes are part of the athletic culture, so it comes naturally to Metta,’ said Eric Schotz, President and CEO of ICM Partners-repped LMNO Prods. ‘Metta has a great sense of humor and this show will be a natural vehicle for him to showcase a side of his personality we don’t get to see on the court.’

Shows like this typically don’t emerge as award-winners, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the artist formerly known as Ron Artest came up with some funny stuff. If the guy is capable of thinking up things like this on the spot during an interview, he would probably have a lot of success screwing with people on hidden camera.

H/T SbB Live
Photo credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

The Los Angeles Lakers snapped a six-game losing streak on Sunday with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. During any normal season, it would have been an expected victory against an opponent that is a measly 9-30 this season. But given the way the Lakers have underachieved all year long, any win is big news.

If you ask Metta World Peace, L.A. was simply taking care of business. Despite the team’s 16-21 record, World Peace felt the need to chastise the media for making such a fuss about a win over a lousy team.

“If I’m not mistaken, we’re supposed to beat this team,” he told reporters, via the LA Times. “Every fan that’s listening right now should just watch repeats of ‘Three’s Company.’ Turn the radio off and go watch a movie or something. I don’t mean to disrespect Cleveland, but we were supposed to win. What do you want me to say? ‘Hey we played great tonight!’

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Gross gross gross gross gross gross. Of course the only thing more gross than Metta World Peace using the same towel for his face that Steve Nash used to wipe his armpits is the Lakers’ record these days, but that’s besides the point. I’m guessing this isn’t what Dwight Howard had in mind when he said the Lakers needed to develop more chemistry.

H/T Busted Coverage

The NBA on Christmas is developing into a sports-holiday tradition similar to the NFL on Thanksgiving. The league showcases some of its top teams and best storylines on Dec. 25 each year, which leads to many of the usual suspects regularly on Christmas. While the Christmas Day tradition is great for fans, it kind of sucks for the players who are asked to play on the holiday each year.

The Los Angeles Lakers have played on Christmas Day 14 straight years, and they are hosting a game for the sixth straight year. This season, they play at 12:00 p.m. PT against the New York Knicks. The game is right in the middle of the day, so it pulls the Lakers players away from their families in the morning, and keeps them from returning home until the late afternoon.

Lakers forward Metta World Peace has been with the team since 2009, and he says the Christmas Day games are not sitting well with his family.

“My kids don’t like it. My youngest doesn’t like it at all,” World Peace told the LA Times. “I’m to a point now I forget it’s Christmas, to tell you the truth. I buy the presents and I’m never home, so I totally forget about Christmas.”

Playing on holidays is just one of the sacrifices some teams have to make. In a way it’s an honor because that means your team is really good, and because you get to appear on such a large national stage. But for some of the older players for whom this has become routine, it must be a drag. You think David Stern gives them time-and-a-half to make up for the inconvenience?

Metta World Peace is already in awe of Steve Nash. When talking to reporters recently about his new teammate, World Peace spoke about how he has trouble figuring out what’s happening on the court with Nash running the offense because everything happens so quickly.

“Half of the time, I don’t get back on defense after we just scored,” Metta said according to the LA Times. “I’m wondering what just happened.”

While confused, World Peace said he is amazed with what Nash can do with the ball. He’s so impressed that he thinks Nash deserves to be his own show, and he described the type of show it should be in a way that only MWP could.

“Nash should do a Vegas magic show,” World Peace said. “They should put his picture on the Flamingo hotel with a picture of him posing spinning the ball with his tongue out. There could be a bunch of strippers around him naked covering themselves with a hat.”

For those of you who have to hear the artist formerly known as Ron Artest actually saying these insane things, the video is available here. When asked for his response to MWP’s suggestion, Nash simply smiled and said he doesn’t know where he comes up with these things. He also said World Peace should have his own show. How about they both get a show together?

Chest bump to Pro Basketball Talk