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Ron Artest bummed about Shaw, may play in England

Ron Artest

Los Angeles Lakers’ Ron Artest arrives at the 59th Annual BMI Pop Music Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., Tuesday, May 17, 2011. The songwriters and publishers of the most performed pop songs in the United States are honored at this event. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

AP

Ron Artest… er, sorry, Metta World Peace is traveling the nation now with a four-stop comedy tour he organized. Because he can. He meets these people because he’s in Hollywood — whether he has “gone Hollywood” is a debate among Lakers fans and frankly management.

Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times talked to him about the tour, but the better answers came when he asked about the Lakers coaching change this summer and bringing in Mike Brown. World Peace sounded like a lot of Lakers players. This was not their first choice.

“I feel like, as a unit, we didn’t do what it takes to keep Brian Shaw, and that’s real disappointing,” he said. “You can’t forget where you’re from. You can’t forget what you’ve been through. You can’t forget who helped you win a ring, who was there for you when you were frustrated or stressed out, and I’ve got to give credit to Brian Shaw for all of that.”

However, he added, “This doesn’t mean I won’t love Mike Brown. But for the next couple of months, I’m going to be disappointed about Brian Shaw.”

By the way, and count World Peace among the players considering Europe. But of course in his own way.

Instead of playing for one of the prestigious teams in southern Europe, he plans to play for either the Cheshire Jets or Glasgow Rocks of the British Basketball League.

Um, dude, there’s a British Basketball League?

“The teams aren’t good, but I’m going there to finish a movie, so why not?” he said.

I can think of a few reasons, but rather than list them I’m just going to hope it actually happens.