The Sacramento Kings are not against trading forward Ron Artest before the NBA's trade deadline, according to the Sacramento Bee.

Both Artest and Kings' President Geoff Petrie spoke about the possibility that the versatile forward's days are numbered in Sacramento earlier this week.

"I've talked to Ron twice in the last two weeks about a lot of different things," Petrie told the Bee on Wednesday night. "The biggest thing for him and everybody else is to keep playing as well as you can. Everybody knows the trading deadline is coming up. Like I've said before, we're not averse to trading anybody if it benefits us in some way and our future, and I think (Artest) is comfortable with that."

After a huge blowout win in San Antonio, the rapidly emerging New Orleans Hornets have jumped into the saddle of the top spot in the RealGM Team Rankings.

Shockingly, their ascent from the number eight spot in last week?s rankings was not the greatest leap over the past seven days. The biggest rise in the rankings this week goes to the recently reloaded Sacramento Kings (up from No. 25 to No. 17), while the biggest drop belongs to the struggling New Jersey Nets (No. 19 to No. 25), who dropped six spots this week.

Click 'Read' to view the full rankings.

(Click on the score link to view our new custom box scores which include the FIC and FIC per 40)

- PHX 114, MIL 105

The Phoenix Suns used a strong fourth quarter to come from behind and knock off the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. Trailing by six heading into the final period, the Suns outscored the Bucks 37-22 to end the game. Steve Nash led Phoenix with 37 points and 10 assists while Michael Redd paced Milwaukee with 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Bucks outrebounded the Suns by nine, but Phoenix shot 49% from the field against Milwaukee. Amare Stoudemire added 19 points and 12 boards for the Suns.

Game FIC Scores
Steve Nash, PHX ? 29.9*
Amare Stoudemire, PHX ? 20.9
Andrew Bogut, MIL ? 20.3
Michael Redd, MIL ? 17.4

- SAC 128, NJN 94

The Sacramento Kings outscored the New Jersey Nets in every quarter on Wednesday night en route to an easy 128-94 win at ARCO Arena. The Kings, led by Ron Artest?s 27 points and 6 rebounds, shot 57% from the field and outrebounded the Nets by twelve. Vince Carter led New Jersey with 21 points and 8 assists, and Richard Jefferson added 18 points and 4 rebounds. Brad Miller contributed 14 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds for the Kings, who notched their fourth win in five games.

Game FIC Scores
Ron Artest, SAC ? 24.5
Brad Miller, SAC ? 19.5
Kevin Martin, SAC ? 15.3
Vince Carter, NJN ? 14.9

? RealGM calculates the Floor Impact Counter using the following formula: (Points + .75 Defensive Rebounds + Offensive Rebounds + Steals + Assists + Blocks - .75 Field Goal Attempts - .375 Free Throw Attempts - Turnovers - .5 Personal Fouls)

( )'s indicate a negative FIC score.

It is also used to rank players and to determine their `Reina Value.'
Click here to view the player rankings with the Reina Value for the current season

After much assumption and speculation that Ron Artest would exercise the early termination option in his contract to become a free agent after this season, the Kings' forward confirmed it on Saturday to the Sacramento Bee.

"You know, I guess everybody assumes (I'm going to opt out)," he said. "If you're going to bet your house on it, then bet that I'm going to opt out. But that time will come later. We'll see what happens."

Though Isiah Thomas keeps talking about not wanting to make a trade, there has been various reports he has turned down deals left and right, the New York Post is reporting.

In fact, ESPN reported Thomas turned down a chance at Ron Artest, because he didn't want to give up Nate Robinson and Renaldo Balkman in a package.

Naturally, the Knicks are banking Artest will opt out after the season and sign with the Knicks for the maximum five-year, $30 million mid-level contract. The same one they used for Jared Jeffries and Jerome James. Artest told The Post earlier this month the Knicks are on his radar, and he wouldn't mind being traded now.

It also was reported the Cavs were interested in Jamal Crawford, and the Knicks could have snared Larry Hughes in a package.

The Knicks appear to have been shopping Zach Randolph, to Milwaukee and the Nets for Vince Carter. Randolph has picked it his play since Friday's blowup with Thomas in which he may have asked Thomas to trade him in the locker-room afterward, according to a TV report.

Thomas and Randolph have denied it, but Randolph has played like he's trying to boost his stock.

Today's game against the Raptors marks the virtual starting point in the NBA coaching career of Reggie Theus, at least as it pertains to the job for which he signed up. Although Theus has been lauded league-wide for the way his team survived such an undesirable stretch of injuries, these are the players he envisioned using before Mike Bibby's late-October thumb injury began a horrendous stretch of ailments that changed everything until now.

Theus has said he will use Ron Artest and Bibby off the bench just as he did Kevin Martin when he returned. As for Martin the discussion over whether his two-game offensive explosion when he came back from a Dec. 4 groin strain would put him back in the starting lineup ended with the player himself saying Monday that he wants to remain a reserve while his conditioning catches up. A 3-1 homestand leading up to this three-game trip, however, certainly aided the collective mood on the eve of so much change.

"We'll see," said Theus, whose team left town on the heels of a thrilling 122-120 win over Dallas on Monday. "But with the way the momentum is and getting some new guys, there are still going to be adjustments, but it has to be exciting and rejuvenating for the guys because now they know they can let it all out and know that we have depth coming back."

One NBA official in contact with the Kings said they have indicated privately they would like to move Mike Bibby, and that Miami and Cleveland have shown an interest.

But another executive believes Cleveland could offer a better package, especially with the Heat reluctant to include Udonis Haslem.

Bibby, planning to return Wednesday from a thumb injury, will earn $13.5 million this season and $14.5 million next.

- Detroit 90, San Antonio 80

Rasheed Wallace led the Detroit Pistons to an impressive victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. The teams were very evenly matched statistically, but the Spurs turned the ball over fifteen times, which led to eighteen points for the Pistons. Detroit used a strong first quarter to take a 30-15 advantage over San Antonio, and the Spurs were never able to recover. Rasheed Wallace led the Pistons with 23 points, and 15 rebounds while Tim Duncan starred for the Spurs with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Game FIC Scores
Rasheed Wallace, DET ? 27.5*
Tim Duncan, SA ? 26.125
Chauncey Billups, DET ? 12
Tony Parker, SA ? 2.875

- Sacramento 116, Memphis 113

Francisco Garcia hit a three-pointer with seven seconds left against the Memphis Grizzles to give the Sacramento Kings a 116-113 win on Thursday. The Kings overcame the Grizzles' hot shooting; Memphis went 13-for-26 from behind the arc, thanks to fourteen offensive rebounds. Sacramento was led by John Salmons, who tallied 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists. Rudy Gay starred for Memphis with 31 points and 7 rebounds. The Kings outrebounded the Grizzles 43-34 in the win.

Game FIC Scores
John Salmons, SAC ? 24.625
Rudy Gay, MEM ? 22
Brad Miller, SAC ? 19.75
Pau Gasol, MEM ? 7.75

- Utah 108, Phoenix 106

The Utah Jazz put the defensive clamps on the hot-shooting Phoenix Suns on Thursday, en route to a 108-86 victory. Mehmet Okur paced the Jazz with 24 points and 17 rebounds, and Ronnie Brewer added 21 points and 5 boards of his own. Leandro Barbosa led the Suns with 25 points while Amare Stoudemire posted 21 points and 13 rebounds. Utah held Phoenix to 37% shooting, while posting a nine-rebound edge over the Suns. Four Jazz starters scored in double figures, with Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams combining for 35 points.

Game FIC Scores
Mehmet Okur, UTA ? 23.5
Deron Williams, UTA ? 19.25
Amare Stoudemire, PHX ? 17.75
Leandro Barbosa, PHX ? 14.75

? RealGM calculates the Floor Impact Counter using the following formula: (Points + .75 Defensive Rebounds + Offensive Rebounds + Steals + Assists + Blocks - .75 Field Goal Attempts - .375 Free Throw Attempts - Turnovers - .5 Personal Fouls)

It is also used to rank players and to determine their ?Reina Value.?

Click here to view the player rankings with the Reina Value for the current season

Cavaliers' star LeBron James did not practice Thursday because of a sore right big toe and was listed as probable for Friday's game against Sacramento.

James, who missed a career-high five games earlier this season with a sprained left index finger, scored 36 points in a 98-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. The Cavaliers went 0-5 without James and at 15-17 are still trying to recover.

Coach Mike Brown said after practice that James was fine and likely would play Friday.

Renaldo Balkman has been offered in various deals for Ron Artest as an alternative to David Lee, but it's made no difference.

The Kings are interested in Lee and Nate Robinson.