I've got three comments on the Lakers' free-agency pickup of Houston's Ron Artest and the Lakers' decision to let Trevor Ariza depart via the same path:

1. Artest is, without question, a better "player" now than Ariza and Ariza isn't likely to ever reach Artest's stature as a "complete" player (Artest handles and passes better; he's much more 'physical'; and he is a superior rebounder and defender).

There is no doubt that in terms of "sheer talent", the Lakers are better off after the "swap".

2. I have a gut feeling that Ariza was made to look like a better player than he actually is while playing for the Lakers. The triangle offense, especially when it possesses components the likes of Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen or, in the case of the Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, makes the "support" players much more effective/impressive than they would in other settings.

Will Ariza be as impressive with the Houston Rockets as he was with the Lakers (and wasn't at his first two NBA stops in New York and Orlandoi)? Probably not.

3. Even after explaining my stances on 1 and 2, I'm not sure the Lakers are going to be "better" off in either the short or long terms.

Ariza fit in perfectly in his role with the Lakers. He was the ideal "third, fourth or sometimes fifth option", was a good (if a bit overrated in that regarded by much of the L.A. media) defender and always played with "energy".

Will we be able to say the same things about Artest next season? Will his ego allow to be a near afterthought at times, offensively, when he is on the floor with Bryant, Gasol, Odom (assumes he is re-signed) and/or Andrew Bynum?

Can he keep his temper in check?

It was definitely a role of the player personnel dice by GM Mitch Kupchak and whoever else was involved in that decision making.

But Kupchak & Co. have made a lot of outstanding decisions -- which led to the run the the title -- and they certainly are worthy of every benefit of doubt this time around.

Coach Ben Howland's UCLA Advanced Skills Camp had a solid foundation of talent making up some of the better underclass basketball players in the West.

Among those competing in Pauley Pavilion were class 2010 guards Kendall Williams (Los Osos) and Tyler Lamb (Mater Dei), both of which are already verbally committed to the Bruins.

Others playing especially well Sunday included 6-foot-6 Yannick Atanga (Besant Hill in Ojai); 6-2 James Walker (Los Alamitos); 6-5 Ben Vozzola (Las Vegas Centennial); 6-7 1/2 Angelo Chol (San Diego Hoover); 6-7 Ryan Anderson (Poly); 6-3 Byron Wesley (Cajon); and 6-10 Robert Upshaw (Fresno Edison).

Action at the camp wraps up Monday.

Westchester High's boys' basketball team broke out to an 18-point advantage in the second half before cruising to a 63-57 victory over Poly Sunday evening in the championship game of the Fairfax High Tournament in Los Angeles.

Six-foot-seven Dwayne Polee Jr. led the Comets with 17 points while point guard Denzel Douglas added 12 and back court mate Jordin Mayes added 10.

Senior forward Shelton Boykin led the Jackrabbits (who've lost only to Westchester and Mater Dei this month) with 20 points while junior center Ryan Anderson added 18.

Six-foot-seven Derrick Williams, who signed a national letter of intent with USC last November, has decided to enroll at the University of Arizona to play basketball for the Wildcats, a source close to the situation told the Press-Telegram Sunday night.

Williams, the PT's Dream Team Player of the Year, received a release from his commitment to the Trojans following Coach Tim Floyd's resignation from the school a few weeks ago.


USC's Taj Gibson -- one of the more underrated players in the country the past couple of seasons -- goes No. 23 to the Chicago Bulls.

That is a half-dozen Pac 10 players among the first 26 selections!

Frank Burlison

Frank Burlison is multi-faceted. A member of the College Basketball Writers hall of Fame, Frank has covered more basketball than he cares to recall. From basketball to burgers to movies, Frank knows his stuff.

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