Chesire Jets Having Trouble Insuring Artest, May Not Play In UK
CBS Sports
Royce Young
For a second there, it looked like the painfully on again, off again relationship with the Cheshire Jets was finally definitively on. So naturally, there had to be a hiccup of some kind to make it look like everything could fall apart.
Basically, it's an insurance issue for the Cheshire Jets. The small English club is having trouble getting the needed insurance to support Artest playing for them. And without it, there's no way Artest plays for them.
"The next few days we need to work really hard," team director Pete Hawkins told the Chester Chronicle. "Insurance was always an issue from the outset but we are still trying hard to ensure Ron has the protection he needs to play."
Artest, who I guess expected to get rolling with the team very soon, tweeted Thursday, ""UK sorry I couldn't make it this week can't wait to meet the JETS!!!!"
Cheshire of course is pulling out all the stops to make sure Artest plays for them, even going so far as to hook up a job on a soap opera to help foot the bill for Artest. Artest won't be making enough with the team to really even make it worthwhile, so he's got to find extra income, which includes working on his acting and music career.
But without insurance, there's just no way Artest can put his NBA contract at risk. His agent Daniel Bauman said weeks ago before the deal was official that he was very concerned.
"God forbid any of these guys get hurt," Bauman said. "Can I get $22 million insurance for Ron? I don't think so."
Yep, it looks like it could be a bit of a problem indeed.
