There has been no shortage of discussion concerning the Lakers’ off-season acquisition of Ron Artest. Fans and pundits have alternately lambasted and praised the move, each side giving a compelling version of the truth about Ron. There has been debate over what role he will play on the court, whether his offensive style can adapt to the triangle and whether he is declining defensively. But conversation on Artest unfailingly returns to the subject of personality. Is he a self-indulgent, knuckleheaded, clubhouse cancer who could spring into the stands at any moment? Or is he a misunderstood, maturing man who is mentally ready to put the team first? (ESPN recently posted a fascinating video highlighting Artest’s complexities. See it here.)

Well, after one game I don’t think we can give a definitive answer. Nevertheless, I would like to posit a theory that to my knowledge has not been proposed before. It is somewhat counterintuitive, but I think it makes sense. Artest will be better in Los Angeles for two reasons: what the team is asking from him and the nature of the city. I know that broad topic sentence would probably earn a red underline in school, but please bear with me.

Coupled with his mercurial disposition, Artest’s unearthly talents may have been more a curse than a blessing. From the outset he faced expectations of being a star when he may actually be more suited to being a role player. The general public seems to assume that athletes who act out are pompous chasers of the spotlight, such as Terrell Owens. However, there is another completely different, often overlooked option: some people don’t know how to deal with the attention that is thrust upon them and therefore misbehave. Alongside Jermaine O’Neal, Artest was supposed to carry the Pacers to a championship. He might have been deluded into believing he was the right guy, even though it was never really possible. When he asked the Pacers for a leave of absence to pursue his rap career, he may have been subconsciously running away from the spotlight, rather than towards it.

Disregarding talent, there are people who, for psychological, emotional, or behavioral reasons, are unable to devote the type of unswerving concentration to a specific pursuit necessary to become the best. While most would theoretically like to get there, not everyone can be Michael or Kobe. Yet we are always anointing successors, telling players that they should be the next great one. Battling the disconnect between expectation and reality has rerouted many promising careers and may have pushed Artest over the edge.

The Lakers aren’t asking Artest to be great on the court. They’re merely asking him to be good and fit in. Maybe that’s all he’s needed to hear his whole career. Last year in Houston was the first time he was told something similar, as he was meant to complement Yao and TMac, and he was a solid citizen throughout. Free from the pressures of being a go-to-guy or the face of a franchise, Ron-Ron might be much more comfortable and less volatile.

Now let’s move to my second contention, that LA might be the perfect place for Artest to thrive. I’ve heard critics claim that the city holds too many distractions for Artest to be successful on the court. For years everyone said, “If only he could focus solely on basketball…” Well maybe Artest simply can’t. Maybe he needs diversions, needs to focus on more than basketball, to maintain equilibrium. As I mentioned earlier, he doesn’t appear to have that singular drive when it comes to hoops; Having no other outlets may have prompted his outbursts. He admittedly has various interests and hobbies that he won’t abandon for basketball, and LA gives him the easiest access and biggest opportunities.

So perhaps we should embrace the many facets of Ron Artest. Perhaps we should encourage him to get in the recording studio or go bowling with his fans. The happier he is in life, the happier he’ll be on the court. And perhaps if he isn’t required to focus exclusively on basketball, he will be more focused when it actually matters the most.