We are nearing the point where a Josh Howard for Ron Artest swap would have been a character upgrade for the Mavs.

In a recent YouTube video, Josh Howard was filmed at Allen Iverson’s charity flag football game in July ‘voicing out his true colors’ during the American National Anthem.

When the camera panned to the direction of the recently extremely-troubled Maverick small forward, he states, ” ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is going on. I don’t celebrate this [expletive]. I’m black.”  He then goes on to make a comment about Barack Obama.

This was first reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, and has allegedly been ‘handled’ already by Dallas owner Mark Cuban by means of “communication-skill sessions” during camp in upcoming weeks.

Add this to his admission to marijuana use and his arrest for speeding and reckless driving in North Carolina, and now the Mavs are biting their hands when they realize that they probably could have landed defensive menace Artest from the Kings in exchange for Howard.

Who would have ever thought that Artest would ever be the better character guy in a one-for-one swap in any NBA trade?  The Mavs certainly didn’t think so at the beginning of the summer, but now they might be starting to change their mind.

(Image: D210.tv)