The Los Angeles Clippers are no longer in the running to swing a trade for Ron Artest, general manager Elgin Baylor said Saturday.

"As far as anything goes with Ron Artest, that's a dead issue," Baylor said, according to the Los Angeles Times. "We're no longer talking to Sacramento about Artest ? that's not going to happen."

The Sacramento Kings contacted the Clippers last week to discuss the possibility of a trade for the former NBA defensive player of the year. The Kings did not, however, follow up the opening talks with a formal trade proposal.

Baylor said the Clippers are still looking at other possible deals.

"We're always looking to improve the team," Baylor said, according to the Times. "We talk to teams regularly about players we're interested in, players that we think can help us, and we'll also listen if someone comes to us with something that we think makes sense for us. That's what you have to do when you're trying to win."

The Clippers and Kings meet on Friday night for the first time since Ron Artest and Corey Maggette trade rumors began to pop up.

Sacramento reportedly called the Clippers regarding a trade, but never made a formal proposal.

Talks now appear to be dead, despite the fact that reports earlier in the week described a trade as 'imminent.'

Geoff Petrie isn't speaking like a GM who is close to trading away Ron Artest.

"His happiness level is fine," Petrie said before the Kings faced Philadelphia on Wednesday night "He has a very large performance bank account. A lot of people have forgotten what it was like around here before he got here.

"I guess you could sum (the trade talk) up this way. It's a lot of noise, mostly white noise, like when a hen oodles -- wow, lays an egg -- and it makes a sound like it made a meteor."

The Clippers came into Wednesday's game versus Boston as losers of seven of their previous eight games.

Reports indicated that a swap of Corey Maggette for Ron Artest was imminent, but another day passed without a confirmation.

"We're trying to get going and get on a roll," Clippers forward Elton Brand said.

Magic General Manager Otis Smith said he has essentially made it known throughout the league that he has no interest in acquiring troubled players or players with suspect character.

"I think I've pretty much gotten that out there," Smith said.

Smith was not interested in Allen Iverson, and he said the Sacramento Kings -- who are apparently looking to trade controversial forward Ron Artest -- did not contact the Magic.

Smith said he would not have had any interest in dealing Hedo Turkoglu for Artest. Their salaries come close to matching. Turkoglu played his first three NBA seasons with Kings.

According to sources, a Ron Artest for Corey Maggette trade could happen soon.

Both teams appear eager to part ways with their small forwards.

The players have similar contracts, so there aren't salary-cap problems to complete a deal.

Artest is owed the remainder of his $7.5-million salary this season, is guaranteed $7.4 million next season and has a player option for $7.4 million in the 2008-09 season.

Maggette makes $7 million this season, $7 million next season and also has a player option for $7 million in 2008-09.

The odds of Mike Bibby and Ron Artest being in the same uniform appear to be long.

There have been reports about Artest for Corey Maggette trade discussions taking place and Bibby's name was believed to be involved in the Allen Iverson talks.

"I'd probably be a little upset (if he was traded)," he said. "(Sacramento) is close to home (in the Phoenix area). I've been here for a while. I like playing here, so I'd probably be upset."

Eric Musselman spoke with Bibby about their offense and they decided to open things up similarly to how they were when Rick Adelman was the head coach.

"We've tried to do everything we can," Musselman said. "We get the ball in his hands, we added the corner series after he and I had a conversation. ... We feel he'll have a breakout game, and that will carry over."

Despite his reality show, Doug Christie hopes to play in the NBA again and is looking for a team to give him a chance.

"I'm staying in shape and waiting for the right opportunity," Christie recently told a Sacramento radio station.

Doug and his wife Jackie just released a DVD movie.

Elgin Baylor attempted to facilitate a reconciliation between Corey Maggette and Mike Dunleavy, but it proved fruitless.  The friction between player and coach has increased the Clippers' eagerness to discuss a Ron Artest deal with the Kings.

Maggette recently revealed that he does not "see eye to eye" with Dunleavy.

A high-ranking source within the Clippers organization told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday that the club was discussing a deal with the Kings for Ron Artest.

The Clippers attempted to acquire Artest last season when he sought a deal out of Indiana.  This season, he apparently wants out of Sacramento.

Similar to the situation last season, the Clippers would send Corey Maggette in exchange for Artest.

The two teams held discussions on Friday and they are expected to resume on Sunday.