What are the different expectations for Trevor Ariza?

I think, at this point, the only viable option is to trade him. It seems the GM and coaches promised him too much and he, being unable to attain that has an incredibly bad attitude. This attitude is causing him to do things like miss 4 or 5 freethrows in a row. I mean, who does that?

Even Ariza last year wouldn't have done that. So this is proof that the status quo is actually damaging to him mentally. Coach needs to sit him down and be straight with him, that he need to be in role and not try to be a star. If he doesn't like it, bench him and trade him.
To begin with he needs to be taken off the starting lineup and become 2nd for Battier. Whichever of them is having a better night can have the most minutes in the game.

 

Ariza is one of the building blocks of this team.
Alelman needs to understand his limitations and use him correctly.
At present too much is being expected.

 

Ok, my bad if it seemed like I was jumping on you, i'm just tired of seeing all these posts saying trade him. Those are probably the same guys that cried and wanted to fire Morey and Adelman when we drafted Brooks and Landry, now they all jocking. I am not goig to pass judgement on Ariza until he plays with our 'real' team. Ok yes, its halfway through the season and he is not a consistent 20+ 5 ast player. No problems for me there, lets see if things change in the second half of the season (he has had a lot of good games mixed in in case yall hadn't noticed. but we never hear about those). Maybe new players come in or the schedule helps. I mean has anbody considered that part of the equation? We have been playing some of the better teams in the league so asking him to be a go-to scorer and playmaker against the better teams at this point is asking a lot of him.

I think he and the team are doing ok right now. I am happy with them.

 

My expectations:

1. Run the wing and fly down the floor on the fastbreak without the basketball and cut to the rim hard, expect the lob and throw it down.......hard.

2. Spot up at the 3 point line for the open set 3 point shot.

3. Pass the ball off if he does not have the open shot or a direct route to the rim.

4. If he goes to the rim off the dribble, go up high and try to finish with authority. None of those twisty topsy turvy up and under moves he tried last night in traffic. Just go up over people like God designed him to and finish over them.

5. NO DRIBBLING IN ANY OTHER DIRECTION EXCEPT STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE RIM.

 

I didnt expect much of ariza's offensively when the team acquired him. It's apparent that he was promised an opportunity to expand his offensive role and so far i think his offensive skill is below avg and will be avg at best. IMO, he's just a role player no more no less.

 

I think he's temporarily playing a role on the team that he's not suited to. He's obviously been told to be a go-to scorer in Yao's absence, but he'll relinquish that role when Yao comes back and/or the team gets another scorer, which I believe they're trying to do. He should fit in better when that happens. I don't think people should make the mistake of thinking what Ariza currently is doing is what he'll be doing long-term.

 

My expectations when I heard he was coming to Houston:

45% FG
31-33% Three Point
75% FT
11-12 PPG
Solid defender

I was down on the deal from the start. He was/is redundant with Shane and showed NO signs in LA of becoming more than a spot up shooter and rangy (if inconsistent) defender. The only thing I was wrong about was that I thought he would be a good value despite not filling a need this team had. Instead, he is a poor value that doesn't fill a need this team has. I never expected the guy to have such a low BB IQ and a poor attitude to boot.

 

If no deal transpires for Tmac for an a-list player, maybe the Rox should just do a deal that will net expirings for expirings that will bring us a player like Al Harrington, Larry Hughes for the playoff run.

I really never expected much from Ariza, how could you, 6 years as a backup and playing with Kobe, Pau and Odom has to make you look good on the offensive end. And MLE money was too much too pay in this economy for a player of his stature, I hope Morey does not find his contract hard to trade in a deal.

 

My expectations were for him to ultimately develop into Battier with a stronger offensive game.


So far, that isn't looking right. Ariza may one day be on Battier's level of defensive stopping ability, but his temperament is all off, I can't see him becoming the leader type that Shane is within the next 3-4 years if Battier is dealt.

 

On one hand, Ariza is playing outside his ability, he shot too much, he handles the ball to much, he shouldn't initiate the offense that often.

But on the other hand, is there any other choice for this team at this moment?

When Lowry is on the bench and Brooks is getting guarded tightly, who else is a better ball handler than Ariza? Who else can initate the offense better than Ariza?

That's what 40 mil on the bench does to you. It forcets Ariza to play beyond his ability. We only have two ball handlers in Lowry and Brooks, and they can't be on the court for 48 miutes all the time.

Thing will get better once Yao comes back, because a lot offense can be generated by the double teams on Yao. Hopefully Morey can get another impcat player who can initiate offense from peremeter.

Those hate on Ariza right now is missing the big picture. Ariza needs to play as a role player, but first this team needs star players to make that happen.

 

Do you think Trevor Ariza reads ClutchFans and then cries himself to sleep at night?

 

Nobody expected him to be a legit #2 option, and if anyone did it's his problem.

Good post, I would add that as role player, when we have played for Yao and the defense is moved or misplaced, he can also recieve and go to the basket to finish it or dish it. I saw him doing that in LA too.

Like you said, everything in him will improve since the moment he finds his true role. I don't want him traded, he will give us great nights since next year -maybe this if we can add an allstar player-.

 

CHASE!!

Budinger is a much better ballhandler, initiator, and creator than Ariza. He actually has court vision and can dribble and scan the court at the same time.

Our three primary ballhandlers should be Brooks, Lowry, and Budinger.

 

if budinger wasn't a rook he'd been given the freedom ariza's had since day 1. heck he'd probably be starting, but this is ariza's year and adelman and staff are going to see what he can and can't do.

 

My assessment of Ariza is that he has athleticism, talent and tenacity. This of course is tainted by his clumsiness and thin skin.

 

After high expectations all around, it is going to be difficult to near impossible to reshape him to "role player" status, which is what must happen. For trade purposes, everyone in the league now knows that the Rocket's experiment failed and they aren't buying the "potential" angle. Therefore, Ariza is a problem with no easy solution. I don't think he can hold his starter status, and when Adelman sits him, there is going to be conflict.

 

Budinger is not there yet. Both offensively and defensively. Maybe a few years down the road after he developed his game, but not at this point.

 

There is nothing wrong for Ariza to be a starter. He was a starter on a Championship team. And 16pts/6boards/4asts + defense is not a failure for a MLE player.

Ariza can hold starter status without any problem just not the star status he is given now.

 

Derek Fisher was also a starter for a Championship team last season. He couldn't crack the rotation on 2/3 of the teams in the league.

Don't confuse Ariza's luck in being surrounded by All Stars with him being a quality player. LA basically needed a warm body at SF who could defend a little and hit wide open jumpers. Ariza filled that need and then upped his value by going on the hottest streak of his career from behind the arc during the playoffs.

The guy is walking fool's gold and Morey got fooled.

 

great OP.i agree with most of the points.

ariza needs to realize what he could do ,and what he will never achieve.

i do think this guy is overconfident with himself,what does the confidence come from?is that b/c he stayed too much time with kobe?

ariza is a natural defender based on his advanced judgement for the ball instead of being an offensive weapon,i hope he could realize this.his main job in this team is to lock down the best scorer in the opponent team like what shane did before.he takes more responsibility as a spot up shooter instead of a slasher,i do hate his dribble,which sucks.