At least he got his $15M? https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...d-trevor-ariza-washington-wizards/2334155002/ [...] According to league sources, this was a “mutual” decision between Ariza and the Suns. Ariza was a valuable trade asset, but he also wanted out of Phoenix after signing a one-year, $15 million deal in July. Ariza checked out mentally early in the season, according to sources. After practices would ended, he’d leave before everyone else, when that's usually an opportunity to bond. He'd break from the team huddle before his teammates and wasn’t engaged. [...] Phoenix tried to trade him back home to Los Angeles where he won an NBA title with the Lakers, but that move drew the ire of team owner Robert Sarver after the team bought out Tyson Chandler and he wound up there. [...] While the mishandling of the three-team deals casts the franchise’s front office in a bad light, the fact still remains that the Ariza-Suns marriage didn’t last 29 games. He was considered one of their key offseason additions who would help the Suns start turning the corner. "We need his defensive ability and versatility," said then-Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough when the Ariza signing was announced. "His shooting ability, but I think as much as anything, maybe more than anything, we need his leadership and winning pedigree." Now, Ariza’s playing for another team with 50-plus games remaining in the season. At this stage of his career, Ariza is all about winning, league sources said. And Phoenix hasn’t been doing much of that and has the NBA’s worst record even after winning its past two games. That didn’t help matters, but Ariza, according to sources, found himself in a situation where he had to work harder than he anticipated in Kokoskov’s system. Offensively, he couldn’t just stand out at the 3-point line and wait for the pass to launch 3s. Kokoskov’s offense is about everyone creating for each other, which put Ariza in situations where he had to put the ball on the deck and either finish at the rim or kick the ball to someone else. On top of that, Phoenix has a young team that doesn't have a proven point guard. So, Ariza went from receiving pinpoint passes from All-Star point guard Chris Paul and NBA MVP James Harden to playing with two rookie point guards — De’Anthony Melton and Elie Okobo — and Isaiah Canaan, who is considered a backup NBA point guard. Canaan has yet to be picked up since he was waived by the Suns last month. [...] Much has changed since the season opener when Ariza scored 21 points and played the way Phoenix envisioned, defending and stretching the floor with five 3-pointers, in a 21-point win over the Mavericks before a sellout crowd at home. Then the Suns lost seven consecutive games. It was during this stretch when Ariza started checking out. Once Chandler was bought out, that left Ariza with one less veteran to play with on a team filled with young talent. Ariza had friend and fellow vet Ryan Anderson with him, as well as 18-year veteran Jamal Crawford, whom Phoenix signed before the opener, but no one else on the team has more than six years of NBA experience. The Suns have five rookies. For a veteran, playing with a young team can be like babysitting, and Ariza wasn’t interested in continuing to do that. Ariza is rather low-key. He’s not a rah-rah guy, but even he admitted after a 22-point loss to the Trail Blazers that he wasn’t doing his part as a veteran to speak up. “Being one of the oldest guys on the team, starting with pretty much four rookies, I should be more vocal in telling guys that we collectively have to play better,” Ariza said. More than a week after that loss, Ariza said, “I never have any regrets on anything that I do.” Two days later, he was traded.
15M in vet leadership. That is what the Suns were buying. Props to Ariza for getting his cash and then getting the hell out of there.
That didn’t help matters, but Ariza, according to sources, found himself in a situation where he had to work harder than he anticipated in Kokoskov’s system. Offensively, he couldn’t just stand out at the 3-point line and wait for the pass to launch 3s. That is HILARIOUS! Just gold! Just remember that line when guys like Eddie Johnson and Rick Barry try to talk about it not being fun to play with Harden and stand in a corner. Ariza MISSES Harden.
That is what this was about from day 1. Trevor is sharp. He knew that he didn't have much time left to make money and he cashed in while he could.
Eddie Johnson said that? Damn. He'd kill it here. Must have been making some sort of telecast homer comment. But Rick Barry would definitely get bored here. Sounds like commentary guys that don't play defense would make though.
@smp , can't remember if you were still asking for opinions regarding whether PnR/ISO offense leads to 3&D players playing "lackluster defense" from becoming disengaged and checking out. Check out Ariza's comments above, that looks like his answer to your question. Sounds like a motion offense made him worse, because he had to work harder on offense. Here's how you phrased the question:
Amazing how that works. It is almost like basketball players have a finite amount of energy and focus..... it is almost like they are real people.
Nice. I always like to know what the players themselves think rather than me just guessing. Thanks for the update!
apparently the great trevor leonard pippen ariza isnt enough for the wizards to beat the mighty atlanta hawks......
Just to confirm, yes Eddie said this during an interview he (and his co-host Justin Termine) were having w/ Barry on their show NBA Today. On today’s show (Tuesday) Eddie mentioned it again and emphasize that he would have hated playing for Harden. But for perspective he has said the same thing about LeBron (edit: to clarify: Eddie likes the more free flowing style the GSW have and it would fit better for his game when he was in his prime). But they (Justin and Eddie) are not liking the Rockets play style in general.
Yeah, I posted that in one of the GARM threads after listening to SiriusXM while driving around. Barry is pro-GSW offense and said he wouldn't want to stand around at the 3-point line picking his nose waiting for a possible opportunity to jack up a 3. Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson are the hosts of the show and Eddie is always ragging on the iso-heavy offense and Harden's constantly dribbling the ball (as they see it). From past shows I've listened to, Eddie doesn't like the "new-fangled analytics" approach to basketball, either. Of course, to him it's either "all analytics" or "all eye-test". He acts like teams don't employ both when making decisions. So, let's just say the Rockets would not be the type of team he'd approve of.
This. Look I do not fault him for going for one big payday.Tthis is his profession and he willl need the money in the future, when he cannot play basketball anymore. I totally understand players going for the money, since they have such a small window to earn their money. That being said. If you clearly went after that big pay day do not say all you care about is winning. If he really only cared about the money he would not have gone from the team with the most wins to Phoenix...... Just own that you, at this moment, cared mostly about the money.
