He didn't even start for the Lakers till halfway this season. Sure he's been in the league for 5 years but he's never started for the Magic nor the Knicks. Also he's never been the a top 3 option on a team before. Lakers had Kobe, Gasol, Odom/Bynum. Ariza will flourish with the Houston Rockets.
ok I know I exaggerated this one...but Lou was a bit of a bust although probably not a major BUST along the lines of Beno Udrih and DeSagana Diop... LOU WILLIAMS 07-08 season 23.3mpg 4.0-9.4 .424fg% 0.7-1.9 .359threepoint% 2.8-3.6 .783ft% 3.2apg for 11.5ppg 08-09 season 23.7mpg 4.1-10.4 .398fg% 0.8-2.7 .286threepoing% 3.8-4.8 .790ft% 3.0apg for 12.8ppg he didn't live up to expectations...although hes still productive... however he regressed...and people expected him to improve btw note he only made 4.5 mil this season unlike the other MLE guys on the list trust me he won't be starting on the 76xers next season...they got the steal of the draft in Jrue Holiday taking care of business at PG
Everything totally switched in roles between Artest and Ariza. You gotta feel a bit for Ariza though. He just came from a glamourous team winning a championship to going to a team that's probably fighting just to make the playoffs next year. Sad situation for Trevor to realize he won't get more than the mle he wanted because his agent played hardball and now he's sulking his way to Houston realizing the Lakers would've payed the same and other perks of living in LA. Artest meanwhile actually took less money to be a role player in LA. He's asked to simply bring toughness and to get under the skin of his opponents and camp out at the three point line for a Kobe drive and pass. It'll be like Moses departed the red sea every game for Ron to shoot, unlike what Ariza will face by not getting open looks once he goes to Houston. Kobe made Ariza look like an all star on the offensive end with his drive and kick. These two players are having there roles totally reversed and I can sense that one of them isn't too happy about the outcome.
He is overpaid for this year and the next year, but will probably be underpaid when we swing back into contention a few years down the road, which is the point I believe.
Guys, Morey just locked Ariza up for 5 prime years (24-29 years old) Morey doesn't just hand out long term contracts like candy. He only gave Artest MLE level for ONE year. He wasn't even willing to offer Gortat the full MLE (despite our need for a starting/backup center).
Lakers didn't offer anything though. They had targeted Artest first which is why they blew him off the first time reportedly. Rockets didn't want Artest either because they knew (had to) that he was not going to take a one year deal.
well the articles seem to point to ariza's agent trying to play hard ball and demand "respect" and his bluff got called and lakers said "fine get lost"
I want to be positive too, and Morey has earned a long, long leash from us as fans. That said, I worry that, when you look at Ariza's regular season stats from for his career, that we've bought a little high. I wanted the Rockets to pursue Ariza last year for sure, when he was about 1/2 his current price. The worried side of me can see this as Al Davis going out and signing the Super Bowl MVP every year, when that one game was the peak of the player's career.
Ive already posted before why he didnt accept, and it's because there is uncertainty to what lebron will do in the 2010 off season so no one wants to sign a long term deal.. no state income tax here, and he would have a bigger role here.
Hopefully this is not Shandon Anderson Part II. Bringing in a role player who had playoff success with his previous team, was a thorn on Rocket's side, BUT added to a rebuilding Rockets team.
^^^^^ Man, when will Asian cartoonists get with the program and stop drawing black people that way? It is the 21st century, after all... The reports are saying the contract is 5 years and $33 million, which amounts to $6.6 million a year. That's 1 million more than the MLE and, I believe, not too far from Battier's contract. Personally, it seems high for Ariza, but I admit I haven't seen that much of him. Also, I'm holding off judgment until I get a better idea of Morey's big picture.
