How many posts not understanding the topic and saying "Artest is the better player." Which wasn't even the point of what Ron was saying.
Lol it did. Read what you said. "I don't know one laker fan..." well now you do. If you go to the Laker specific forums and look for Ariza threads you will find more positive than that. Especially right after the deals were done. I'm not going to dig through the forums for them so whatever. But most of your post have displayed a heavy bias AGAINST Ariza so I understand debating on this topic with you is pointless.
Lol does it matter? You mean how everyone here was "OMG NOT LANDRY!" before Martin even played a game here? You're the one agreeing that the Lakers could have won the 'ship with Battier (or anyone at SF) and Ariza made two game winning steals in the Conference Finals?
Right. Home/Road splits stats have been around from day 1. Meant to say it "looks" and sounds vague, visually and aesthetically. As in, why is it being on the road all of a sudden making a player terrible (David Andersen is a terrible road performer off the stats. Why is any place here for an Aussie more "foreign" territory than the next) But thats my silly way of looking at things. I like 5th/6th option guys that can rise to the occasion myself. In a free flowing game like basketball you can't have too much reluctance. Sometimes a wide open 35% shooter is better than a covered 55% shooter. But aggression isnt always a deciding factor over reluctance either, gotta look at what goes into it...
"Expand my game" came out of Ariza's mouth himself. The guy clearly wanted to go where he could shoot to his heart's content. Then he owned himself with his own shortcomings. Thats why people are saying "Ha, loser". I hold that against Ariza also, just not to the level of others. Cuz I also remember Ariza's shown can be an average starting SF in the league. I also remember other similar age players being allowed to work out the kinks in their game. I also recall the team letting him play out of position at 2-guard 4/5's of the season. Its like starting Lowry at the 2 and ENCOURAGING him to keep firing away at the 3 ball that he sucks at. Its ALL about the money though. Once Aaron Brooks and Scola get bigger contracts and potentially handcuff the team from future deals, they'll face wrath for not performing. They're UNDERpaid and already getting that. Chase is already a better ball handler and shooter off the dribble or screen than Ariza could ever be. With around the same length and athleticism of Ariza. How can you not be intrigued? But just because Budinger's up and coming doesnt mean you have to flush others ahead in the depth chart down the commode
Agree with you on all points, and starting Bud doesn't even take into account the bench. Not only is Bud's defense subpar for a starter, our bench would be what? Ariza-Battier-Lowry-Taylor? Until his D improves to an average level C-Bud should remain where he is, coming from the bench to play with Battier, Lowry,Jordan Hill and Taylor.
A quick look at Danny Granger's numbers will tell you all you need to know about why Ariza is important. Ariza should start. Shane is expendable if the right deal comes along. I have no problem keeping the 4 of them, unless we can package one of them for a strong interior presence defensively. If we were to sign a Marcus Camby, I would immediately look at trading Shane Battier. If we're getting a Chris Bosh, I want to trade Budinger. We need to be able to hold the fort defensively because my opinion is that Brooks is not a guy who can run a high scoring team for an entire season (like the Suns or Kings in the past). He is also nto a good defender so defending perimeter penetration is very important via weakside shotblocking and team defense. We need to be mindful of everything. I'm sure a Yao/Scola/Budinger/Martin/Brooks line-up would score nicely. But the sacrifice on the deensive side would be too large. It's about a deficit. Look at all the parts. We need Ariza to start. When limited to 10-15 shots a game, he is a good player. Once Yao comes back, he will be more open and be taking less shots. It will be better. Shane's "knowing" when to shoot is nice. It was nice. But the philosophy has changed. He doesn't take those shots because he can't make them. We need someone like Chase or Ariza who can score in a variety of ways. 3pt shooting is not needed from the 3 spot anymore - Brooks and Martin will shoot lights out, especially with Yao down low.
10-15 shots a game? I got news for you, if Ariza is taking that many shots, this team is not winning many games I hope you know Yao only averaged 13 shots a game last season.
Except Trevor is more fundamentally sound then CBud at this stage, and Cbud really isn't all that quick. I've seen him get burned by quicker guys far more often than Ariza. I think CBud will develop into a better player than Ariza, just like Brooks over took Alston. But that's the analogy. Rafer is to Ariza and Brooks is to Cbud. Time will come, it will come. You just got to let the kid earn it.
"Knowing when to shoot" is and always will be crucial. Ariza needs to be banished to the bench until he learns that.
That is among the most ridiculous statement I have ever seen here Trevor is the least fundamentally sound player on this team. Fundamentals re his biggest weakness
Does Synergy still have Chase as the worst isolation defender in the NBA? I like CBud and all, but If Trevor can find a way to shoot 43-46% next year, that is who I would take as the fifth option. Fact is, Aaron Brooks/Kevin Martin/Chase Budinger is not going to work If we want to win... I still think we would be better off with a Gerald Wallace type at the 3.
I think Trevor knows that. Trevor openly accepted his role on the Lakers. He had to. He had Kobe and Pau, they are not going to let some guy jack up pointless shots unless his name is Derek Fisher. If you put Yao out there, Ariza WILL take less shots, and if you get Bosh Ariza will be right back to his role. Right now there is no top dog out there, no leader. Basically every player goes out and does what they they want within the offense. Ariza does the same thing and gets flack for it. Right now this team has the feel of a young team, in that they are all here to showcase their talents and Ariza has the right to do just that just like Hill and Taylor do. It's not like no one is telling him to stop. This team needs a leader, a all-star talent. Just look at how Artest has played on offense. Last year we all knew him as the chucker, the guy who forced the play no matter how bad...yet on the Lakers he's trying to fit in as a role player. That's what a leader does. Not saying Yao isn't that though, but this team doesn't have that this year. Honestly, you can make a argument for any of these guys to start, thats why I believe one of them is out of here.
Does this mean Trevor has more God given talent than MJ and Magic put together? Because if he can be a key player to a championship caliber team knowing less fundamentals than a rookie 2nd rounder... think how good he'd be if he learned how to play basketball? Perhaps if he develops... dare I say it... 2010 MVP/DPOY/Finals MVP?
The guy can't shoot or dribble a basketball. Those might be the most fundamental aspects of basketball
Funny seeing Ariza's name in conjunction with 'nasty'. Anyway, I think Bud still needs to come off the bench. We need what we had last year, but haven't really had this year, which is a lockdown defender who we can count on to cover the Peirce's, Lebrons, Kobes, etc. Last year Shane did well in that role, as did Artest. But this year Shane hasn't really been that guy ... Ariza was for a couple of games, but not dependable - remember the first game against LA? Ariza did a number on Kobe ... but I can't say I've seen that type of game for him since then. IMO we need to spend this offseason looking for the guy who we can depend on to bring us sturdy one on one D. Don't need more offense if we can get some D ... I mean give me a break, how many points did we give up last night? 5,326 right? It felt like it anyway. We need to find our defensive leader, soon! Or the lights will go out on the Yao Ming championship era.
