Heat eager to see how versatile Ariza can help on offensive, defensive ends
The Miami Heat has rarely picked the future over the present. The philosophy is almost always focused on winning now, and that’s even more true when stars are on the roster.
“We feel a great responsibility that when you get somebody like Jimmy [Butler], we have to put together a team that is ready to compete right now,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said in December. “It’s not about pushing this thing down the line.”
The acquisition of veteran forward Trevor Ariza isn’t flashy, but it’s another move that surrounds the Heat’s leading duo of Bam Adebayo and Butler with a win-now player who complements their games.
Miami completed a trade Wednesday with the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire Ariza in exchange for Meyers Leonard and a 2027 secondround pick.
Ariza’s Heat debut may come Friday, but that will depend on a few factors.
Although Ariza is listed as out on the injury report for Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team is not formally ruling him out. If the physicals from the trade come back clean and Ariza is cleared from protocols early Friday, which is possible, he could be available to play against the Pacers.
“He’s kind of like a three and defensive guy,” Adebayo said of Ariza following Wednesday’s loss to the Grizzlies in Memphis. “Defense helps us at the end of the day and he spaces the floor. I feel like that will go well with me and Jimmy.”
A three-and-D label may sound limited to some, but it’s the type of player who has worked so well next to Adebayo and Butler.
Like former Heat forward Jae Crowder and current Heat forward Andre Iguodala, Ariza
(6-8, 215) also fits the mold of the modern-day small-ball four who can help unlock some of the Heat’s more versatile and switchable lineups.
“He’s everything that the Miami Heat organization and players are about,” Butler said. “Hard-nosed, plays defense, makes shots, gets everybody involved, teamfirst type of guy. I can’t wait to get in the lab with him.”
But one of the questions surrounding the move is: What will the 35-year-old Ariza look like on the court after missing more than a year of games?
He last played in an NBA game on March 10, 2020, as he opted out of playing in the NBA’s Walt Disney World bubble last season and has been away from the Thunder this season.
Iguodala was in a similar situation when he was traded to the Heat on Feb. 6, 2020.
It had been almost eight months since the then-36year-old Iguodala last played in an NBA game, and he was on the court three days later to play 23 minutes on Feb. 9.
The Heat’s hope is that Ariza will be on that same fast track despite his oneyear NBA hiatus.
“I just want to get him in the gym, get him with our staff, get him with the team, see where he is,” Spoelstra said of Ariza. “I know he’s in great shape. I know his fitness level is extremely high . ... In that regard, yeah, he hasn’t played in an NBA game in a year. But from a fitness level, from everything I’ve heard in talking to him, it reminds me in a similar way of where Andre was last year.”
The Heat has already been one of the league’s best defensive teams, statistically. Miami entered Thursday with the NBA’s top defensive rating since the start of February and the third-best defensive rating for the season.
The addition of Ariza brings another switchable and experienced defender, with his 7-2 wingspan, who has played in 102 playoff games during the first 16 seasons of his NBA career.
While Iguodala has been used as the Heat’s small-ball four in most late-game situations this season, Ariza is another capable option down the stretch of games.
There may even be clutch-time situations in possession games when Ariza and Iguodala are on the court together if the Heat needs a defensive stop.
“He backs down from no challenge, no matter who you are,” Butler said of Ariza’s defense. “He’s great at playing the passing lanes, contesting shots, he’s a great rebounder, as well. But he’s just a smart vet. He knows where he wants to get on the floor on the defensive end, he knows what to take away from guys.”
Ariza’s primary offensive task will be helping to space the floor for Adebayo and Butler. He has shot 35.2 percent on threes during his NBA career, including 37.2 percent on 3.9 three-point attempts per game last season.
Ariza is especially good from the corners, as he has shot 42 percent on corner threes in his past eight seasons.
According to ESPN’s Kirk Goldsberry, Ariza has made the fourth-most corner threes (382) in the NBA over the past fiveplus seasons behind only Klay Thompson, Danny Green and P.J. Tucker.
The Heat’s rotation is already crowded, but it has looked to be one frontcourt rotation player short since the season began.
Miami has found an effective starting frontcourt in Adebayo and
Kelly Olynyk, but there will likely be minutes for Ariza off the bench.
“I think you can easily see, based on his résumé and track record, where he can fit in defensively and that’s as a Swiss Army knife defender with a great deal of experience,” Spoelstra said. “He has played in a lot of different systems. He can guard every position. He’s smart and super long. That immediately fits into our system.”
Injury update: Guard Avery Bradley (right calf strain) and forward Andre Iguodala (left hip soreness) are listed as questionable for Friday.