What will Suns do with Ariza?
Veteran forward could be dealt for a point guard
Adding Trevor Ariza was a big part of the Suns’ plan to contend for a playoff spot after having four consecutive losing seasons, which included the NBA’s worst record last season.
Things haven’t gone plan.
At 4-19, the Suns are in the midst of their worst start in franchise history and their top two scorers — Devin Booker (hamstring) and T.J. Warren (ankle soreness) — are out with injuries.
Unless things change quickly, Phoenix appears lottery-bound again. The 2019 draft isn’t until June 20, but the Suns have a more pressing date on the immediate horizon.
Dec. 15.
That’s when Ariza, their prized offseason free agent signee, becomes available to trade.
The current NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement states, “a free agent who signs a contract cannot be traded for three months following the date the contract is signed or until December 15, whichever is later.”
Ariza signed a one-year, $15-million deal with the Suns in July.
Several reports are projecting he’ll be dealt, which wasn’t even a thought when Ariza joined the Suns last summer.
The move was viewed as a major win for Phoenix. Ariza looked like an ideal fit for a young team that appeared done with rebuilding and ready to get into the postseason conversation.
Ariza can stretch the floor, defend and has won an NBA title. With a locker next to rookie Deandre Ayton, he became an instant team leader who consistently challenged Ayton to be better.
Ariza has also served as an example for Josh Jackson and rookie Mikal Bridges.
And in the opener, Ariza looked like an ideal fit. He had 21 points in the Suns’ 21-point win over Dallas as he hit 5-of-9 from behind the arc.
Ariza was high-stepping to the bench as the crowd at Talking Stick Resort Arena crowd roared.
That feels like a long time ago now. Losing doesn’t help morale, and Phoenix been doing that most of the season. While his teammates say Ariza remains a positive force in the locker room, he hasn’t been as engaged on the according to court.
Averaging 9.9 points, Ariza missed two games for personal/family reasons, too.
So the Suns might wind up dealing Ariza, especially since they still need a point guard. Ariza would be an attractive piece to swap for a player at that position.
Take the Los Angeles Lakers for example.
They have Lonzo Ball, Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson, but with LeBron James, the Lakers could do without one of them.
Of the three, Rondo might be the best fit in Phoenix because of his experience, but Ball could create an up-tempo style which could help maximize the Suns’ youth.
Getting a point guard would put Booker back at the two and take some of the load off of him.
On the flip side, the Lakers would get someone in Ariza who can jolt their 3point shooting. Los Angeles is 20th in the NBA in 3-point shooting at 34.5 percent going into Tuesday’s games.
Ariza is shooting 35.7 percent from 3, but that number would likely go up with the open looks he’d get playing with James.
In Phoenix, Ariza, 33, has had to create shots for himself and others off the dribble much more than in Houston, where he was primarily a catch-andshoot guy playing with Chris Paul and James Harden.
Plus, he’s a fan favorite in his hometown of Los Angeles where he played college ball at UCLA and won an NBA title with the Lakers in 2009. Ariza received a resounding ovation during pregame intros before Sunday’s game at Staples Center.
The Suns bought out Tyson Chandler, who joined the Lakers. They cut Isaiah Canaan last week and fired General Manager Ryan McDonough before the season.
So trading Ariza wouldn’t be a surprise. He’d be a great value for another team and the Suns could get someone of value in return.
In explaining the rationale behind signing Arizona as a free agent, McDonough compared it to Philadelphia paying J.J. Redick $23 million for a year last season.
“We thought Ariza would help us take a step from rebuilding to hopefully being playoff competitive and then we could build from there either with Ariza or with an elite free agent in the 2019 class,” McDonough said in an interview on ESPN’s “The Jump” last month.
The Suns right now are far from being playoff competitive.
Ariza shouldn’t shoulder the blame for that, but Phoenix might look to deal him for a point guard or another player who can help them take that next step.