Recent Lakers rumors are that Trevor Ariza would like to be traded to Los Angeles Lakers.
As the season rolls along, there have been a lot of recent Lakers rumors as we approach December 15th. That day is when players that have signed contracts over the summer are available to be traded.
One of the players that have caught the eye of many teams is Phoenix Suns forward, Trevor Ariza. The Suns signed Ariza to a lucrative one-year deal this offseason after he performed very well with the Houston Rockets.
Since Ariza left the Rockets, they haven’t been the same team as last year, as they certainly miss his defense and three-point shooting. On a very bad Suns team, Ariza is averaging 9.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.
Recently, Boderick Turner of the L.A. Times talked about Ariza’s desire to play for the Lakers once again. Here’s what he had to say.
"The Lakers very much would like to acquire Ariza, the people said. And people close to Ariza, who signed a one-year deal with the Suns for $15 million, said he would like to return home to Los Angeles and play for the Lakers."
Early on in his career, Ariza played with the Laker during the Kobe Bryant years. As part of a championship winning team in Los Angeles, Ariza’s desire to come back with LeBron James this team would be a neat thing to see. With the ability to shoot and play excellent defense, Ariza would be a perfect fit on paper next to LeBron.
While adding Ariza would be good for the Lakers, acquiring him is not going to be easy. For Ariza, the Suns would like to receive either a point guard or draft picks. The Lakers have made it clear that their young core isn’t available for anyone other than a superstar.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope appears to the most likely player to be moved by the Lakers in a potential deal for Ariza. While the Suns don’t need KCP in exchange for Ariza, getting a third-team involved could help make this deal a reality. Even though he doesn’t have a huge role on the Lakers, KCP is certainly capable of helping a contender this year. Once December 15th hits, it will be interesting to see what happens with Ariza.