Los Angeles Lakers: Why signing Trevor Ariza makes sense

As the Los Angeles Lakers prepare to fill out their roster, here is why signing Trevor Ariza makes sense.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of their biggest offseason in team history. They are coming off their biggest trade in franchise history. The Lakers have agreed to trade Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first round picks for Anthony Davis. Now they have their eyes set on some free-agents to fill out their roster. One player that makes a lot of sense for the Lakers is Trevor Ariza.

I will begin my case by stating that Trevor Ariza has some history with the purple and gold. Ariza is one of the most loved Lakers in recent memory. The reason is that he was a key component to the Lakers team that won the title in 2009. In the postseason, Ariza played unbelievable basketball. The wing averaged 11.3 points on 50 percent from 3-point range throughout their title run. Due to failed contract negotiations, Ariza went for the bigger bucks in Houston.

Trevor Ariza isn’t the same player he was in his short stint (2007-09) in LA. Ariza is not your typical 33-year-old who is entering his 16th season. He is a lot better and has a lot left in the tank. Last year, Ariza averaged 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Ariza started the season in Phoenix before being traded to Washington, where he ended the year.

From 2014-18, Ariza was a huge part of the Rockets success. A team that fell short to Golden State in seven games in the Western Conference Finals in 2018. Many feel Ariza was the Rockets’ most important player besides James Harden. Ariza does all the little things and rarely makes mistakes. He was not only their best defender, but he averaged 2.4 three-pointers per contest. He makes plays off the bounce unlike most players labeled “3-and-D”. Without Ariza this season, the Rockets were eliminated in six games in the Conference Semifinals.

Signing Ariza would be big for the Lakers. He will likely come at a cheaper cost than players like Danny Green, J.J. Redick, and Bojan Bogdanovic. Last year, Ariza was on a one-year $15 million contract. So it’s realistic that he takes a smaller contract and he signs in the range of a $8-10 million per season. One thing to consider is that it was reported earlier in the season that the Lakers were a team he was interested in being traded to.

Trevor Ariza doesn’t need the ball in his hands to succeed. This is important for the Lakers because they already have three scorers in LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kyle Kuzma. Ariza played some of his best basketball alongside Chris Paul and James Harden, two ball dominant players. The Lakers will need Ariza’s defense as they lost some of their top defenders in Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart.

Three-point shooting is another area where the Lakers need all the help they can get. Last year, the Lakers ranked 29th in the league, shooting it at 33 percent. Ariza is a career 35 percent shooter and is good for about two makes per contest.

Signing Ariza is a low-risk, high reward move. He is a smart player, a team-first guy, and a proven veteran. He has played in at least 67 games in six straight seasons. It’s time for the Lakers to contact Trevor Ariza and his camp. The Lakers can surely use his services.