Here’s the Washington Post with a look into the future of the Washington Wizards and Trevor Ariza:
Ariza can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Although he has been a huge contributor to the franchise’s revival, the Wizards have a logjam at his position. Backup forward Martell Webster is in the first year of a long-term deal, and rookie Otto Porter , the third overall in last June’s draft, needs to play, which he can’t do that if he remains buried on the bench.
For now, though, Ariza is on the roster — and the Wizards have needed him.
The Wizards have maintained their solid footing in the Eastern Conference playoff race (they’re currently fifth) despite the loss of Nene, who could miss all but the last few games of the regular season because of a knee injury. The Wizards had been 8-34 without the talented-but-brittle Brazilian big man before this most recent ailment, but they’re 7-3 in this stint entering this week’s four-game Western swing, thanks in large part to Ariza.
Ariza, whose career scoring average is 9.6 points, is at a personal-best 15 points per game this season.With Nene out, Ariza is averaging 19 points.
