Less money for a garbage team when we offered more money. Wheres the "no appreciation" in that?
Yeah, I don't understand what the hell happened with that. Either Ariza was a complete moron or he should be firing his agent right now. The Lakers were offering slightly more per year with 2 years less than Rockets. In the short-run, the Lakers were actually offering more money if you think about it, but I guess Ariza was looking for some long-term deal. I am sure he could have gotten a new contract worth more money in 3 years when the economy is better and a year after the 10-11 FA madness over if he had signed with the Lakers this summer.. Unfortunately, it is too late now, and the decision he made is how it will go. David Lee turns out to be an idiot.
Artest for Ariza?? Whoever thinks we aren't totally gipping another team needs to compare these 2 players. We actually upgraded on the defensive end with a 2 time 1st defensive team player as well as 04 defensive player of the year. He gets as much steals as ariza per game and can hit the three just as well too
Good job MItch!!! It's like that Gasol trade all over again. Brilliant front office moves
David Lee needs to be shot... Trevor needs to send that guy packing. the lakers offered him the same package and it could have been six years and the raises are bigger then the 8% he'll get from the rockets...
Man, I am really torn over this... I was a huge Ariza fan, def one of my favorite Lakers over the last season.
1) Trevor needs to fire his agent, who we already knew was terrible. He got screwed in this deal. Rockets for the same money, when you could contend for more titles every year and play with Kobe and the Lakers in your hometown where you grew up dreaming of playing.
2) Getting more years is actually a bad move for Ariza since he is losing out at another crack at free agency (and big money, not the MLE) if he continues to improve.
3) Ron Artest is a better player on both sides of the court, and in that respect this move is an upgrade at the small forward. However, Trevor was a perfect fit and the chemistry was great - and we don't know if Artest will fit as well.
GOOD LUCK TREVOR! THX FOR THE MEMORIES, PS: FIRE YOUR AGENT! HE KNEW HE WAS GAMBLING WITH YOUR FUTURE AND THAT NO OTHER TEAM WAS GOING TO GIVE YOU MORE THAN THE MLE, YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE LAKERS FIRST OFFER!
IMO. Ariza is IDEAL for the lakers. The current lakers team lacks a player like ariza. A lowkey player who plays good defense, can hit the open shot and can run the floor and rebound.
A guy like Ariza is a BAAAAAAAD fit for the rockets. The rockets didnt need a guy like Ariza. Why/.? They have Shane Battier. They needed a guy like ARtest. A guy that can create his own shot, create for others.
The lakers dont need a guy that can create his own shot. Not with mr Bryant,LO,pau,Bynum on the team. We dont need a guy that takes up a lot of attention.
What the lakers needed, was a guy like ariza. He was the perfect piece to our puzzle. With artest, I'm just afraid he might be too much of a player and quite frankly, the piece might be too big to fit into the missing hole of the lakers' puzzle.
regardless if he felt slighted or not by the Lakers for not ponying up big $$$, the facts remain that there was little cap space out there and only a select few teams could offer him more. And those teams probably were not going to give it to him. its a business. So why should the Lakers overpay for him? At the end of the day his best option was the Lakers. I'm guessing his agent had a lot to do with the feeling slighted, like anything lest than 8-9 mil is a slap in the face. Its such a slap in the face that no other team offered more than the MLE...hmmm.
I have a feeling the Lakers did not want to go more than 3 years at the MLE and frankly I cant blame them. Look at the past MLE signings, Devon George, Luke Walton, Vlad Rad, and Sasha (was a little less than the full MLE). Like the Lakes I feel Ariza still hasnt proved himself yet.
So money wise I get it that Houston will give him two more years.
That might not be in his best interest long term however. With LA he fit the system perfectly. All the attention was paid to Kobe and Pau, and he got to lie in the weeds unnoticed and do his damage. He looks better than he really is individually. Plus he had no pressure on him.
Now he goes to HOU without YAO, Artest, and McGrady. I expect him to struggle in that enviornment as he'll have more pressure on him and in a system where he will have to do more.
If he had stayed with the Lakers for 3 years, he would look and produce better due to the systems and surrounding players and could have tried for another big payday at that time. Instead, as I stated earlier he'll struggle and look bad because of the higher expectations I dont think he can get to with that team. So after this deal expires its doubtful he's going to get a big deal.
Anyways when its all said and done, I say Ariza was a good player for the Lakers,had a great playoff run, but was expendable. You never overpay for role players.
As much as I am not an Artest fan, he will fill the role fine. With Kobe and Pau they dont need a stud, they just need a role player and perferablly one that plays defense at SF.
LO is much more important. If they get him signed its a succefull offseason.
I never thought I'd see Artest in a Laker uni, geez, I'm hoping he proves me wrong and fits in.
Good Luck Trevor. you were the best last season, I wish we can keep you but I don't want to pay too much for our hot dogs and beer in staple center too.
He's my favorite. To bad Lakers cheapen out on him.
How much do you really think he is worth? I honestly think Ariza is a better overall fit for this team, but given the market for him and given he is essentially just a role player, it was probably really hard for the Lakers to give him 7-8 mil when they knew they could get Artest for less years and at a lower cost. His agent screwed him. Played hardball and got owned. Best of luck to him, but this is his agents fault
Re: Ariza to Rockets!
