September 12, 2018

A few years in the doldrums have seen the Suns try out various young players, looking to identify core players, while also trying to flank them with veterans who can create the right culture and play with sufficient positional IQ to be able to help on the court as well. The results have been on the wrong side of mixed, though, and so as another era begins after their work on draft night, a few veterans remain on the team with little to tie them to the team for the year.

Arthur is only with the team as filler, swapped out for Jared Dudley above purely so as to be able to give the team enough room to trade for Richaun Holmes. He may add some value to the team as a veteran three-and-D frontcourt option, but in a front court with all of Holmes, Ryan Anderson, Deandre Ayton, Dragan Bender and T.J. Warren (assuming his future is mostly at power forward, which it should be) in it, that role will be so small as to be very dispensable. The same is true to a lesser degree of Chandler, a good player for a long time who can still rebound and move despite his age, although that same age makes him a very good buyout candidate. Considering the lack of roster space right now, and the assumed need to sign De'Andre Melton, either or both of these may happen sooner rather than later. To sign Melton will need both roster spots and cap space; the minimum salary exception and cap room mid-level exception, the two things remaining available to be used here, are both limited to a maximum of two years.

In the backcourt and on the wing, while Ariza was brought in on a one-year deal for a huge amount of money precisely to be a stabilising hand on a team short in all areas last season, it is nonetheless only a one-year deal. If things should go badly again on the court this season, Ariza, very much into the back half of his career, may seek to cash out and join a contender. If they see no chance of him returning next year, Phoenix might let him if he gives back the right amount. And as for Daniels - despite being a good shooter on one of the league's worst shooting teams, he just isn't all that helpful.

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June 29, 2018

Trevor Ariza
SF – 6’8, 215lbs - 32 years old - 14 years of experience

With 1,044 NBA games under his belt now, Trevor Ariza is firmly in Wily Old Vet territory. He still looks the same as he always did, and still plays in much the same style as he always did.

By many metrics, Ariza posted pretty much the same season here as he has done over the last two. On the face of it, this man has yet to slow down to any great degree. However, after three consecutive years of his production slumping in the playoffs, maybe it is time to ease off the minutes tap a bit.

When at his best, as he was for so much of the regular season, Ariza’s wiliness still rules the day. He has lost a step, but effort plays, good footwork and good scouting allow him to still take on the hardest defensive matchups every night, particularly in big playoff series. That, plus a high yield of open threes, make for quite the simple yet effective package. So much more cerebral and consistent than his younger self, Ariza has aged gracefully.

He has, however, aged. And he will only continue to do so. Headed into an ill-timed free agency, the Rockets need to find the balance between the right amount of money for Ariza, and the right role for him, all of which is dependent on the outcome of other LeBron James shaped priorities.

If Ariza does still return, though, it should be for a reduced role. Get him on those Iguodala minutes.

Player Plan: Heading into unrestricted free agency off a $7,420,912 contract. Considering future expected performance, he should be in room MLE range to mimic his decline. It would probably cost closer to a taxpayer’s MLE to keep him, though. And there could well be a bidding war. As useful as he has been, how useful will he be from now on?

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June 29, 2017

Trevor Ariza
SF, 6’8, 215lbs, 31 years old, 13 years of experience

Finally getting some offensive help on the wing didn't bolster his own individual scoring efficiency any, yet the offensive numbers he puts up as a fourth option are far better than they were as a second or third option, despite being pretty much exactly the same. (If that makes sense.) He did however seem fresher-legged defensively, even if the metrics do not capture that especially will. On a team-friendly contract that will soon need renewing, all the while getting older, Ariza should be considered trade bait, unless he was partial to a particularly team-friendly extension.

Player Plan: One year and $7,420,912 remaining. As he declines, he may be able to be re-signed for a smaller deal - however, given his already team-friendly contract and decent play on both ends, he also may have value on the market as well as to his team.

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