Tag: Trevor Ariza

Former Lakers forward Trevor Ariza says Kobe Bryant is the best player ever

Trevor Ariza, a forward for the Lakers in the late 2000s, feels his then-teammate Kobe Bryant is the best player in NBA history.

These days, the debate of who the greatest player in NBA history is revolves almost completely around Michael Jordan and LeBron James. While people seem to be generally split on generational lines, more and more members of Generation X and the Baby Boomer generation feel James is the greatest player in basketball history.

One recent great player who has gotten left out of this debate is the late Kobe Bryant. With five NBA championships, two scoring titles, two NBA Finals MVP awards and numerous other individual honors and accomplishments, few can say they have a better resume or legacy than the Black Mamba.

Former NBA player Trevor Ariza, a former teammate of Bryant, told Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe while on the podcast “Club Shay Shay” that Bryant, and not Jordan or James, is the best ever (h/t Lakers Daily).

Ariza came to the Lakers early in the 2007-08 season as an undeveloped 22-year-old forward. He quickly emerged as an effective team defender and fast-break finisher, and he was a key member of the 2009 Lakers squad that won it all.

His contributions to that team led to him having a productive 18-year NBA career. He ended that career as a member of the Lakers two seasons ago, which gave him the opportunity to also play alongside James.

Q&A: Baron Davis on the exciting Flight Club Invitational tournament at Crossroads School

Flight Club recently announced a multi-year partnership with Crossroads.

Two-time NBA All-Star guard Baron Davis is the most notable basketball alumnus of Crossroads School For Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica, California.

He was named Gatorade National Player of the Year in 1997 and led his school to win The Beach Ball Classic tournament in South Carolina when he was in high school.

Decades later, the former McDonald’s All-American is returning to the campus as the Crossroads School’s Boys High School Basketball Team hosts its inaugural Flight Club Invitational basketball tournament on October 28 and 29.

Flight Club recently announced a unique, multi-year partnership with Crossroads. The sneaker consignment store will produce exclusive jerseys and products for the team and coaching staff.

Davis will attend the Crossroads Sports Complex in Santa Monica as several nationally ranked teams are set to compete in this one-of-a-kind tournament.

Some of the players who will take the court include Bryce James (son of LeBron James), Alijah Arenas (son of Gilbert Arenas), Tajh Ariza (son of Trevor Ariza) and Mercy Miller (son of Master P). Other top prospects include five-star recruit Jason Crowe Jr. and four-star recruits such as Naas Cunningham and Emmanuel Stephen.

For The Win spoke with Davis to discuss the tournament, parenting two young children and his own sneaker collection.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Unsung Lakers heroes of the past: Trevor Ariza

A look back at forward Trevor Ariza, an important but unheralded part of the Lakers’ 2009 team that won the NBA championship.

In this ongoing series, we take a trip to yesteryear to highlight Los Angeles Lakers players some fans may have forgotten. These players didn’t get the billing others enjoyed, but they were instrumental to the Lakers’ success.

In 2007, the Lakers were clinging to the fringes of respectability. They had been run out of the gym in consecutive seasons by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. Other than Kobe Bryant, they had very little viable talent. Bryant had demanded a trade, and it looked like the beginning of the end for the franchise.

Trevor Ariza was one of the young players who would help it return to greatness that fall. But when he first arrived, he was very much a nondescript player.

Ranking the 21 players who have played for the most (at least 10!) NBA teams

Ish Smith has now suited up for nearly half the teams in the league. Who else comes close?

There is something special about a journeyman who has experience playing for various different franchises during their NBA careers.

As of the time of publishing this article, there are 21 players who played at least one game for at least 10 different teams around the league. While many are former undrafted free agents who scrapped and clawed their way around to stay pros, others were former top picks.

Joe Smith (No. 1 overall pick in 1995), Jim Jackson (No. 4 pick in 1992), Jeff Green (No. 5 pick in 2007) and D.J. Augustin (No. 9 pick in 2008) were lottery picks before bouncing around from team to team.

One reason for this is that you have to be pretty good to convince so many teams that you are worth an NBA contract.

So we took a look at the players who have played for the most teams while in the NBA. Feel free to use this as a resource next time you are having trouble guessing a player for Immaculate Grid.

Note that some active players who could potentially make this list in the future if they keep signing with new teams in the NBA include Justin Holiday, Robin Lopez, Jae Crowder, Seth Curry, George Hill, JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris and Noah Vonleh.

The pie charts provided below indicate how many games each player played with each team so you can track longevity.

All data is available via Basketball-Reference and NBA.com.

Lakers player season grades: Trevor Ariza

Our final analysis of Trevor Ariza’s performance this season.

Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers will remember Trevor Ariza as a young, energetic forward who made his name as a member of the team in the late 2000s.

He was traded to L.A. in an unheralded deal early in the 2007-08 season. At the time, he possessed athleticism and energy but was undeveloped.

For then-head coach Phil Jackson, Ariza was a wet ball of clay looking to be shaped and molded.

He quickly became an indispensable role player for Kobe Bryant and crew, helping them win the NBA championship in 2009 with his defense, ability to finish in transition and timely 3-point shooting.

Last summer, general manager Rob Pelinka, Bryant’s former agent, brought Ariza back in the hopes he still had something left in the tank.

Unfortunately, he didn’t.

Lakers plan to waive Trevor Ariza

Forward Trevor Ariza will reportedly be waived in order to create a roster spot. Who could the Lakers fill that spot with?

With their disastrous 2021-22 season nearing an end, the Los Angeles Lakers are about to make a roster move.

It is not a sexy one, but it could have some implications down the road.

Via Lakers Daily:

“The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly intend to waive veteran forward Trevor Ariza in order to free up an extra roster spot.

“The Lakers could use the roster spot to convert a young player to an NBA deal or sign a player that is a free agent.”

Ariza, 36, was signed as a free agent last summer. Management expected him to provide quality depth in the frontcourt, especially while playing the 4 position.

However, he proved that he is washed up. The University of California, Los Angeles product is averaging just 4.0 points in 19.3 minutes per game while shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 27.0 percent from 3-point range.

If the Lakers will use the roster spot that will be created to convert a young player, it could presumably mean that forward Wenyen Gabriel would be signed to a contract. He is currently on a two-way deal.

Gabriel, a young, energetic 6-foot-9 frontcourt player, is raw, but he has impressed head coach Frank Vogel with his energy and effort, especially on the defensive end.

However, L.A. could also use that spot to sign another player.

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Los Angeles Lakers’ Trevor Ariza enters health and safety protocols

A fifth Laker has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to the team.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Trevor Ariza has reportedly entered health and safety protocols, according to the team. Ariza is the Lakers’ fifth player to enter protocols, alongside Avery Bradley, Malik Monk, Kent Bazemore and Austin Reaves. Head coach Frank Vogel is also in protocols as well. The roster is down to 12 available players for Thursday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Ariza has played in just two games this season for the Lakers after returning from ankle surgery, averaging 7.5 points and three rebounds in those two games. He has averaged 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game in his career.

The former second-round pick has spent time with the 10 different organizations in 17 years in the NBA, including five seasons with the Houston Rockets. This is his second stint with the Lakers after playing in Los Angeles from 2007 to 2009.

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Lakers’ Trevor Ariza explains how he feels after making season debut

Los Angeles Lakers forward Trevor Ariza discussed his first game of the season after undergoing surgery.

Trevor Ariza made his long-awaited debut for the Los Angeles Lakers in Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bulls.

The Lakers signed Ariza to a one-year deal over the summer with hopes of inserting him into the starting lineup with his prowess at both ends of the court, but an ankle injury before the preseason had kept him sidelined.

Ariza played 15 minutes off the bench and hit a left-corner 3 — his only make — logged two assists and a rebound.

After the game, Ariza explained how he felt after not playing for a few months.

“I wanted to play; I’ve been wanting to play,” Ariza said. “I got cleared today to play, and I was able to get out there for a few minutes. I felt pretty good, obviously being out for so long, it takes a bit of time to catch up to the speed of the game. But for the most part, I felt really good. My wind felt pretty good.”

With Anthony Davis out for at least the next four weeks, the Lakers will need a healthy Ariza to continue deploying centerless lineups, which can include Ariza playing the 5.

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Lakers’ Trevor Ariza to make season debut vs. Bulls

Trevor Ariza is making his debut this season for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Trevor Ariza is available and will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers tonight, confirmed acting head coach David Fizdale.

The Lakers are on the road against the Chicago Bulls, but health and safety protocols have decimated the roster.

Los Angeles will be playing without seven players, not including Anthony Davis, who is out for at least four weeks with an MCL sprain.

Getting Ariza back is huge for the Lakers. The Lakers have been a team short on forward depth all season long, but Ariza’s defensive abilities will help L.A. on that end of the floor.

He’s also been a handy catch-and-shoot asset on offense, which will help LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.

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Trevor Ariza, Rajon Rondo, Kent Bazemore to practice with South Bay Lakers Monday

The Los Angeles Lakers are sending three players to practice with its G League affiliate Monday.

The Los Angeles Lakers are sending three players to practice with the South Bay Lakers, its G League affiliate, Monday.

Trevor Ariza, Rajon Rondo and Kent Bazemore are those players and have different reasons for the short move.

Ariza is progressing from the ankle injury he suffered before the preseason started. He has yet to make his debut this season, so getting time with South Bay will help him ramp up his conditioning in order to return to the first team.

Rondo and Bazemore have each fallen out of the rotation, so this time allows them to stay ready. Rondo has not played since Nov. 30 when he logged nine minutes in a blowout win of the Sacramento Kings. Bazemore has appeared in garbage-time situations in three of the last six games.

All three players signed one-year deals worth the veteran minimum this summer.

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