Matt graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in May of 2007 majoring in TV Production. Matt is currently a writer at StaticMultimedia.com, TheBleacherReport.com, NationalSportsNation.com, SportsMixed.com, FanFever.com, Filmcatcher.com, 2 Much Swag, and TheHoopDoctors.com. Matt will provide you with insightful wit and an eager eye for sports.
Last season Trevor Ariza was one of the most important reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title.
Yes, the 2009 Lake show was immensely deep with Kobe, Pau, Bynum, and Odom, among a cast of others but Ariza brought his hardhat and lunch pail to work everyday and did the things (diving on the floor, guarding the opposition’s best player, taking charges, making the extra pass, and being offensively opportunistic and not selfish) the stars on the team did not want to.
Ariza was all over the court, as a 23-year-old kid should be. He averaged only nine ppg, four rpg, and nearly two apg and spg but he clearly stepped his game up in the post season.
In seven more minutes per game, Ariza improved his ppg, bpg, apg, and knocked down three pointers at a 47% clip. Without Ariza the Los Angeles Lakers lose to the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals, and maybe to the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals.
This off-season Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak had a decision to make, either resign potential All Star Trevor Ariza or sign the aging free agent Ron Artest.
The Lakers GM decided to take a huge gamble and sign the over the hill Ron Artest instead of a player that fits in any system, knows his role, and is a potential 2010 All Star.
Although Kupchak is in control of all player personal decisions, this one might have been Kobe’s call. Kobe and Ron are friends, or frenemies, and everyone knows about the infamous “Ron Artest came into the Lakers shower to tell Kobe he wants to play for them” story and I believe Kobe really wanted Ron, for some odd reason.
Kupchak is one of the best in the business and rarely makes a mistake (although signing Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic to lucrative long-term deals are mistakes) and I cannot believe he would have made this decision. Artest is six years older than Ariza and Artest cannot do the things he used to do.
Both players signed the exact same contract last off-season, 5 years worth $33 million.
It was clearly a situation where Kupchak had to make a decision: Ariza or Artest and he chose the older, slower, more volatile player that has never won on any level.
The days of Ron Artest guarding the opposing team’s best player, like Ariza did, are over. Kobe will now guard the opposition’s best player because he can actually stop them and probably injured his groin defending because that is what happens when you are older and trying to defend 23 year olds.
Artest is still a good defender but he can guard a PF better than he can a SF/SG.
Ariza’s best asset is when he gave Kobe rest, as he defended Carmelo Anthony and Rashard Lewis. Ron Artest cannot keep up with those kids any longer and it was a total mistake by the Lakers to not resign one of the best young players in the NBA.
Currently 11th in the NBA in mpg at 38.2, Ariza is averaging 18 ppg, 2 spg, 5 rpg, and 4 apg and although he would not come close to averaging those numbers on the Lakers, he would be one of their best players (Kobe, Pau, Bynum/Ariza) and still might be an All Star this season.
On the other hand, Ron Artest has struggled in his first three weeks with the Champs. Averaging only 12 ppg, his lowest since 2002, and his rebounding and steal numbers are also down.
He is clearly not the same player he used to be and although Ariza would have similar numbers on the Lakers, Kobe is already doing too much work, hence the injured groin.
The Lakers would not be 7-3 with Trevor Ariza and there would still be chatter of 70 wins in LA LA land. But without Ariza and with Artest, the Lakers are struggling with little help from their bench.
Whoever’s idea that was to sign Artest over Ariza (Kobe or Kupchak) is looking foolish and might look even sillier when Ariza makes this year’s All Star Team. This season was supposed to be a nice smooth ride to a repeat but with a sluggish start, injuries to Pau, Kobe, and Walton, this season has started on treacherous waters.
