{"id":18008,"date":"2018-12-17T11:44:31","date_gmt":"2018-12-17T16:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=18008"},"modified":"2018-12-18T21:40:47","modified_gmt":"2018-12-19T02:40:47","slug":"pros-and-cons-washington-wizards-trade-for-trevor-ariza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2018\/12\/17\/pros-and-cons-washington-wizards-trade-for-trevor-ariza\/","title":{"rendered":"Pros and Cons: Washington Wizards Trade for Trevor Ariza"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trevor Ariza<\/a><\/strong> is heading back to Washington after all. <\/span><\/p>\n

After a wild Friday night of trade speculation and what seemed like an all-time botch job<\/a> by Ernie Grunfeld<\/a>, the Washington Wizards<\/a> and Phoenix Suns<\/a> finally worked out a deal<\/a> that sent Austin Rivers<\/a><\/strong> and Kelly Oubre Jr<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to Phoenix for Trevor Ariza. This is Ariza\u2019s second stint with Washington, after playing alongside John Wall<\/a><\/strong> and Bradley Beal<\/a><\/strong> during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. <\/span><\/p>\n

For a team that has been rumored to be shopping any and everyone<\/a> on the roster just last month, this isn\u2019t exactly the blockbuster trade that many were expecting the Wizards to make. But that doesn\u2019t mean it isn\u2019t going to have a big impact on the remainder of Washington’s season. <\/span><\/p>\n

Pros and Cons: Washington Wizards Trade for Trevor Ariza<\/strong><\/h1>\n

PROS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sitting at 11-18 at the time of the trade and in the midst of a 4-game losing streak, the Wizards are hoping Ariza\u2019s arrival ignites a turnaround. Given Ariza\u2019s history in DC, there\u2019s certainly reason to be hopeful. Ariza wasn\u2019t just good in Washington alongside Wall and Beal. He was better than he\u2019s ever been. During the 2013-14 season, Ariza had career highs in points, rebounds, 3p%, and efg%. With Ariza\u2019s help, Washington reached the Eastern Conference semifinals that season. <\/span><\/p>\n

Washington is struggling mightily from behind the arc this season, shooting just 32.8% (27th). They\u2019ll be banking on Ariza to help them get that up. Plus, his ability to guard on the perimeter and rebound should help a team that is amongst the league\u2019s worst. Only Cleveland has a worse Defensive Rating than Washington’s 114.5, and they rank 27th in team rebounding. Ariza joins the Wizards averaging 5.6 rebounds per game, tied for most with Otto Porter Jr<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0among active Wizards players (Howard leads the team with 9.2).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Wizards didn\u2019t just add a solid three-point shooter. They also got rid of two of their least efficient scorers. Rivers and Oubre accounted for more than 17 shots a game, with Oubre averaging a career-high 10.5. They just weren\u2019t converting, at least not as well as other guys on the roster. Among the 9 players averaging at least 6 shots and 14 minutes per game, Rivers had the worst efg% (.477). Only Rivers and Wall have a worse efg% than Oubre (.500). But Oubre\u2019s 10.5 shots have to go somewhere. <\/span><\/p>\n

The likely beneficiary: Otto Porter Jr. Porter is currently day to day with a knee injury, but when he’s back, this trade should open things up for Washington’s highest paid, highly efficient, and often underutilized wing. Fellow wing\u00a0and Washington newcomer Sam Dekker<\/strong><\/a> could benefit, as well. He’s shown promising flashes as an effective new piece in DC. Don’t be surprised if he’s a regular contributor sooner than later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The move should mean more opportunities for Tomas Satoransky<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> too, who has recently found himself in the starting lineup. After struggling to find minutes through the team\u2019s first fifteen games, Satoransky has seen his minutes shoot up. Since November 18, his mpg have doubled, up from 12 to 24. In that time, he\u2019s also raised his shots per game from 3 to 5.2 and his shooting percentage from 31.5% to 52.5%. The more he sees the floor, the better. <\/span><\/p>\n

CONS<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Although Oubre may have been having a less than stellar season thus far, he did represent an emerging young player for Washington. It\u2019s always tough to let that go. However, with Oubre heading towards free agency, it\u2019s unlikely the Wizards would have been able to resign him after this season anyway. The thing is, Washington didn\u2019t exactly get an efficient scorer back for the two inefficient ones they lost. Although Ariza has been a great three and D wing, it’s been a tough season. This year\u2019s efg% of 48.9% is his worst since 2011-12, and worse than Oubre\u2019s efg%. Plus, Washington is unlikely to resign Ariza after this year. They simply have too much money already tied up in Wall, Beal, and Porter. While there\u2019s a reason to be hopeful, nothing’s certain. And nothing has been secured up long-term, either.<\/span><\/p>\n

The short-lived Austin Rivers<\/strong><\/a> experiment may not have been great but it did represent DC\u2019s attempt to deepen the guard position, an issue that has plagued them in the past. Unless there are more pieces coming, the Wizards are once again thin at guard behind their all-star starting backcourt of Wall and Beal. <\/span><\/p>\n

Losing both Oubre and Rivers will also affect the Wizards\u2019 ability to go small, something they have done quite a bit this season, especially with Dwight Howard<\/a><\/strong> sidelined. Rivers and Oubre were both integral to those small-ball lineups and their departures leave a glaring hole. For now, coach Scott Brooks<\/a> will need to do some lineup experimentation. Does Ian Mahinmi<\/strong><\/a> get thrown back into the mix? Or maybe first-round pick Troy Brown Jr<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0finally becomes a regular part of the rotation? Whatever it is, Brooks will need to figure it out quick. The Wizards are on the outside looking in on a competitive Eastern Conference Playoff race and they’re running out of time to turn things around.<\/span><\/p>\n

What’s Next?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This trade might create more questions than answers for a Washington team that has just seemed lost all season. It\u2019s still unclear when Dwight Howard will return and how he\u2019ll fit in with these new-look Wizards. Plus, there\u2019s a reason to be concerned that the original botched trade could further splinter an already tense locker room. They aren’t completely out of the playoff race, yet. Ariza’s arrival could ignite a talented team that has seemingly weathered the early-season storms both on and off the court. Are there more moves to come? We\u2019ll just have to wait and see.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Maim Image:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>