2018 NBA free agency grades: Suns will ink Trevor Ariza
The Phoenix Suns used the majority of their cap space to sign Trevor Ariza to a one-year, $15 million deal. Here are grades for the move.
Heading into the offseason, the Phoenix Suns had glaring needs for a point guard and a center. They quickly addressed the 5-spot by drafting Deandre Ayton first overall, and eventually traded up for the 10th overall pick, established wing prospect Mikal Bridges.
At No. 31, they found a first round talent in Elie Okobo, but point guard remained a huge need for a team looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. After all, it’d be unfair to expect the 20-year-old French rookie to hold down the starting point guard job, and no offense to Brandon Knight, but the 1 was still easily Phoenix’s weakest position.
With free agency approaching, it seemed like this was the spot for general manager Ryan McDonough to address. Unfortunately, the point guards on the market weren’t particularly strong, and so the Suns used the majority of their cap space to agree to terms with veteran Trevor Ariza within the first 24 hours of free agency.
On a one-year deal worth $15 million (first reported by Yahoo! Sports‘ Shams Charania), Ariza will be going from the team with the best record in the NBA last year to the team with the worst. The move may seem odd on the surface, but it’s actually not a bad addition at all.
More reaction to Trevor Ariza signing with PHX...
— Jon Bloom (@JonBloom) July 1, 2018
"He's got respect, total respect in that locker room and it's hard to replace a guy like that"
David Aldridge on NBATV
"And that's why it's such a huge positive for Phoenix"
David Griffin on NBATV
Last season with the Houston Rockets, the 33-year-old swingman averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He also shot 36.8 percent from 3-point range on a career-high 6.9 attempts per game.
Despite the lack of a reliable starting point guard, depth at center or an established power forward, McDonough targeted a 14-year veteran and added to a glut of wing depth. In a small-ball league that places a premium on 3-point shooting and defensive versatility, the Suns are really taking modern trends to heart.
While Phoenix’s need for veterans that can actually contribute on the court was well-documented, Ariza joins a roster that already includes Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, T.J. Warren, Mikal Bridges, Troy Daniels, Davon Reed, Jared Dudley and George King on the wing. Either quite a few wings are on the move soon, or McDonough is building an airplane.
NBA: you need as many versatile, switchable swingman as possible
— Matt Petersen (@TheMattPetersen) July 1, 2018
Suns: WE GOTS JACKSON AND BRIDGES AND WARREN AND ARIZA THO
The wing logjam is less of a problem than it seems with the way the league is trending. Ariza, Jackson, Bridges and Warren can all see time as small-ball 4s in wing-heavy lineups that prioritize switchability on defense.
More than likely though, this move could — or should — signal a trade is imminent.
With Jackson looking like Phoenix’s wing of the future and the team trading up to draft Bridges, Warren appears to be the odd man out since he can neither spread the floor to 3-point range nor serve as a lockdown defender.
I didn’t like the idea of the Suns signing Ariza because I assumed it would be a 3 or 4 year deal. As a one year deal I think it’s great. Now move TJ and don’t do nothing stupid and we’re all set.
— Chris (@Chris_Coffel) July 1, 2018
Trading one of these prominent wings for a point guard seems to be the dream outcome, but even if another move isn’t imminent, Ariza still makes sense for this young roster. Tyson Chandler and Jared Dudley are useful locker room mentors, but their days of being useful on-court examples are over.
Ariza is a terrific defender, spreads the floor the 3-point range, will be a great mentor for Josh Jackson and can take some pressure off Devin Booker on both ends of the floor.
While $15 million is a significant overpay for a player Ariza’s age — especially in such a tight market — it was necessary in order for a recent tank job like the Suns to steal established talent from a playoff contender. Since it’s only a one-year deal, the overpay is manageable and it keeps flexibility open for next summer.
Sorry, I messed up here forgetting to add in the new rookie contracts of Ayton, Bridges and Okobo. It’s closer to around $45 million in space instead, but that’s still a max slot plus two high quality players. It’s on the Suns now to become attractive to big fish names this year.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 1, 2018
Considering some of the wing alternatives that McDonough was reportedly considering, Suns fans should be grateful for how things turned out.
Finding a point guard or a stretch-4 was the top priority for the Phoenix Suns after the draft, but the best options at the 1 were Marcus Smart, Fred VanVleet, Avery Bradley and Dante Exum — all prospects or restricted free agents who were either flawed, unproven as lead guards or likely to have offer sheets matched by their respective teams.
The trade market is where the Suns will look to address their biggest need (assuming Knight isn’t their answer, which he shouldn’t be). Ariza will help the Suns improve in 2018-19, his large salary will come off the books next summer and his arrival could help McDonough pull the trigger on a much-needed T.J. Warren trade. It wasn’t the move everyone expected, but it’s certainly not a bad maneuver either.
Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Grade: B