Phoenix Suns: 3 goals for Trevor Ariza in 2018-19

Trevor Ariza is one of the newest members of the Phoenix Suns, and he’s got a lot of goals that he needs to accomplish in 2018-19 to prove himself.

Aside from guys like LeBron James or Kawhi Leonard, most new arrivals to a team need to prove they deserve their spot in the rotation. That couldn’t be more true for Trevor Ariza, who needs to prove that he deserves a starting spot over rising sophomore Josh Jackson or established scorer T.J. Warren.

Ariza has demonstrated his ability as a low-usage 3-and-D player for the Houston Rockets for the past four years, but the Phoenix Suns aren’t a title contender like the Rockets are. Ariza needs to show that not only is he better than Jackson and Warren, but that he provides more value to the team than just letting the young guys play. That’s no small task, especially considering Jackson’s immense two-way potential and Warren’s knack for getting buckets.

More than just proving himself to this team though, Ariza has to have his long-term career in the back of his mind as well. He’s admittedly aging, but he’s still a productive player on a one-year deal.

This offseason, he could be looking to secure his last big payday of his career. Here are the three goals that Ariza needs to accomplish to help himself both on the Suns and in the future.