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You'd have to have a huge fat ego to not want to return to the Lakers, they are the 2009 NBA champs, the future looks good. Question is can they get Odom back, he needs money for candy.
Free agent Ariza wants to come back to Lakers
By Beth Harris
Trevor Ariza said Tuesday he would love to return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season.
The fifth-year forward becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, along with teammate Lamar Odom, who made $14.1 million this season and turns 30 in November.
The downtrodden economy, however, could play a part in how much other teams are willing to offer free agents this summer.
Ariza earned $3.1 million this season and he raised his price considerably during the postseason, when he averaged 11.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the Lakers’ run to their 15th NBA championship.
One of the lasting impressions Ariza left on Lakers’ management is shutting down Orlando’s Hedo Turkoglu in the Game 5 clincher on Sunday. Ariza turns 24 in late June.
Ariza had his individual season-ending interview with coach Phil Jackson and general manager Mitch Kupchak on Tuesday.
“I definitely felt a lot of love,” Ariza said about the atmosphere at the meeting. “They definitely told me I improved a lot and they’re happy with the way that I played and how much I was able to help our team.
“I’d love to come back. Money is important, this is our job here, but I built a bond with my coaches and my teammates. We have a really good team and I think we’ll be good for a long time.”
Ariza stressed that the sense of belonging he feels among his teammates is a critical factor in where he plays next season.
“The most important thing for me is to feel like I’m part of something,” he said. “Throughout this process, I’m going to take into consideration a lot of different things, but that’s probably the most important thing.”
With veterans Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher leading the way, Ariza said, “They made me feel as equally important as they are.”
He was acquired by the Lakers in a trade from Orlando in November 2007.
“I didn’t really get a chance to play or I was too young or I didn’t fit into other people’s systems the way they would like me to,” he said.
The 6-foot-8 forward left UCLA after one season and was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 43rd overall pick in 2004.
Coach Phil Jackson has yet to confirm whether he’ll return after winning his record 10th NBA le, moving him past Boston’s Red Auerbach. But some of his players believe he’ll be back.
“I didn’t get the feeling leaving that he wasn’t going to be my coach next season,” Fisher said.
“I could be wrong, but I just think that we have a collection of players with the veteran leadership of Kobe and myself, he can feel good about the ability to coach and manage this team. All the work is not just on him to try to continue to get this team to grow.”
Gasol said he got the feeling Jackson wants to continue coaching.
“I really hope he can coach us again, not just for one year, for as long as he wants or can,” he said.
Luke Walton said the way Jackson spoke led him to believe there won’t be a coaching change next season.
“He was saying what he expects for next year,” Walton said. “Everything he said was with the intention he will be back, but obviously I can’t read him, not many people can.”
Also having exit interviews Tuesday were Jordan Farmar and Sun Yue. The Lakers hold a $736,000 option on Yue for next season.
Bryant, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Odom and others will meet with Jackson and Kupchak later this week.
Fisher has another season at $5 million on his contract, as does Farmar at $1.9 million. Walton has four years and $21.6 million remaining.
You'd have to have a huge fat ego to not want to return to the Lakers, they are the 2009 NBA champs, the future looks good. Question is can they get Odom back, he needs money for candy.
In other news
water is wet
Ariza ain't going anywhere. Odom will probably be rotting away playing up in Toronto or Memphis next year, poor guy.
How is this possible? No one wants to play with the cancer known as Kobe Bryant.
I understand your anger, Ariza is exactly what the Spurs need but he ain't leaving LA! Too bad.
I respect Ariza for wanting to stay @ L.A
I do to but he only wants to stay in LA until some moron GM throws 12 million a year at him
Still wouldnt be surprised if he left. He got a ring, now he may want the green.
Well, if he likes Mitch's offer; why not?I do to but he only wants to stay in LA until some moron GM throws 12 million a year at him
- he can win more rings
- he is from Cali
- he'll be close to his family, which is very important to him, since he lost his brother at a very young age
The only way that Ariza doesn't sign with the lakers is that another team offered him ridiculous money. Odom is more important to sign. Ariza can be replaced, Odom can not be. Our strength is our front line, take Odom out of the equation and the lakers are ed.
Lakers need to keep BOTH Ariza and Odom if they want to win again; not just 1 of them, BOTH of them
Trevar Arizom !
My heart tells me to keep Ariza.
My head tells me Odom is more valuable to this team.
Hope we can keep them both.
True but Dr. Buss is not going to overpay. Ariza's and role players are a dime a dozen. Lamar is one of a kind. The Lakers could pick up another role player and be fine.
I think some of you are underrating how much pressure Ariza takes off Kobe. Last year our closing lineup was Fish, Sasha, Kobe, Lamar, Pau. So Kobe always had to guard the other teams best player, whereas now it's Ariza. Also he's athletic as and shot 40/84 threes in the playoffs! He's our best three pointer shooter now that Sasha is . He is a role player but an insanely key role player that does so much for us, who else could we get that can do what Ariza does? Bynum is going to have to start closing games at some point next year and for sure the year after that, so then what happens with Lamar? We pay him 10 million a year to play 25 minutes and not close games.
That's a legit point.
However, Odom can and has filled all five spots for us at times.
And Shannon Brown, if we are to keep him, will need some burn time also.
Best case scenario would be to keep both and somehow get rid of Sasha and Luke and for Buss to swallow the luxury tax for a season until Adam Morrison can come off the books.
Maybe Lamar would take less and sign a one year deal and then next year he can try to go test the FA market when lots of teams that didn't get their guy may want to go after someone like Odom. That way if Bynum does have a great year next year we can let Odom walk, if Bynum sucks then once Fisher and Adam are off the books we can give him a deal for more. A thought, I don't know, I just can't see us resigning Odom after giving Bynum the money we did. Ariza just seems like the guy they'll go with, especially with how much he's needed at his position. Can't start a season with Luke Walton and Adam Morrison as you're only SF's.
wouldn't ariza look so good with a silver and black jersey on IMO
"Hey Lamar. can you sign a contract for one year only and delay your payday so we can see if Bynum works out? If Bynum gets injured, hey you're here...If Bynum works out...get the off our team."
Nah..not gonna work.
I love Trev. Much better mentality than Odom but we need Odom.
Hopfully, Buss and Kupchack pulls another rabbit out of their asses.
That's the thing, we don't know how Bynum is going to work out. I think he'll get better but what if he doesn't? What if he gets hurt again?
I fully expect LA to retain both Ariza/Odom. Buss/Kobe knows BOTH are vital not only to a repeat, but for potentially beginning a dynasty. Also what it says on the jersey will also play a HUGE factor in them wanting to stay.
both will likely stay. even exectutives at least according to stein say odom could command the MLE. if true he is a laker for sure
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