^ Didn't know he was born in Florida. I assumed so because he went to Westchester High, which is as LA as you can get.
Ariza's PER has been slightly better in LA, but it was pretty good the full season before he was traded, too. I've been arguing off and on about Ariza since he was a Knick and I pointed out that he was as good a prospect as Outlaw (and younger, to boot!). He'd be a significant upgrade at the small forward spot, but I expect Batum to be his peer in the next couple of years, so I'm not sure investing more-than-MLE money makes sense. Ed O.
We'll only take him if he gets a cool crown tattoo just like Kobe on his arm. That would be THUG. Just what the Blazers are looking for.
The reason I wouldn't want him is we do not need a cheap shot artist making us look like A-Holes. The Lakers have him and Odem and Kobe (likes to rape hotel workers). Ariza fits in well there.
Batum is better than him, is younger than him, has a higher ceiling and will continue to be better than him as the years go by. It would be silly to get Ariza to simply be a backup... unless its going to be a star quality SF, i'd rather let Nicolas man teh SF position.
Honestly, DaRizzle, what is the point of this? No one who said they'd like to sign him in this thread claimed he was a bad player last night...just that he was a thug or punk. So this thread proves nothing as far as intellectual dishonesty. It just seems like you trying to provoke...you know, the way a troll would.
There's nothing trolling about reminding people of how much their opinion changed in the span of two weeks. To call him a troll is just being sour.
I just pointed out that no opinions did change. Thinking Ariza is a thug is not contradictory with thinking Ariza is a good player. Reading comprehension helps!
I think this is the main point. Ariza was a punk last night. His after-the-foul behavior was really bad. However, he is not that kind of player in general. He is a good solid defender. Batum has been steadily improving since then and I agree that he should be the emphasis. His combination of athleticism, ball handling, passing and defense really have me excited. His passes to Joel were great. And I know everyone loved his drive past Kobe for the dunk.
And to be perfectly honest, I'd still Ariza on the Blazers. I don't think he's a jerk in general, I just think he made a very ill-considered play last night (but I don't think he had the intention to hurt Rudy). Of course, LA wouldn't let him get away and, after last night, I doubt Portland would want him. So it's moot anyway.
DaRizzle... nice bump. All I can say to all the faker fans, Trevor the thug Ariza and the rest of the sorry ass Lake dogs-and especially you, is: TELL PORTLAND HOW OUR ASS TASTE!!!
Wanting him then hating/vilifying him is contradictory, however. You can't talk your way out of every corner...
How so? If you liked someone and then he punched you, it's contradictory to stop liking him? No one changed their appraisals of his ability as a player. Some may have just stopped liking him due to a (in their perceptions) violent act on his part. However, looking through this thread, I don't even think many (if any) of the people who said they'd like Portland to sign him were among the people "vilifying" Ariza last night. So that presents a further problem in justifying bumping this thread. There's no corner, here. Feel free to point out the problems in the logic above, if you see any.
I'd still take him if becomes available. He did commit a flagrant foul last night, but I don't believe it was intrinsically dirty, and this team can use a couple more players who have a little bit of a mean streak. If anything last night made me want him to be a Blazer more, not less.
You're the one that made it a matter of contradiction. I simply said it's not trolling to remind people of a change of opinion. That's what you do, though. You spin every conversation off into tangents for debate...
