Hornets-Collison & Posey out--Trevor Ariza in....

Most Lakers fans wanted to keep Ariza instead of getting Ron Artest. Artest was the bigger name, but Ariza was younger and a better fit for the Lakers. But, I thought the Lakers were scared off from signing Ariza after their experience with Sasha V. who had a breakout season that contract year but then couldn't get off the bench after the Lakers signed The Machine to that multi-year contract.

I like Arizia- he's a good guy, tough, quick and athletic, gives you good D. For his offense, he's more of a slasher who relies on his quickness and athleticism to dunk the ball. He's not really a shooter, notwithstanding his three point shooting percentage during the playoffs when the Lakers won the title. During that run, those shots were wide open where the other teams dared Ariza to shoot it. The following season, Ariza's 3 point shooting percentage fell back to earth.

Can't say enough good things about him. I really like him, and championship teams need players like him to win. But, big picture, this was a terrible, just terrible trade. As much as I liked him, he's kinda like a Matt Barnes and I like Matt Barnes- an important role player but still a role player. You wouldn't trade Collison for Matt Barnes, just like you shouldn't have traded away Collison for Ariza.

The Hornets had two trading chips, CP3 and Collison, that other teams wanted. If you're going to trade one of those chips away to try to clear salary, you needed to make the other team take on Okafur's contract.

The trade didn't do anything drastic enough to improve the Hornets that's going to convince CP3 to stay. It didn't free up cap space to go out and get a elite free agent, not that there was any left in free agency. And, Ariza by himself isn't going to make the Hornets that much better.

So, you've still got a disgruntled player in CP3 who's going to try to force a trade. And, now you don't have Collison waiting in the wings if you traded away CP3.

 

Its actually a good trade for the Hornets, the one thing CP3 needs on this team is guys who are super athletic because of his abilities as a point guard. Ariza fits the mold and he can defend and shoot the 3. It hurts losing Collinson but their are other guards that can take some of the pressure off of CP3 on the market right now.

 

I agree with Weisguy. Ariza is a good player with an upside, but you don't get rid of a future all-star to get him. Now with CP3 already about to jump town, we won't have any point guards after next year...we needed to get more value from losing Collison. There's a reason why everyone is saying Indiana came out on top.

And I wouldn't consider DWest to be a jumpshooter. He does most of his work in the paint, but he can most definitely hit the jumper off the pick and pop.

 

Cant say if this was a good trade or not...but I had fun watching Ariza when he was with the Magic. He was one of my favs.

 

My issue with it is this:

When and I do say WHEN Paul gets injured, whether legitimately or because he's just pissed off and pretends to have a hurt hammy, who will be the PG now?

Anyone who thinks Paul will be with this team past 2012 is off their nut.

His entire career is being run by Lebron James, and it's been this way for quite a while now.

The Heat will lose the first year or two (won't mesh), then they'll trade Bosh (who they never wanted in the first place) and get Paul (Lebron's "little brother").

 

yeah, I am not as saavy with this stuff as some of you guys, but i am with you about getting rid of Collison with CP3 not likely to stay long-term and penchant for injuries (real or not) irregardless of who they got return, unless it was a can't miss/gotta have kind of player. just doesn't seem to meet the logic test.

 

you shouldnt worry, Chris Paul has more sense than that I believe. Also, the odds are higher when it comes to finding a really good point guard in the draft, than a big man.

 

In other words, you've got a first time coach and a first time GM who will be both new and untested. Your new GM could be the next Sam Pressti or the next Danny Ferry, who were also both from the Spurs organization.

You're right not to expect a miracle one-year turnaround. Assuming everything goes right and the Hornets actually made the right choices with their GM and coach, it still takes years to change the culture and make the right draft picks over several years to make that team better.

But, the problem is that the Hornets essentially only have a year, maybe year and a half, to turn around the organization even though you just said that wasn't going to happen. Its not like the Hornets just signed CP3 to a 6 year deal where they have 6 years to build a team around him.

To keep CP3, you're going have to convince him that the Hornets have not just improved, but are good enough to compete with the Lakers and Heat for NBA championships. And, with only two years left on his contract, you've only got a small window to do that.

You just threw the old GM under the bus for having "a reputation for misfiring in the draft", yet he's the one who handled this year's draft. So, even if the new GM is a significant improvement in drafting, he's only got 1 draft in CP3's last year to improve the team through the draft and it might be too late by then.