The LA Lakers are nearing completion of a three-way trade to acquire Trevor Ariza, which, in turn, will impact the Golden State Warriors.
When the “LeBron James will sign will the Los Angeles Lakers” came over the phones of the Golden State Warriors’ dedicate fanbase, they knew the fight to the Finals wouldn’t be a cakewalk like it has been in the past. Trevor Ariza to LA might make that fight even more difficult.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers are trying to acquire the 15-year veteran. They’re trying to do so by adding in a third team that is willing to take on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s contract. Unknown to many, Caldwell-Pope actually has ‘veto power’ factored into his contract.
"Caldwell-Pope has veto power on a trade, but the Lakers have shown an ability to work with his agent, Rich Paul, if there’s a deal that might increase his role and possibly get him signed to a deal this summer with a new team, league sources said. Caldwell-Pope is on a one-year, $12 million contract."
Considering his role with the team, it might be imperative to Caldwell-Pope where he heads. Will that team succeed? What if it’s a team in disarray like Chicago? On the other hand, teams with cap space might want the defensive-minded Caldwell-Pope.
After all, he’s proven to be a solid 3-and-D weapon throughout his career. That said, Ariza has actually had one of his worst professional seasons this year. Averaging just 9.7 points per game, Ariza is under a double-figure average for the first time in over half a decade.
The Lakers likely feel that they can bring Ariza back to relevance with better looks and a smoother system. In Phoenix, he’s had to create most of his shots, a task he doesn’t typically excel at. With LeBron and Lonzo at the helm, Ariza would just have to put the ball in the bucket.