Golden State Warriors: How Trevor Ariza to the Lakers will impact the Dubs
Ariza’s numbers and Pope’s role
This season, and even in last season’s postseason, Ariza failed to score consistently, making this trade even more intriguing. In the postseason, when the going got tough, Ariza dropped the ball, averaging under 30% from downtown, his usual bread-and-butter.
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Ariza does have his identity for a reason though. He’s averaged over two threes per game in five consecutive seasons prior to joining the Phoenix Suns. And, the Lakers, who rank 19th in threes per game and three-point shooting percentage, could use the additional help from deep.
Pope and Ariza have extremely similar games. While Pope is a shooting guard and Ariza a forward, the two are both known for their 3-and-D mentality. This trade means that the Lakers have lost trust in Pope, and rightfully so.
Unlike Ariza, Pope can’t even hit 40% of his shots, one reason he might find himself elsewhere. And, as Woj details, Pope may only take a deal that lands him a chance at an even more lucrative contract.
This situation will be interesting moving forward, and assuming Ariza is dealt, how might it impact the Warriors and the rest of the West? Here’s how.