NBA Rankings: Top 10 small forwards for 2014-15
9. Trevor Ariza:
2013-14 Stat Line: 77 games, 35.4 MPG, 14.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, .456/.407/.772 shooting, 15.8 PER
The argument can be made for Trevor Ariza at No. 8, but considering his numbers were pretty comparable to our next guy’s stat line and the fact that he was in an ideal situation in the East, his 2014-15 projections take a hit because of the simple fact that the Houston Rockets won’t rely on him quite as much as the Washington Wizards did.
Don’t get me wrong, the Rockets need wing defense more than the Wiz and Ariza will provide that in spades as Chandler Parsons‘ replacement. But Ariza won’t be needed on the boards as much and there will be an adjustment period even though the Rockets probably just need him to knock down corner threes just like he did in Washington.
At 29 years old, Ariza’s about as good as he’s going to get. He’ll provide Houston with veteran experience, terrific defense, three-point shooting and some athleticism attacking the rim. But this team still belongs to James Harden and Dwight Howard, and while Parsons looked like the third cog in the wheel of Houston’s future, Ariza still feels like a prominent role player more than anything else. Still, anybody that can lock down opposing wings and shoot 40 percent from downtown in this league is more than deserving of a top 10 spot here.