Lakers Acquire Trevor Ariza for Brian Cook, Mo Evans
We now interrupt the "What to do at the center spot?" post I was going to put up for this announcement- The Lakers have traded Brian Cook and Mo Evans to the Magic for forward Trevor Ariza. The fourth year forward, late of UCLA, averaged 8.9 points and 4.3 boards a night last season in 22.4 minutes a night. He's under contract this season for $2.7 mil, and assuming I'm reading the HoopsHype.com salary page correctly (it's rough on the colorblind), has a player option next season for $2.9 and change.
My initial reaction: They lose some offense on the outside, obviously, since Ariza can't shoot at all. But he's extremely athletic, runs the floor well, and can finish around the rim. He's a very active forward defensively, is long, and can rebound. And at 22, Ariza still is considered a player with a lot of room to grow. (For those of you interested in this sort of thing, John Hollinger's evaluations compare him to a young Al Harrington.) This isn't going to win them a championship this season, but since Cook and Radmanovic's skills were redundant, moving Cook won't hurt. And I don't think he was all that popular among management. Mo, for all his lack of polish on that end is a more versatile offensive player, but isn't quite big enough to defend larger threes. Great guy, but since Ariza can play some D, losing Mo won't really hurt.
In a couple years, this could turn out to be an outstanding deal for L.A. Right now, my initial reaction puts it at positive, and well above the "no harm, no foul" threshold. At the very least, I can't believe it'll make 'em worse. The two for one move also opens up a roster spot, which could be used down the road, or in the near future depending on Kwame's health.
Press release below.
BK
LAKERS ACQUIRE TREVOR ARIZA FROM ORLANDO MAGIC
EL SEGUNDO – The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired 6’8’’ forward Trevor Ariza from the Orlando Magic in exchange for forward Brian Cook and guard Maurice Evans, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Ariza, currently in his 4th year in the NBA, averaged 8.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game last season with the Magic.
Ariza was originally drafted by the New York Knicks with the 43rd overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. Ariza is originally from Los Angeles (Westchester High School) and played one season at UCLA prior to entering the NBA. He averaged 11.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in his one season at UCLA.
Solid trade.
They get rid of an overpaid cancer with 2+ years on his contract
They trade an old defender for a young one (Evans is 29, Ariza is 22)
They save some money
They open a spot for Crit to get some minutes
They open a new roster spot
If it doesn't work out, Ariza can become a free agent like Evans would be, and they get rid of Cook's ridiculous contract.
If it does work out, they can extend him and get a young, athletic defender to make up for Luke and Radmonovic's deficiencies for the next few years.
And since they're not hurting for offense, short term it should be a plus. You don't need to know the triangle to play D.
Posted by: psp956 | November 20, 2007 at 05:15 PM
Sonny - how are things between Salmons and Theus right now? I've always liked Salmons' game a lot, wish we had him here.
Dave M
Posted by: Dave M | November 20, 2007 at 05:33 PM
although not the blockbuster trade that will bring us over the hill, mitch "cupcake" kuptchak finally does something correct. Much love to this guy as of late. Cook has been a waste of bench space and i never really liked mo in the first place. he's too shooter happy. with ariza, we have a defensive minded player to guard the likes of carmelo anthony, tracy mcgrady, Iverson, Brandon Roy...etc...just to name a few players who are usually Kobe's job of guarding. due to this, maybe we can give the aging legs of our MVP (notice how i didnt say LEAGUE MVP. biased @$$ WHOLES).
GO LAKERS!!!!
start of a DYNASTY 2008-2009 season!!
whos with me!?!? wooh!!
Posted by: afrojoe | November 20, 2007 at 05:43 PM
What kind of idiot posts the frickin score in a non-game thread before the delayed telecast comes on the air?? Think, man, THINK!!!!! Geez...
Posted by: TheFaze | November 20, 2007 at 05:53 PM
Dave M,
I too like John a lot. I think all Kings fans do. I know Reggie does.
John is a team player and seemed to get over it in a hurry. He could end up being our Ginobli, except that John can play 3 positions well.
He's good to start and even better off the bench.
Sonnybelfast
Posted by: sonnybelfast | November 20, 2007 at 06:03 PM
Anymore trades for JO? :)
Posted by: LAL_Fan | November 20, 2007 at 06:17 PM
LAL_Fan:
sure, Kwame for J'O, straight up.
Sad to see Mo Evans go because even though he wasn't the defender that we thought we were getting (that knee injury killed him last year - major slow down, I guess it's just one of those things). The one thing Mo gave, was effort and heart, that's why I'll miss him.
B.Cook was being a huge malcontent with only 1 skill, being a malcontent. lol. Cookie gave some love during his time here, but he's not the type of player we'll miss.
The Kings of basketball are the LA Lakers, the Queens of basketball are ironically called, the Sacramento Kings. lol.
Posted by: socalife | November 20, 2007 at 06:41 PM
FINALLY. THE ONE WE HAVE BEEN DYING FRONT OFFICE TO DO IS DONE!
GREAT DAY FOR LALAND...
Posted by: dice8up | November 20, 2007 at 06:58 PM
Yay, another Bruin! :) Now we just need to get Love when he enters the draft.
E
Posted by: Emma | November 20, 2007 at 07:33 PM
Andrew Z:
Other than being former Bruins, Trevor Aziza and Matt Barnes are totally different players.
Aziza is a lanky, long, quick, and very athletic player whose strengths are tough athletic defense and devastating dunks off baseline drives and rebounds. He has no outside shot, is a so-so ball handler, and just an average passer. I assume we traded for him primarily for his defense at the 3 and athleticism and ability to finish strong in the open court. He will be our best defender at the 3 and should give Sasha and Crittendon needed playing time at the 2. He has better size than Mo and will definitely give us help defending the 3. I like this trade a lot. It gives us another strong defender and opens up playing time for key guys.
Matt Barnes is the opposite of Aziza, a very good ball-handler and excellent passer who has the ability to play down low against taller players or shoot the 3-ball from the perimeter. I loved his game at UCLA and thought he would be a perfect player for the Lakers and the triangle. He is sort of a more athletic and scoring minded version of Luke Walton. I was kind of hoping that Golden State might not re-sign him. He would have been an excellent guy for the Lakers to add. Bottom line, however, is that Aziza gives us more defense.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | November 20, 2007 at 08:05 PM
Emma:
We should start a Draft Love Bandwagon. lol. Give Ben Holland (oops, Howland) credit for two great recruiting classes. Bruins win the next three NCAA baskball titles. Shades of John Wooden.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | November 20, 2007 at 08:08 PM
NO to Webber, and NO to Artest. Have we learned nothing from the J.R. Rider Debacle?
E
Posted by: Emma | November 20, 2007 at 08:15 PM
NOW WE CAN TRADE ARIZA AND BYNUM FOR JERMAINE O'NEAL. THE BIG MAN KOBE AND THE LAKERS NEED TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Maurice Davis | November 20, 2007 at 08:16 PM
Does anyone know what number Arize will wear?
4 game winning streak!
Colorado loves the Lakers!
Posted by: Hugo Boss | November 20, 2007 at 08:17 PM
Shammond Williams is Kevin Garnett's cousin. Not Mo Evans. Bu yeah, they let go Williams as well.
Posted by: Austin, Las Vegas, NV | November 20, 2007 at 09:09 PM
1 Dude Who Don't down...1 to go. It'll be REEEEAL interesting to see what Jimbo & Mitch do once Kwame comes back from (his umpteenth!!!) injury. If tonight's azz-whjpping was any indication, I think Kobe & the Bench Mob will do just fine without Cake Boy Butterfingers.
Hate losing Mo though...but, on the other hand, despite all his flashes of greatness, dude was mucho INCONSISTENT.
Posted by: utzworld - THE BANNER HOLDER | November 20, 2007 at 10:26 PM
Drew sounded a little choked up that Mo, his best friend on the team, was gone.
Money was hating on Ariza for two reasons -
First, he thinks that players who play in their home town have too many distractions and...
Second, he noted that Ariza fell out of favor with Howland and with Van Gundy - so there might be a character issue there.
Posted by: lakers_sth | November 20, 2007 at 11:26 PM
Tom,
You can start the bandwagon and put my name at #2. Or, you know, it might just be the two of us.
:D
Speaking of the Bruins (sorry people from Other School), it kinda broke my heart a little seeing Farmar play against Afflalo. That was all kinds of wrong.
E
Posted by: Emma | November 21, 2007 at 12:03 AM
Orlando GM Otis Smith is quoted on nba.com as saying that Brian Cook is "bringing added toughness to our roster."
Wow. Cook and "toughness" in the same sentence? Cookie's a nice guy, but I'm pretty sure Sasha Vujab-tch could post him up. Otis Smith probably wishes he could have picked up Smush Parker too to bring play-making and good decision making to his roster.
I was always told that real estate operates on the "bigger fool" theory. I guess that's what Kupchak is counting on too.
Posted by: dumbfounded | November 21, 2007 at 12:15 AM
I'll miss Cookie's great attitude, helpful defense, intangibles help, help in non-shooting areas like leadership, rebounding, steals, blocks, assists, running cuts and floor spacing and overall professional attitude.
Ha.
I laughed my ass off watching Kobe talk about how people were depressed Cookie was gone and that it's just part of the business.
Last year's team is officially dead.
I'm elated.
Posted by: Benjamin | November 21, 2007 at 01:04 AM
Like many of the rest of you, I'll also miss Mo Evans. He brought energy, effort and he cared how he did. I guess he was never the defensive stopper that he was reputed to be and he was inconsistent on offense, but unlike a lot of players in similar situations, I never wanted to hate on the guy.
If we have to sacrifice him to get rid of Cook though, well, nice knowin you Mo.
Roster spot is open now. And Ariza seems interesting.
Posted by: Benjamin | November 21, 2007 at 01:08 AM
Roster spot open, let's get Varejao (sic)!
Assuming that we feasibly can. Then, let's trade Kwame and Varejao or just Kwame for something better.
Posted by: Benjamin | November 21, 2007 at 01:15 AM
Sorry to see Mo go...even though inconsistent he brought a lot of athleticism off the bench and was useful in giving Kobe a reprieve from time to time. If having to let go of Mo meant the Lakers could sever ties with Cook that it was well worth the price. This guy with his shoddy defense and lackadaisical effort was a disgrace to the purple and gold. It should be interesting to see how Ariza blends with the bench mob...sianara cookie!!!
Posted by: MrH | November 21, 2007 at 02:29 AM
Cook may not be popular on this board but he was one of the smartest one at taking the charge on the box. Be as it may, it took a lot of class to show up to the game last night and sit behind the bench to cheer and support our Lakers even though he knew he was no longer one of them.
and because of that....i tip my hat off to the Man. Wish you well with Orlando Cookie!!!!
we'll see you again and I'll give a clap for you and Mo.
Thanks for the memories Cookie and good luck!!!
Posted by: KiKosDad | November 21, 2007 at 07:36 AM
Hey there,
This trade benefits both teams. However, I think the Lakers got more, especially when you consider the cap implications and what not! Here's a half decent breakdown: http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba-blog/l-a--lakers-orlando-magic-both-win-by-trading-brian-cook-maurice-evans-for-trevor-ariza-ar46269.html
Cheers,
FA
Posted by: FA | November 21, 2007 at 07:39 AM
I guess I am one of the few who is disappointed that Cook had to be traded. For several years he was the best pure shooter on the team, and I always had hope that he would progress. However, this season he didn't seem to be able to get in going, and retrogressed in almost every aspect of his game. Too bad. He seems to have been a very popular individual among his team mates.
Also, where are all those bloggers that wanted to trade Odom and Bynum for O'neal? Seems pretty clear after last nights game why that trade never went down.
Roger
Posted by: Roger B | November 21, 2007 at 09:50 AM
Theres a little sadness on the Bench Mob Bandwagon today. It's taken sometime to get over th shock, after hearing about the trade for Cookie and Maurice.
Shock?...Hell yes Shocked. Did anyone have any indication on any kind of trade? No one could have prognosticated what happened yesterday. Kupchak certainly pulled this one out of his hat when no one was looking.
Do I think it was a good move? For the players involved it was a good move. Each going to teams that are progressing better than most people would have expected and should be involved in this years playoff picture. Maurice and Cook deserve to get more quality playing time, and Ariza will definitely be a welcome addition with his defensive ability, but will he fit in with the type of offensive sets the Lakers run? How long will it take for him to understand where he needs to be on the floor without Kobe calling him out during the game? How long did it take for Maurice to understand his role in the scheme of the offense. One year, half a year?
Anyway the Mob Bandwagon will continue to contribute. I have no doubt. But losing key members will certainly slow us down a bit. So I guess it's time to start cracking the whip, because no matter what path we take...
" The Mob Rules...Baby! ".......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXOwKgvJuDk
Peace,
Nes
Posted by: NestrosBistro | November 21, 2007 at 09:53 AM
For those of you who are not the true L.A. fans that you should be, even when it comes to your very own High Schools. lemme school you a lil' bit.....just a lil' bit. Remember Ahmir Johnson? You know, he currently plays with Detroit, we saw him last blocking our beloved Bynum's attemped layups the other night. Remember Gabriel Pruitt? You know, the standout gaurd from USC? Remember Hasan Adams? You know, the High Flyer from Arizona Wildcats fame, before he got drafted to the NBA, along with Gab Pruitt? Plus a host of other Blue Chippers that are on their way to the NBA, inluding my younger brother, Ray Reese, who currently plays for Tulsa Oklahoma, another standout Foward who has played alongside Pruitt, Adams, Johnson, and Ariza. All of these players were the Defensive Hallmarks that won Westchester High its 4 back to back Championships which even surpassed the Lakers years in championships back in 2001 to 2005. So basically, we got a Champion in Ariza that will play alongside another champion in Bryant. And of course the coaching of P.J. and his new "Faster" Triangle offense which will benefit Ariza and his numbers, just like its benefiting our bench play to new hieghts. So what you are seeing is the Lakers getting ready for a push at the Championship, not a playoff appearance, not just to get by in the first round. No. they want it all, they want a ring, and defense wins championships. Jordan Farmer is gonna know how to include Ariza for some alley-oops, so dont't worry about that. The only thing we have to worry about is health, just ask K. Brown about that issue.
Lakers win a itle thanks to the trade that brung Trevor BACK to L.A.
Lakers win 60 games this year
Kobe Bryant First team All Defensive/ Bynum 2nd Team All Defensive & Most improved
Jordan Farmar for 6th man of the year
Phil Jackson wins his 10 NBA ring, and Marries Jeanie Buss in June (the same month I married my beautiful Wife, Yeeaaaa!!!)
P.E.A.C.E.
P.ositive E.nergy A.ctivates C.onstant E.levation
Posted by: TZA TEE | November 21, 2007 at 10:40 AM
Now let's trade Kwame for Kevin Love.
Posted by: manu | November 21, 2007 at 12:28 PM
TZA TEE...Dude,
I'm with you and think 60 could be reachable with this improving team. We'll see.
" The Mob Rules...Baby! ".......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXOwKgvJuDk
Current driver and whip cracking prez of the Bench Mob wandwagon!!
GO LAKERS!!!!
Peace.
Nes
"Jump on the wagon people!"
Posted by: NestrosBistro | November 21, 2007 at 02:06 PM
I'm a Magic season ticket holder. This is a steal for the Lakers. Ariza is still developing but plays with amazing energy on both sides of the ball and his shot is improving. He will become a solid starter or sixth man in this league!!!
Posted by: Silence Dogood | November 21, 2007 at 08:23 PM
Why MO??? Kupcheck should have traded COOK and SHASHA - They both SUCK
Posted by: kobe | November 23, 2007 at 03:43 PM
Cook was okay but Evans too? Seems a bit steep for a guy that averages 3pts and 2 rebs a game. We don't have time to develop talent, we need help NOW! Ariza should be ready to be a 6th man by the time Kobe retires. We're waisting his talent...
Posted by: jay spliff | November 29, 2007 at 10:07 AM