Contract year Trevor Ariza always does well for himself.
Ariza had a career best year last season with the Wizards — a big jump to 14.4 points a game and it came with a jump in an efficiency — just as his contract came up with the Wizards. Teams get to decide whether that was Ariza maturing at age 28 or if (like his good season with the Lakers five years ago) that was focus brought on by financial considerations.
Either way, he’s about to get paid and according to Ken Berger at CBSSports.com a few teams lined up for him.
The Mavs, Cavs, Lakers and Heat are pursuing Wizards free agent Trevor Ariza, league sources say. Ariza seeking deal starting at $9-$11m.
— Ken Berger (@KBergNBA) July 7, 2014
Two things to note here that Berger talked about in later tweets. First, the Wizards are hard after Ariza too, trying to keep their group back from last season and they are in the mix with a healthy contract. Second, the Heat can only make that kind of financial offer through a sign-and-trade (not likely) or because one of the big three left and there was financial room. Which is to say, the Heat are basically out of the mix.
The Mavericks, Cavaliers and Lakers are all also in a holding pattern waiting for the LeBron James/Carmelo Anthony free agency bottleneck to shake loose. What they can or will offer depends on what decisions those two make.
That said, a 28-year-old wing who can both shoot the three and defend, you can bet Ariza is about to get paid.