The trade of forward Trevor Ariza left a lasting impact for the Phoenix Suns, as the longtime veteran already left vestiges of wisdom on a young Josh Jackson. Ariza was acquired the first day of free agency on a one-year, $15 million contract, one the Suns looked to move as soon as the restriction to trade was lifted, getting Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers in return.
While Ariza was only with the team for two months, he left a lasting impression on Jackson from his brief time in the Valley of the Sun.
“Trevor, obviously, was my veteran [mentor]. I felt really good just having him around. He still calls me from time to time,” Jackson wrote in a diary for The Undefeated. “He taught me a lot. He gave me advice all the time. He told me to stay strong through it all. The losing can get to you a little bit. Trevor helped me to stay with it and keep pushing.
“He told me to always be myself and never forget who I am. And what he meant by that is, you see all the money come but don’t change. Always be you. You know who your friends and close family are. There is a lot of nitpicking and people pulling you from who you are. His message to me: ‘Don’t let it change you. You’ve always been a cool and humble guy. You should stay that way on the court and be confident.’ No matter how many shots I miss, no matter how many games I lose, stay confident. I was really sad to see him go. I wanted to have a couple more years with him at least.”
Jackson has been looking to carve a significant role in the rotation ever since being drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in 2017, but will now have to battle Oubre for minutes; as the Suns are likely to have to decide between the two as to who to keep in the near future.
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