It has been a tough transition year for Trevor Ariza from the Houston Rockets to the Phoenix Suns, but the veteran is still thankful for the opportunity.
Trevor Ariza admitted that the losses have been tough; however, he pointed that his mission is not necessarily to rack up wins in Phoenix but to teach the Suns' young guns how to play basketball professionally.
“It gives you a different perspective,” Ariza told Gina Mizell of The Athletic. “Although I love to win, sometimes you have to be the person that’s able to take these punches and be able to still get up. (I have to) teach the next generation, teach the younger players how to prepare, how to become better pros.
“Right now, that’s the situation that I’m in, so I’m not worried about it. I’m not crying about it. I’m very thankful for my position. The only thing I can do is hope that we get better every day.”
Ariza signed a one-year deal with the Suns over the summer. His move was a rather uncanny one. After all, prior to Phoenix, he was a member of the Rockets — one of the best teams in the NBA that was just one win away from heading to the NBA Finals in the 2017-18 season.
He chose to move to a rebuilding team rather than continue with a franchise that's set to contend for the title. Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov believes that this year has been a challenge for Ariza, though, he emphaiszed that the 33-year-old veteran is still putting the work in.
“It’s a challenge for him,” Kokoskov said. “I think, overall, he’s giving his best and he’s willing to get better … he’s with the guys, encouraging them to get better and he’s just being a pro.”
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