It didn't take long for Trevor Ariza to take a dig at his former team, the Phoenix Suns, doing so during an initial interview following his first practice with the Washington Wizards. Ariza was traded for Kelly Oubre Jr. and the recently-waived Austin Rivers and spoke to the media about his observations with this team.
“They were struggling a little bit, but they couldn't have been struggling worst than what I was struggling with (laughs),” said Ariza of the Wizards, taking a nudge at the Suns, who were and NBA-worst 5-24 before he was dealt on Saturday. “So everybody have their things that they go through, it's just about how you get through them or how do what you need to do to try to change them.
“Being here, I plan to come in and just try to work through whatever it is we're going through at the time.”
Trevor Ariza back in a #Wizards uniform and shares thoughts on what he’s noticed about the team from afar this season: pic.twitter.com/ksfKDGCnaX
— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) December 18, 2018
While Ariza was lauded by the All-Star backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal for his veteran leadership, a report from Phoenix stated Ariza had started to detach from his teammates and had “mentally checked out” from early in the season — reasons that caused his eventual trade, despite a “mutual” understanding.
Ariza will get the nod to start on Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks, hoping to make a slightly-better situation than the Suns a little brighter as the Wizards head into the tail end of the calendar year.
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