Trevor Ariza started the off-season with the Portland Trail Blazers. He has since been traded three times and is now with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The business of the NBA is a tough one; ex Portland Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza can attest to that, after he has been traded three times in the last two weeks.
Ariza started the off-season with the Blazers and was then traded to the Houston Rockets with two first-round picks for Robert Covington. Though it takes a few days for these trades to be completed officially, this was the first of three moves completed with Ariza involved.
Next was the Rockets using one of the two first-round picks that the Blazers sent them, and sending Ariza with this, to the Detroit Pistons. This move got the Rockets out of some financial troubles and then gave them another pick in the future.
Next, it was the Oklahoma City Thunder getting involved. They have made a multitude of trades this offseason, including dealing NBA legend Chris Paul and longtime Thunder center Steven Adams. The Pistons dealt Ariza to the Thunder and then brought in another team in the Mavericks, to make the numbers work.
Now Ariza is on the Thunder. Though he has been announced as part of the team for the 2021 season, he doesn’t fit the rebuilding theme we see with General Manager Sam Presti and the Thunder. I think Ariza will be moved for picks in the 2021 season at some point.
Interestingly, according to Hoops Hype, Ariza has now been traded ten times in his NBA career. He now holds the NBA record for the most times traded.