update: Ariza pours in another nice game in Long Beach Summer League 39 minutes, 6/12 from the field, 9/12 ft line, 21 pts, 6 boards, 3 assists, 6 turnovers (eh most young players turn the ball over quite a bit), and 3 steals (so much for no defense)...
I have watched the summer league games, and I must say that I have changed my mind. I love this kid. I think that the potential that he has is enormous. My NEW grade: B+
good...im glad for the knicks actually...seemingly the only way the knicks could have a bright future (because of heavy contracts) is by finding a steal in the draft or through a trade where someone thrown in as filler turns out to be starting material... enjoy ariza in the future knicks fans as i got to enjoy him in his only year at ucla...be patient...he'll come around
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SCBrian:</div><div class="quote_post"> One of the reasons why Ariza didn't put up good stats his first year in college (although they were far from bad) was because he nearly died at the start of the season when his lungs collapsed due to his asthma...Ben Howland was forced to monitor his minutes closely in order to prevent health problems and it was not until the end of the season that Ariza was really cut loose.</div> I don't think his lungs collapsed due to his asthma...He had a condition called spontaneous pnemothorax (sp?) where the outer layer of his lung punctured (for no reason, thus its "spontaneous") and thus pushing down and "collapsing" his lungs...while this is a very serious condition, he didn't "almost die." U can go a few days with that collapsed lung before dying. However, the pain is so intense that you would immediately check yourself into a hospital before there would be any chance of u dying ... What they do is painfully jam a tube into your chest, and suck out that air that's not suppose to be there. You usually have to lie in the hospital for a week, and it takes about a month to fully rehabilitate <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">You guys have a big time player in the mix and I would advise you guys to check out his game a lil bit more before deciding that this was a horrible pick. Anyone that says the Knicks should have drafted Darius Rice over Trevor Ariza is a fool who has not watched Ariza play enough to know how good he really can be. </div> I'm a HUGE UCLA fan, watch most of their games, and honestly, I'd rather have Darius Rice...
hm i dunno you could be right about that...but they still believed it was due in part to his asthma...or maybe that his ashmatic condition was a contributing factor...either way yah what you said about the procedure and recovery he had to go through was about right...and if im not mistaken both of his lungs collapsed and umm that is pretty close to 'dying' to me...i mean its not like they had to revive him or anything like that but hell...still aint good when both your lungs collapse on you...especially if you're a high performance athlete... i like darius rice as much as the next guy, but ariza has more fire than rice, rice has always been a guy who has inconsistent effort...i'd like to know exactly what it is you like about rices current game and upside over arizas...not saying you're wrong, i'd just like to hear the argument and see if we could go back and forth and find a good conclusion...rice is taller with unlimited range on his J but other then that i really don't see too many other things that would make me want him over ariza, maybe im overlooking things though...let me know...thx for the info on arizas condition though...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SCBrian:</div><div class="quote_post">hm i dunno you could be right about that...but they still believed it was due in part to his asthma...or maybe that his ashmatic condition was a contributing factor...either way yah what you said about the procedure and recovery he had to go through was about right...and if im not mistaken both of his lungs collapsed and umm that is pretty close to 'dying' to me...i mean its not like they had to revive him or anything like that but hell...still aint good when both your lungs collapse on you...especially if you're a high performance athlete...</div> I consider myself a semi-expert...I went through it in 2001 and trust me, its not a pleasant experience, lol... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">i like darius rice as much as the next guy, but ariza has more fire than rice, rice has always been a guy who has inconsistent effort...i'd like to know exactly what it is you like about rices current game and upside over arizas...not saying you're wrong, i'd just like to hear the argument and see if we could go back and forth and find a good conclusion...rice is taller with unlimited range on his J but other then that i really don't see too many other things that would make me want him over ariza, maybe im overlooking things though...let me know...thx for the info on arizas condition though...</div> Rice has the length, and he has the better shot. Depending on the system, that makes for a better role player. He's inconsistent, but he has shown that he can step up in big games...He's a 4 year college player, plenty of experience, and with his head on striaight... I like Ariza but his game is still very raw...He has a horrible looking jumpshot, his foul shooting is as bad as Shaq's. and he's still pretty thin. I dont see Ariza making an impact for another 3-4 years (if at all) and as an NBA GM, i'd go for the instant results
hm yah you make some good points, rice does have great length and a great shot, but I really see him turning out to be a tweener in the NBA, not strong enough to be a PF, and maybe just a step too slow to keep up with the really athletic SF's in the NBA...but his length may be more than enough to make up for that, im not sure...i would loved to have had the opportunity to see him play in a summer league somewhere to get a better gauge on him... i just think ariza has the ability to become a marquee SF in the nba and i think with the 43rd pick, he could still turn out to be a huge steal...and i think the reason the knicks did want him is because he is raw, he is young, but hes still an effective and well rounded player, so if his game develops with his athleticism, hes gonna be trouble in the future
listen this rookie is everything we thought he wouldent be. isiah really came under the radra and got us a pretty good player
good pickup for a second rounder but i dont like him.... hes ok hes not that great dont forget he hasnt played with the big boys yet.... i would rather have dermarr johnson on the roster....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting FrankWilliams:</div><div class="quote_post">i really dont like this guy... i would rather have dermarr johnson...</div> Dermarr's play in the summer league has been flat-out drek. Arza will take DJ's spot on the roster.
how can he because dermarr was such a good player last year it would seem wrong to get rid of a play who did soo good.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Waneko:</div><div class="quote_post">Dermarr wasn't that good. He scored a few points, but the guy can't do anything else.</div> What do you expect from a guy who had his neck broken in a car accident. Is in the NBA, 1 year later after being told he will never play basketball again. Demarr Johnson may never be the player that was drafted in the lottery a couple of years ago. But I have a lot of respect him for even going & proving all the skeptics wrong & playing NBA ball again. I personally hopes he makes the team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting BigfnJoe96:</div><div class="quote_post"> I personally hopes he makes the team.</div> His intensity certainly isn't there. He plays as if the game doesn't matter to him. He isn't careful enough and doesn't have the capabilities of other options such as Ariza. I hope he won't make the team and I'm 90% sure he won't.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MainEvent:</div><div class="quote_post">Ariza I think made a stupid move declaring for the draft in the first place. He didn't put up stats at all in college. Should have stayed in college to improve.</div> Yes and if he didnt put up numbers in college what makes isiah think he will be able to do it in the spot light of new york city. Were so many have failed and even mike sweetny although he performed well to the end of the season struggled in the beginning there to even stay on the active roster.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting BigfnJoe96:</div><div class="quote_post">What do you expect from a guy who had his neck broken in a car accident. Is in the NBA, 1 year later after being told he will never play basketball again. Demarr Johnson may never be the player that was drafted in the lottery a couple of years ago. But I have a lot of respect him for even going & proving all the skeptics wrong & playing NBA ball again. I personally hopes he makes the team.</div> Yes, he definitely exceeded the expectations we'd have for someone who broke his neck, but not for someone who is supposed to get minutes in the Knicks rotation. I don't think anyone expects him to be a lottery player, but right now, he is a liability on the court even if he scores a few points.
Ariza will be a good player for the Knicks. Ive watched him since college and he was really impressive.
