Trevor Ariza Rumors: SF Not Asking for $50-60 Million from Interested Teams
Free-agent forward Trevor Ariza has a chance to get paid this summer—but it doesn't appear as though he has a firm target for his next contract.
Earlier this month, Rockets Wire's Kelly Iko wrote that Ariza is "believed to want a contract in the range of $50-60 million over four-five years." Well, Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania reported on Thursday that there is "no truth" to the speculation of those contract demands.
Of course, any free agent has the right to demand whatever he wants. It doesn't mean a team will be willing to meet those terms, though. But any speculation that a player is asking to get paid could limit the market.
Ariza is coming off a season in which he made $7.42 million, meaning a $12 million or so salary would be a big bump. For a player who will be 33 years old in a couple of days, teams would likely be reluctant to offer that salary in a long-term deal.
That's not to say the 6'8", 215-pound forward can't play anymore. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. And of course, he can also get after it on the defensive end of the court.
It's not clear which teams Ariza will meet in free agency. However, ESPN's Chris Haynes told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami (h/t RealGM) earlier this month that the Golden State Warriors could pursue the veteran forward. Given their financial status, they certainly would not be able to sign Ariza if he was indeed demanding $50 million-plus. If he is willing to take the mid-level exception (around $5.3 million), they could be a team to watch.
Ariza has made nearly $75 million in his 14-year career, according to Spotrac. Knowing that, he could prioritize something other than money in free agency, such as winning or location. Then again, this could be the last time that he is in a position to cash in.
