For the second consecutive season, the Miami Heat made a big mid-season change.
In February 2020, the franchise acquired Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder, who were instrumental in the Heat race to the NBA finals last season.
This year, the biggest acquisition was Trevor Ariza.
Before his first game in the Heat uniform, the little 1.80 m forward expressed enthusiasm for playing for the team.
“I always wanted to play for this franchise,” he said before Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers at the AmericanAirlines Arena. “It’s just a place that I always wanted to be. Most of my family is here. It’s exciting, man. “
The addition of Ariza to the squad provides the team with another proven defensive player, who can open up space in the attack. He also has a championship pedigree after winning a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009.
However, fans should moderate their expectations regarding the 35-year-old’s production, especially during his first games.
Ariza hasn’t played an NBA game in over a year. His last game was on March 10 of last season, the day before the championship ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He then opted out of the season restart at Orlando Bubble to focus on a family affair.