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OKC Thunder: 3 season goals for Trevor Ariza in 2020-21

By Matthew Hallett

PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 09: Trevor Ariza #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts against the Miami Heat in the first quarter during their game at Moda Center on February 09, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 09: Trevor Ariza #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts against the Miami Heat in the first quarter during their game at Moda Center on February 09, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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OKC Thunder
OKC Thunder. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

Season goal for Trevor Ariza No. 1) Mentor the wings

Given that Ariza is entering his 17th season in the league and he is about to suit up for his tenth franchise. he has some experience with both winning and losing teams. He also has the ability to make his feelings known without saying a word.

I refer, of course, to the foul he committed on Trae Young when the Atlanta Hawks guard tried to nutmeg Ariza. The veteran set the tone that neither he and his team were going to be disrespected. He went to Young after the game and talked to him about it but the message was crystal clear.

https://twitter.com/TheCrossover/status/1233941369489625089?s=20

It is this type of mentorship which is going to set the young Thunder players apart from their opposition. A lot of the guys he is going to mentor are the second chance type players in T.J. Leaf, and Admiral Schofield. More notably, his impact on second-year forward Darius Bazley could prove extremely beneficial.

The goal will be for them to pick up lessons from Ariza’s no-nonsense game which has allowed this mid-second-round pick from 2004 to carve out a successful NBA career. Not everybody has the tremendous talent of LeBron James or Kawhi Leonard, they need to work at it like Ariza. This will hopefully be the legacy he leaves behind on the Thunder squad.

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