Houston Rockets introduce Trevor Ariza

The Rockets formally introduced the versatile forward on Wednesday after he signed a multiyear contract.

The Rockets formally introduced the versatile forward on Wednesday  after he signed a multiyear contract.

The 24-year-old free agent agreed to join the Rockets last Thursday night, switching places with free agent Ron Artest, who left Houston to play for the Lakers.

Ariza and the Lakers needed seven games to eliminate the Rockets in the second round of the playoffs. He admired the way the Rockets played in the series and that factored into his decision to come here.

"This is a great, young team that has a lot of potential," Ariza said. "They're very, very scrappy and they never give up, and that's the type of player I am. No matter what the situation is, I'm still fighting. That's the kind of players they have here and I'm happy to be a part of that."