Spurs and LaMarcus Aldridge parting ways

[monopoman]

I mean according to ESPN trade machine Hood+Derick Jones Jr. does work. While it doesn't match salary exactly it's close enough according to the ESPN trade machine. Now I'm not sure if this thing is always right on whether or not this works with the CBA rules but I would assume it is.

[d-train]

All it would take to get LA to the Lakers are phone calls from Lebron and Wesley Matthews. Portland is not a championship contender but the Lakers are....

It's funny you mentioned Wes because how do know Wes won't give LMA the same middle finger LMA gave his team back in 2015. Wes was one of the players that didn't get an offer from Blazers after LMA broke up the team.

Lebron, yeah, everyone wants to be on Lebron's team. I don't know if LeBron wants LMA. If he does, LeBron and Davis are LMA's best bet to ride along to a title.

We need to get over the aspects of his departure in 2015 for he was a UFA and as I recall, did not create a stink
prior to leaving. It was a business decision for him to go home to play and nobody can blame him for wanting to
play in front of his family in Texas.

Who is we? I said before LMA left and the day he left that he should sign with whichever team gave him his best opportunity. I just stated a fact. His decision to leave prompted Blazers to not extend offers to any of its veteran FA's. Wes and Lopez didn't get any interest from Blazers because after LMA broke up the team, Olshey wanted to start over with players on Lillard's timeline.

I hope for LMA's sake he doesn't wait for the courtship you envision. He's not 28 and nobody is going to accommodate a 35 year old prima-donna. Before any team wants him he will need to convincingly assure them he is ready to do the dirty work for his team. Something LMA has a history of not doing.

[d-train]

I mean according to ESPN trade machine Hood+Derick Jones Jr. does work. While it doesn't match salary exactly it's close enough according to the ESPN trade machine. Now I'm not sure if this thing is always right on whether or not this works with the CBA rules but I would assume it is.

This would cost us luxury tax and the best player in the trade. Best being defined as, the best complement to our nucleus. Blazers will want more for DJJ than LMA. Unless, we can't retain DJJ. Primarily, NO seems adamant Blazers will stay under the tax this year.

[d-train]

Heat are reportedly interested and they have contracts to make a trade. Heat could offer Iguodala and Leonard for LMA, a fair offer for both teams. Heat could even up the offer to Iguodala and Avery Bradley without overpaying.

[JasonStern]

how do know Wes won't give LMA the same middle finger LMA gave his team back in 2015. Wes was one of the players that didn't get an offer from Blazers after LMA broke up the team.

Yeah, I don't get the Lakers hype. Aldridge to the Clippers to play with Batum makes just as much sense. But returning to Portland to finish out his career with people he spent years with - Stotts, Olshey, Dame, etc. also makes just as much sense.

Plus Aldridge isn't a dominant extrovert. If he gets bought out, my money is on him signing with Dallas.

SA is going to get the same trade package Portland got... Zilch.

It only takes one team dangling a 2nd round pick and expiring filler to negate being bought out. Portland could have got a Greg Monroe level player for Aldridge, but took their chances hoping he'd stay and it backfired.

Aldridge isn't peak Aldridge, but he isn't Blake "maxed out and haven't dunked in two years" Griffin damaged goods. For all of the complaints during his Blazers tenure that he wasn't physical in the paint, it certainly has helped LaMarcus' career longevity.

I mean according to ESPN trade machine Hood+Derick Jones Jr. does work.

That would put the Blazers into the luxury tax. Collins would also have to be included. Whether Collins is positive value or just trade filler for exactly this kind of trade is its own discussion. But Hood is washed and Jones always seemed like a stopgap until Little is ready for more minutes, so a swapping of stop-gaps in which Portland acquires the best player is certainly something Portland should consider if it was on the table. But we're still operating under the unproven presumption that Aldridge couldn't fetch a 2nd round pick or TPE.

I said before LMA left and the day he left that he should sign with whichever team gave him his best opportunity.

Maybe. But when he did leave, you said he was never worthy of carrying Luke Babbitt's gym bag, let alone showing his face here again. A lot of forum members were on the "his legacy is ruined because he left us" bandwagon instead of the "he gave us 9 years of solid play" bandwagon.

Heat could offer Iguodala and Leonard for LMA, a fair offer for both teams.

If both Meyers Leonard and Greg Popovich viewed Meyers Leonard as talented and valuable as Neil Olshey viewed Meyers Leonard, he would be an all-star.

[d-train]

Plus Aldridge isn't a dominant extrovert.

We don't know anything about his personality. We can't with credibility say he doesn't have a collection of kitty heads in his freezer.

I said before LMA left and the day he left that he should sign with whichever team gave him his best opportunity.

Maybe. But when he did leave, you said he was never worthy of carrying Luke Babbitt's gym bag, let alone showing his face here again. A lot of forum members were on the "his legacy is ruined because he left us" bandwagon instead of the "he gave us 9 years of solid play" bandwagon.

I am in the camp that believes players the level of LMA don't freely negotiate their first 2 contracts, and there should be no maximum individual player salary. Imagine, Olshey has no cap on his salary is the person who presents Blazer players with a maximum contract. IMO, star player's contracts are improperly determined by a CBA that uses labor law to steal from star players. Had LMA decided he would never play for Blazers, I would have been on his side. I'm not against the draft or how the CBA decides property rights, if that's the right phrase. I'm not against the NBA and union agreeing to a profit split. I don't like how the money is split between the players. Players barely in the NBA should not be allowed to enrich themselves by protecting NBA teams from a fair negotiation with star players.

[Norm2953]

Interesting BE is reporting Nurk is having a "calf complaint" problem, similar to what he had last January.

Makes you wonder if LA gets released by the Spurs, if Portland will be the favorite for his services for
the Heat who the odds makers list as the favorite are just 20-18. If Nurk continues to be out, LA and
Kanter should do fine, splitting the minutes at center.

[mojomarc]

Plus Aldridge isn't a dominant extrovert.

We don't know anything about his personality. We can't with credibility say he doesn't have a collection of kitty heads in his freezer.

Personally I would think kitty heads in his freezer would explain a fair amount about what little we do know about his personality.

I guess where I am perplexed is with what LMA at this point would bring us that Carmelo isn't. And personality-wise I love Carmelo on this team. I don't see both of them in the team really being a big difference maker.

Now if we could figure out how to get either Zinger out of Dallas to pair with the what would be left (would mean the end of the Dame-CJ era), I think we'd have something scary. Defense would be better than Nurk and Dame/Porzingas as a high pick-and-roll would be ridiculous

[Pattycakes]

Plus Aldridge isn't a dominant extrovert.

We don't know anything about his personality. We can't with credibility say he doesn't have a collection of kitty heads in his freezer.

Personally I would think kitty heads in his freezer would explain a fair amount about what little we do know about his personality.

I guess where I am perplexed is with what LMA at this point would bring us that Carmelo isn't. And personality-wise I love Carmelo on this team. I don't see both of them in the team really being a big difference maker.

Now if we could figure out how to get either Zinger out of Dallas to pair with the what would be left (would mean the end of the Dame-CJ era), I think we'd have something scary. Defense would be better than Nurk and Dame/Porzingas as a high pick-and-roll would be ridiculous

Melo jacking up 10 contested 3s each game and playing 2 plays of total defense while spending half of his playing time complaining about missed calls that are really him just out working himself isn’t exactly irreplaceable or comparable to Lamarcus... that one misses me. Melos been a nice back up to the backup plan, but we better not keep from making good future decisions to honor his presence.

[Norm2953]

LA at this point in his career is still close to 7' 250 lbs is mostly a pure 5. We still don't know
when Nurk is coming back and if the reports of a calf issue are correct, there is very much a need
for another big for we are one Kanter injury away from Roco being our center.

[GEE]

If LA wants to come back to Portland, it will likely happen. But the same can likely be said about Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles.

Nurkic calf issue.... Great. Why does the often injured Nurkic get a total pass, while Collins gets constantly mentioned in pointless trade talk? Seems like Nurkic is nearly as unrealiable.

[Blazinaway]

If LA wants to come back to Portland, it will likely happen. But the same can likely be said about Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles.

Nurkic calf issue.... Great. Why does the often injured Nurkic get a total pass, while Collins gets constantly mentioned in pointless trade talk? Seems like Nurkic is nearly as unrealiable.

Yeah, and assuming Giles remains out for a good bit longer we realy could use another backup C, unless Nurk is back within a few weeks - don't we have a lot of back to backs this half?

[dunlop212]

As far as I can see, he's just a big expiring contract. Do we need one?

[DaVoiceMaster]

I mean according to ESPN trade machine Hood+Derick Jones Jr. does work. While it doesn't match salary exactly it's close enough according to the ESPN trade machine. Now I'm not sure if this thing is always right on whether or not this works with the CBA rules but I would assume it is.

Eww ... serious overpay. I dunno why people keep wanting to include DJJ in trades. I like the guy and think he's doing well for the Blazers. I hope they keep him.

[DaVoiceMaster]

If LA wants to come back to Portland, it will likely happen. But the same can likely be said about Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles.

Nurkic calf issue.... Great. Why does the often injured Nurkic get a total pass, while Collins gets constantly mentioned in pointless trade talk? Seems like Nurkic is nearly as unrealiable.

Yeah, and assuming Giles remains out for a good bit longer we realy could use another backup C, unless Nurk is back within a few weeks - don't we have a lot of back to backs this half?

Because Nurkic has shown he can play consistently (when healthy), Collins has not.

[DaVoiceMaster]

The more I think about Aldridge, the more I'm thinking there is no need for him. With Nurkic coming back, you have Nurk/Kanter at center. At PF you have Covington/Melo. I know there's a lot of complaining about Melo, but the guy has kept the Blazers in a a lot of games this season and has earned the position. That leaves Aldridge on the bench, whether he plays PF or C. Aldridge left because he did not get enough attention. What's he gonna do if he does not get any playing time? Maybe the Blazers simply ride out the season with the roster they have. When healthy, they're 2-3 deep at every position. Covington, DJJ, Little, and Melo can play either forward position. Hood and Trent Jr can play either wing position. I'd still like a better ball handle off the bench, but Olshey made it very clear last fall that Simons is that guy. I think they're done trying to improve and feel by getting healthy, they've improved.

[JasonStern]

I mean according to ESPN trade machine Hood+Derick Jones Jr. does work. While it doesn't match salary exactly it's close enough according to the ESPN trade machine. Now I'm not sure if this thing is always right on whether or not this works with the CBA rules but I would assume it is.

Eww ... serious overpay. I dunno why people keep wanting to include DJJ in trades. I like the guy and think he's doing well for the Blazers. I hope they keep him.

But do you like him more than Nassir Little? Jones always seemed like a stopgap player and has played like one as of late.

While Aldridge isn't his former all-NBA self, he's still a better player than Jones, Hood, and an injured Collins. Plenty of reasons - fit, chemistry, etc. to not trade for him, but it's silly to deny that he still has talent.

He's definitely not worth positive assets from Portland's end, but I'd be fine with trading our stopgap expirings for a better stopgap expiring. Problem there is that San Antonio would have to agree, and that would likely require no teams being willing to trade a 2nd or a TPE for him, plus Aldridge refusing to give back some salary in a contract buyout.

The more I think about Aldridge, the more I'm thinking there is no need for him. With Nurkic coming back, you have Nurk/Kanter at center. At PF you have Covington/Melo. I know there's a lot of complaining about Melo, but the guy has kept the Blazers in a a lot of games this season and has earned the position. That leaves Aldridge on the bench, whether he plays PF or C. Aldridge left because he did not get enough attention.

You have a lot more faith in the Blazers remaining healthy than I do.

Any trade or waiver signing of Aldridge would require a Melo-like understanding from Aldridge of what his role would be. But with Nurkić out indefinitely and likely on a minutes restriction when he returns, plus Covington capable of playing stretches at the 3, there is playing time available for him now and a chance to prove he can provide more at the 4/5 than the players that we view ahead of him on the depth chart. Whether he's willing to compete for minutes versus find a place where he's guaranteed minutes is completely unknown.

[Norm2953]

One would think LA is going to have a large say where he ends up and WT is reporting Miami, Boston and Portland
are the favorites to get him. I wonder what Dame thinks about an LA return?

[armin-x]

Aldridge is done. He might be the slowest big in the league right now. His defense is atrocious, and you don't need another Melo (black-hole).

Someone will regret his signing..

[Wizenheimer]

Aldridge is done. He might be the slowest big in the league right now. His defense is atrocious, and you don't need another Melo (black-hole).

Someone will regret his signing..

a pro-rated vet minimum signing doesn't carry much regret. At this point, Nurkic is not dependable. I mean, it's was just announced he has a calf-problem and is 2 weeks away from returning. Aldridge is not likely the best option, but he's also probably not the worst option if he's bought out

he won't alter the trajectory of the team though...he doesn't have enough left in the tank for that