[Jason Quick] Trail Blazers' list of concerns after Game 1 should include the future of LaMarcus Ald

I think he goes to SA if they can afford him, but do they have enough room after they give the max to kawhi?

 

I hope he goes to Memphis because what deserves his team to have great centers.

 

I'm going to assume MystikArkitect was being sarcastic to dis Chandler -- "The 3 where they have a dire need."

 

I could be the only one, but I don't see LMA as an ideal fit for us considering the money we would have to throw at him. He heavily utilizes long and midrange 2's and doesn't really shoot the 3. Plus he isn't much of an attacker off the dribble like jones and smith. I think dmo and jones are better suited for what we are trying to do. Don't get me wrong, I love his game, but think he would fit in much better in SA.

 

Gonna say it again, give me Wes Matthews.

 

see the year we got Dwight, before Terrence or Donatas developed, I had a feeling we would be the ones with LMA. Morey's thing was always the Big 3 and thought Harden, Howard and Aldridge (Parsons cant forget the role player) would be his thing. Although he's arguably one of the best forwards in the game kinda glad it didnt go through. Our cap space would be effed.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Cap-wise, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash">#Mavs</a> could add Aldridge and (barring huge discount) keep 1 of the 3 of Tyson, Monta, Rondo. <a href="https://twitter.com/1053thefan">@1053thefan</a></p>&mdash; mike fisher (@fishsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/fishsports/status/590164407574876162">April 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Here's what the Mavs roster would look like if you signed Aldridge to the max, getting rid of Felton, and let Monta and Rondo walk:



Roster Spot Player 2015-16 (hypothetical in bold)
1 LaMarcus Aldridge 20,130,000
2 Chandler Parsons 15,361,500
3 Dirk Nowitzki 8,333,334
4 Devin Harris 4,053,446
5 #21 Draft Pick 1,207,500
6 Gal Mekel 947,276
7 x 525,093
8 x 525,093
9 x 525,093
10 x 525,093
11 x 525,093
12 x 525,093
13 x 0
14 x 0
15 x 0
x Total 53,183,614
x Cap 67,100,000
x Caproom 13,916,386

 

This is what I see happening. I think there will be a LOT of the premier free agents that take a 1-year deal with a player option for 2017 this summer. Lebron's already doing it. Love has stated his intention of doing the same thing. And I think he'll follow-through.

LaMarcus is the perfect age to do it too, at 30. Pushes him to 31 for a fresh 5-year deal bringing him to age 36, where he avoids the over-36 rule.


(By the way, a nice subplot to all this free agency stuff this summer and next summer will be the battle between the players and owners over the CBA. You can bet your last dollar that Michele Roberts, CP3, and Lebron & Co, are going to do everything in their power to make a statement to the owners concerning the future CBA negotiations (if there is an opt-out/lockout. Nothing gives them more power than to hold their own ticket by being on a contract where they can basically force the team to trade them to their preferred destination. And they are well aware of the owners' desire to limit and restrict their power and freedom in free agency and keep them from walking to their preferred markets. The players are also aware and wary of possibly being put in a position where they cannot form their own super teams any longer with a long lockout by owners possibly breaking them. That means these superstar players are viewing this as maybe their last opportunity to get their boyz together. And we may be in a unique time period in the NBA with the tremendous rise in the salary cap set to unfold after next season, followed by either an opt-out by one of the owners/players in 2017 or another gargantuan increase in he CBA in 2017, that puts some teams in a position to attract/sign/trade for a total of 4 or 5 max players. It's been my thought for a while now that the old Heat 3-superstar model is not going to be replaced with anything other than a 4-superstar model. And I think there will be several teams positioned to do that with more money than maximum players to throw the money at.)

 

brutal. Why does Aldridge take less money for that?

 

Brutal, not much of a roster. Again the CP 15M cap slot just killing them.

 

I don't buy this talk of Aldridge leaving. He's gonna get a bigger offer from Portland than anyone else(you know Paul Allen won't nickel and dime the dude). He's got a good team there when healthy. And there's no guarantee leaving for the Mavs or Spurs would improve his situation since both teams would have to renounce a lot of players in order to sign him.

 

Not really for the Spurs, I guess. If Duncan and Ginobili return 1 more time next season, they could play for the veteran minimum. Those guys don't care about the money anymore, all they want is winning.
The Spurs could still sign both Leonard & LMA to a max contract.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/SAS.html

 

2016 FA Morey's marquee signing.

Durant and Aldridge.

 

At first I thought he should be the #1 option to pursue at PF, but with TJ, Smith & D-Mo we just need to focus on getting a starter PG or another creator off the bench (PG / SG).

 

I'll play the JR role for a bit.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Watching these Grizz/Blazers highlights on TNT ... can't help wondering if Portland is now two losses away from end of LaMarcus Aldridge Era</p>&mdash; Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/591123793218637825">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>We know Knicks &amp; Lakers will chase LaMarcus Aldridge come July, but at least two teams in Texas believe they have shot at him: Spurs &amp; Mavs</p>&mdash; Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/591124320266506240">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>You keep hearing Spurs/Mavs plan to be at front of line for Big D native Aldridge in free agency. Blazers have work cut out to hang onto him</p>&mdash; Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/591124848505540608">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Some Blazer correspondent replying to the last Stein tweet.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Regards to last RT, I've been told by 2 players in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blazers?src=hash">#Blazers</a> locker room they do not believe LaMarcus Aldridge will return next season.</p>&mdash; Amy Schwartz (@TheAmySchwartz) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAmySchwartz/status/591129261034995712">April 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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J........G

 

Dmo overall > Aldridge going forward. I think the Spurs or Mavs will look into him.

 

Just stop man.

 

He has reached his ceiling and has almost no desire to play at a high level anymore. He won't be getting flops or calls his way the way he did against the Rox last PlayOffs... Dmo is 25 and will only get better. Think before you type.

 

No desire to play at a high level anymore? Yeah, I guess you're right that Aldridge has reached his ceiling since last year he scorched us for 46 and 18 then 42 and 8 in the playoffs. Then This year He plays through a thumb injury he's supposed to have surgery for and is still an all-star and only goes 32 and 14 then 24 and 14 in the first two playoffs games for them. Aldridge both offensively and defensively is already better then dmo's ceiling.

since you're arrogant enough to put the juvenile "think before you type" in your reponse, why don't we make a friendly wager.

Aldridge at age 29 is already a 4 time all star, 3rd team all NBA. Easy bet would be DMO will never achieve this number of accolades. I'll make it even easier for you:

I'll give $100 to the tip jar if DMO is EVER an all-star or at least 3rd team NBA once in his entire career. You give $100 if DMO ends his career with 0 all star selections and 0 all-NBA selections. Deal?