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

In the left corner we have ...

 

Given the salary cap structure would you rather have Harden, Howard, Smith + Montejunas or Harden and Aldridge? Who's the better team at the better bargain overall? Dmo has a post game that comes at premium in this league that the Rox got for a bargain. This was the first season he pushed his 7ft frame that frenetically in an NBA season. I've said it since last year and I'll say it again, the strength and conditioning coach let Montejunas down yet again. His CORE needs to be tuned probably so this type of injury won't happen so often. Those abdominals help stabilize the midsection...

I'd rather have a combination of Dmo and J. Smoove @ the 4 than just LMA eating that cap space any day of the week. Remember Smith is still getting paid big $$$ by Detroit's buyout, he can still be retained at a bargain.

 

 

 

I'd rather have Dwight, LaMarcus, DMO, and Smoove myself. That's 48 minutes of hell on our opponents trying to match up with a whole smorgasbord of offensive mismatches and defensive devilishness as our perimeter guys go off the charts with their helter-skelter scramble, over play, and physicality.

I'm not a big fan of LaMarcus by himself. I'm a huge fan of him alongside Dwight, DMo, and Smoove.

 

You'd have to get rid of Dwight for the cap space to work you know...

 

I will rather be Bill Gate than Les Alexander.

 

D-Mo is not better than Aldridge. And he never will be unless he learns how to grab more than 3 rebounds in a game. The only advantage D-Mo has over Aldridge at the moment is he comes at a fraction of the cost.

If he did sign with the Spurs, what position would he play? Unless Duncan retires or moves to the bench and Aldridge slides in at PF alongside Splitter, there's no place for him there. And same goes for the Mavs. Wouldn't they have to renounce Tyson Chandler to have room to sign Aldridge. Meaning he'd be their center along side Dirk at PF.

The Knicks and Lakers make a lot of sense in terms of money and an open spot at PF, but of course both teams suck which would mean he'd be downgrading from his current situation in Portland.

 

oh the homerism has gotten you

 

Just read on the Score that the teams possible are Dallas and San Antonio...no Houston, I guess...

I just pray he stays if we can't get him.

 

Dallas and San Antonio get mentioned because they will have CAP ROOM to make a move. As will LA & NY.

I am sure many free agents will use LA/NY's cap space as leverage for deals with other teams.

If Houston gets involved in getting LMA, it will be via a S&T.

 

Rest assured that if Morey can get LMA without moving Harden & Howard, he will make it happen.

Morey still would love to add a third star to the mix. Even though DMO and Jones and Ariza are important to what the Rockets are doing, they would be sacrificed in no time to bring in LMA.

DMO is NOT important enough to prevent the Rockets from getting LMA. Indeed, had Dragic agreed to resign with the Rockets, DMO would have been wearing a stupid flame on his jersey.

 

Dallas looks to be heading a nice train wreck clean up of an off season even more so now than 48 hours ago.

I'm sure Aldridge wants a piece of that.

 

The fit is everything. I just don't think LMA can make up for those guys in that easily. He's not gonna gun for a steal or be able to shoot the 3 just like that.. His asking price alone would be too much of a Burden. I'd rather the current team of pieces especially with how they are clicking on all cylinders. Dmo does at least 75% of what LMA can do and will only get better at a bargain price.

 

D-Mo had back surgery. The reality might be Portland would want Capela & Jones ahead of D-Mo but even morre likely to have all three included.

 

LMA is an unrestricted free-agent. He can sign anywhere once the Portland Run is completely over. Oh yeah in July he can sign anywhere. This isn't about a trade as much as it is about Aldridge's asking price which will probably be $20 million+ Max contract. No cap space for him unless we trade away major portions of the team.

 

It is a lot easier to find a rangy small forward and a bench player than it is to find one of the top 3-4 power forwards in the NBA.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Soon, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mavs?src=hash">#Mavs</a> will orchestrate FA pursuit of LaMarcus Aldridge. And Dirk will enthusiastically approve. <a href="https://twitter.com/1053thefan">@1053thefan</a></p>&mdash; mike fisher (@fishsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/fishsports/status/591423435084992512">April 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mavs?src=hash">#mavs</a> &amp; Aldridge would mean limited cap room for roster-building. But hell, they're limited now anyway, right?</p>&mdash; mike fisher (@fishsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/fishsports/status/591424191846481920">April 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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I don't see LMA taking 30m less to play on a lesser team. Portland with LMA is A LOT closer than the Mavs are with him.

I think the Spurs are the big threat, if he's taking less money that means he wants to win and if you want to win you are all about joining the SPurs.

 

It's hard to imagine LMA leaving Portland and more money and a longer contract unless it's for a significantly better chance to win. Dallas certainly doesn't offer that.