The San Antonio Spurs have geared up for another run at an National Basteball Association championship by signing former Portland Trail Blazers star LaMarcus Aldridge.
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A Texas native, Aldridge spent his first nine National Basteball Association seasons with the Trail Blazers before opting in free agency to join the Spurs. “Vonleh could turn out to be better than Aldridge someday, while McCollum, Leonard and Allen Crabbe should all benefit from expanded responsibilities”.
“Well, the meetings are interesting because it is everybody’s pitch on how they can use you”, Aldridge told The Russillo Show on ESPN Radio earlier this week. I think that city embraced me and I embraced them and we grew together. “People was saying it was me, but it was both parties agreeing that we shouldn’t meet”.
On what he expects in his first game back in Portland: “Portland holds a spot in my heart that can’t be changed because of the memories will last forever”.
It’s understandable for Aldridge to want to play more of a finesse style than one with a physical, interior-oriented approach.
“I think going back [to Portland] my first time might be boos because I think people are really hurt by my decision”.
Aldridge was a four time All-Star and last season he averaged a career high 23.4 points per game. Aldridge still met with other teams, but why did he cancel on the New York Knicks?
After weeks of, “Phil Jackson let him get away”, talk, we finally have the answer to the question, “Why?” I thought we played well off of each other. It came down to Phoenix, Portland and San Antonio. Me leaving had nothing to do with any of that. His decision was based on being close to home, his family and needing a change of scenery. I had been through a couple of rebuilds. It was just time to try something new. “It wasn’t anything toward Damian or the organization”.
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Blazers big man Meyers Leonard discusses Portland’s offseason, where the team goes from here and much more in this interview with Basketball Insiders.
