It was the Spurs’ second meeting with Aldridge.
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The #1 National Basteball Association free agent this summer, LaMarcus Aldridge, had the whole world in his hands. “I’m excited to join the team and be close to my family and friends”.
His deal will be a four-year maximum contract worth more than $80 million, with an opt-out after the third year, a source told ESPN’s Marc Stein. Kobe Bryant’s salary next season ($25 million) – as well as three consecutive season-ending injuries – also has been challenging in the Lakers’ efforts to assemble a talented team. The Mavericks tried to sell him on coming home. This week more evidence surfaced that the Blazers entered free-agency under the suspicion that Aldridge would not return. Who will have more success with their new teams, Jordan or Aldridge? No, he was assured; Pop fully meant to stick around post-Duncan, and envisioned Aldridge as the centerpiece of the Spurs’ legacy going forward. Spurs guard Tony Parker tweeted.
Aldridge’s departure from Portland hastens a new era for the Blazers. Aldridge became the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder in March, passing Drexler.
Blazers GM Neil Olshey made several moves in preparation for Aldridge’s departure. But when that wasn’t available, they did what they saw as the next best thing: Trade him for a 2014 lottery pick, power forward Noah Vonleh – a 19-year-old who as late as draft night 2014 was regarded as in the mix for the No. 4 overall pick – and a little depth on the perimeter in Gerald Henderson.
Popovich was right in his depiction of free agency as a needless dog-and-pony show – midnight phone calls and meetings, overdone recruiting pitches, fancy presentations about branding and image and all the bells and whistles that Pop and the Spurs have long stood steadfastly against. While the Spurs have been the favorites since this process started, you still hoped Aldridge would have seen the Lakers as a possible destination.
Ultimately he picked the team that has won five championships since 1999. According to Yahoo Sports, the team is also looking into David West as a free agent option. The selling point from the team and head coach Gregg Popovich was that Aldridge could be a part of Tim Duncan’s final days in the National Basteball Association.
This is the score in free agency the Spurs have dreamed of since their elimination from this past spring’s playoffs at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers.
On the day we celebrate this country’s independence, LaMarcus Aldridge put the Lakers out of their misery. The Raptors could have as much as $8 million still left in the coffers and still have the non-guaranteed contract of Luke Ridnour worth about $2.7 million to play with.
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Ginobili probably comes back now as well.
