On Wednesday, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich confirmed that the franchise will split from LaMarcus Aldridge.
Gregg Popvich says the San Antonio Spurs is working on an exchange scenario for LaMarcus Aldridge.
He is healthy, but he is not currently on the team, as both sides are looking for ‘opportunities to move him elsewhere’.
(through @RealTomPetrini) pic.twitter.com/cQGcOEjS78
– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 11, 2021
“LaMarcus is not with the team”, Popovich said. “He is healthy … but we mutually agreed to work on some opportunities for him and that will be elsewhere. … He has been a great teammate. There was no problem there. We just think this is a victory for LaMarcus and the club. So, when an opportunity arises … Let’s all move on.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the team is “involved on several fronts” in trade negotiations and has given Aldridge permission to seek “opportunities elsewhere”.
There is a level of confidence that a business partner will be found for Aldridge – perhaps until next week – and no move towards a contract purchase, sources say to ESPN.
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 11, 2021
The fact that San Antonio released the news to the public and leaked his “confidence” to Woj may indicate that a negotiation is already underway or has been closed. On the other hand, Woj noted that if no deal is reached before the March 25 deadline, “many of the league’s top teams are expressing particular interest” in adding Aldridge through purchase.
Certainly, that group could include the Lakers, who seek the depth of the veteran attack and have been linked to the other big names in the All-Star Andre Drummond and DeMarcus Cousins.
LaMarcus Aldridge is in the final year of a $ 50 million span, earning $ 24 million this season. The eliminated Lakers have no commercial exception (unlike, crucially, the Boston Celtics), which means they would have to include faces of significant rotation to match wages in an Aldridge exchange. I can safely say that Rob Pelinka will not trade Dennis Schröder or Montrezl Harrell (in addition to more pieces) for two months of Aldridge.
In other words: a negotiation is a failure, regardless of the parts involved.
As is the case with Drummond, who is earning $ 28.8 million, the purchase route is the only way for the title champions to get their hands on Aldridge. But should they want to?
Aldridge averaged 19.5 points and eight rebounds during his six seasons in San Antonio, but the 15-year-old dropped to 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in 21 games in 2020-21. As Sam Quinn of CBS pointed out, San Antonio has been 8.7 points for possession with Aldridge on the bench. The 35-year-old has lost eight of his last 12 games to hip and quadriceps injuries.
Undeniably, Aldridge is far from the player or asset he once was. On paper, however, he checks three key boxes for the Lakers.
First, he is experienced, with 72 playoff games under his belt.
Second, it is a large quality insurance. Even if he falls outside the playoff rotation, the 6’11 striker / center could provide useful depth of the attack court so far, especially with Anthony Davis handling a calf strain.
Finally, Aldridge can shoot – a recent area of weakness for the Lakers. He has made 37.9 percent of the 3.6 attempts at three points per game in the past two seasons.
Drummond tops the Lakers’ wish list, and with good reason. He is significantly younger and more productive and, if engaged, would be a much better option on the boards and around the rim at both ends. In contrast, Aldridge is more of a pick-and-pop player and spacer at this stage in his career.
The Lakers also need a wing – a 3-and-D update (a PJ Tucker or Trevor Ariza type) and / or extra ball handler (George Hill?). Once they officially resign Central day Damian Jones for a second 10-day contract, the Lakers would be better off taking their place on the final open list with a perimeter player.
It is possible that Aldridge is not interested in coming to the Lakers after his infamous free agent pitch in 2015. The organization was in a different place then – mired in a series of lost seasons and still run by Jim Buss. Things are different now.
But if Jones is not hired a third time, Aldridge is bought and intrigued, and Drummond lands elsewhere, which will soon be the ex-Spur who is worth pursuing. That seems to be the only way for the Lakers to land LaMarcus Aldridge at this point.
