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NBA Rumors: Spurs to pursue LaMarcus Aldridge

By CM Towle

April 3, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
April 3, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Antonio Spurs are hoping to pursue Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge in the NBA offseason.

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The Spurs are currently engaged in a first round playoff contest with the LA Clippers, which they currently lead 2-1 with the next game to be played on Sunday in San Antonio. But that hasn’t stopped them from considering offseason moves, according to a story by CBS Sports. They intend to lock up Kawhi Leonard and then go after Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge.

Leonard will be a restricted free agent in July and the Spurs obviously see him as their franchise pillar at this point. Most likely they will give him a big deal to lock him up, then reportedly they want to go after Aldridge, according to a report from Yahoo! Sports. Locking up Leonard is probably the easiest part of this plan. Leonard has said he wants to remain a Spur and has no plans to pursue offers from other teams. On the other hand, Aldridge told the Blazers that he wanted to become the best Blazer of all time and would definitely sign a five year deal in 2015. Those are some pretty big words to go back on.

Putting the uphill climb to actually get Aldridge to sign aside, would it be a good or bad signing for the Spurs? On one hand, it would definitely help extend the Spurs championship window, as Aldridge is an All-Star caliber player and is only 30. It gives the Spurs a chance to beat the New York and Los Angeles markets outside of the basketball court, by signing a player like Aldridge in his prime.

A factor that works both for and against the Spurs is the report that Aldridge is “fickle, moody and unpredictable”. It’s good, on one hand, because it might mean that he’s prone to making statements like he did for the Blazers and then going back on his word, which means the Spurs have a chance to lure him away. In another case, who’s to say he won’t want out of San Antonio at some point as well?

Those same reports say that at least one Blazers teammate has said he gives Aldridge a 50-50 chance to up and leave Portland. While Aldridge already has a good running-mate in Damian Lillard, playing with Leonard has to be at least attractive. Furthermore, Texas is Aldridge’s home state so that might be another attraction.

It might just come down to how far Portland gets in the playoffs compared to the Spurs. Currently the Blazers are down 2-0 in the first round, with the series headed to Portland on Saturday.

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