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NBA Free Agency: Top 5 teams for LaMarcus Aldridge

By James Simpson II

Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) before game four against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) before game four against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 1, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12), forward Nicolas Batum (88) and guard Damian Lillard (0) react after Lillard made a three point basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the third quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12), forward Nicolas Batum (88) and guard Damian Lillard (0) react after Lillard made a three point basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the third quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Portland Trail Blazers

We know one thing: due to the collective bargaining agreement the Blazers can offer Aldridge more money than any other team. That has to count for something, right? When fully healthy, the Blazers were one of the four best teams out West and put out one of the best starting fives every night (Aldridge, Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez, Nicolas Batum). Health derailed a possible long playoff run (Memphis beat Portland 4-1 in the first round) and Aldridge has to wonder if this particular team could reach the championship mountain or have they peaked as a group?

The Blazers have only four players under guaranteed contracts going into the 2015-2016 season (Lillard, Batum, C.J. McCollum, Meyers Leonard) and don’t have much cap space to improve the team, plus as a close observer, this Portland group has seemed to peak. I don’t think this Blazers team will get any better or worse than what they are right now. I see their ceiling being the conference semifinals and that’s it. If that’s the case, then maybe it’s time to move on. However, Aldridge has always expressed his feelings as wanting to go down as the best Blazer player in franchise history and he’s built a productive partnership with his co-star Damian Lillard.

Staying in Portland would be massive for the organization and the rambunctious fanbase, but only Aldridge knows if it would be the right suit for him long-term.

Next: Spurs

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