Fansided

Report: LaMarcus Aldridge will not join Los Angeles Lakers

ByCody Williams|
Feb 11, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers forward Ed Davis (21) during the first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers forward Ed Davis (21) during the first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

Free-agent forward LaMarcus Aldridge will reportedly not be signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.

After a dismal 2014-15 season that ultimately landed them with the second-overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers looked at NBA free agency as a chance to quickly right the ship and get back to being a quality playoff team. One of their biggest targets on the market to help them do just that was power forward LaMarcus Aldridge.

After meeting with the Lakers early on Wednesday at the start of the free agency period, it appears now as though the Lakers are going to miss out on their biggest target. Lakers beat writer Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Aldridge will not be signing with the Lakers:

Bresnahan went on to say that in Aldridge’s meeting with the Houston Rockets, the free agent was impressed with their work in analytics, something that wasn’t a part of the Lakers’ presentation to Aldridge during their meeting. Another addition from Bresnahan was that Aldridge and Kobe Bryant “didn’t quite gel” in the way that Aldridge didn’t particularly like the answers that Kobe had to his questions.

With Aldridge reportedly not going to the Lakers, this leaves the organization in somewhat of a panic now that their primary free agency target and other big names around the league aren’t available to them. It would be wise to assume that their pursuit of guys like DeAndre Jordan is about to heat up quite soon.

As for Aldridge, he’s continuing to take meetings around the league and his options are still open and plentiful. The Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and even the Phoenix Suns all seem to be likely destinations for Aldridge at this point, but we don’t know when he’ll be making his decision.

All that we do know for now is that one of the biggest names on the market during 2015 free agency isn’t going to the Lakers. How the Lakers respond could very well determine if they’re competing for a postseason spot or heading back to the lottery next season.

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