The NBA season is still early and while the deadline isn't until next year, that doesn't mean the trade wheel won't start spinning a bit and after many speculated that LaMarcus Aldridge would be traded from the Portland Trail Blazers, their great start to the season has pushed that back and on top of that, a report from Yahoo Sports says that Aldridge will not be moving to a team like the Chicago Bulls, NY Knicks, Clippers or Lakers this season.
The Blazers have been off to a great start this season and one reason has been Aldridge himself, as he is leading the team in scoring and rebounding with 22 points and nine rebounds per game. The Blazers are 10-2 this season and if the team continues playing this well, it is very likely that he will NOT be traded, which is something that many in the media have speculated about over the past year.
Aldridge has been mentioned in numerous trade rumors over the past few months, some real while some are very speculative, but many have come to the consensus that he won't be moved since he is young and is under contract for at least a couple more seasons. Now, according to Pro Basketball Talk, a deal for Aldridge is unlikely to go down, as Adrian Wojnarowski from Yahoo Sports spoke about the possibility of a move, dumping cold water on it.
I'll put the main quote at the bottom of the story, but basically A-Dubs says that Aldridge will be hanging around Portland for at least one more season and likely two, as that is what is left on his deal. He opens up the idea that he could play out his contract and leave as a free agent, or he could wait and ask for a trade around the deadline either in that first year or second year depending on how the situation with the team is.
Basically, Wojnarowski says that the biggest issue for Aldridge is the fact that he doesn't have much leverage in the situation, saying that the two years on his deal could keep him from making a move. According to ESPN.com, Aldridge is getting paid over $14 million this season and $16 million next season and while teams like his talent, they may not be willing to go after someone who will just leave after they make the move.
Aldridge's biggest trade reports came out earlier in the summer when Pro Basketball Talk and others reported that Aldridge wanted to move and teams like the Timberwolves, Bulls, Hawks and other teams were asked to exchange their stars for him, but all said no, including the Clippers and other teams. Aldridge will likely have to wait out a year or two, but if someone floors the team with a deal, there's a chance they could make a move.
From Wojnarowski per Pro Basketball Talk:
"I think [Aldridge] is going to be in Portland in the foreseeable future. I don't know what leverage he has right now. He's got two years left on his deal. A lot can change in two years in the NBA, a lot can change in one year. Listen, at the end of these two years, maybe as a free agent, he decides to leave, maybe Portland moves him at the trade deadline before he leaves, before he can leave.
"But I don't see them... I just don't think Neil Olshey will trade him for pennies on the dollar. If there's a star attraction, if there's a guy they can bring back, a guy to build around, of course they'll do it, but I don't know if LaMarcus Aldridge is commanding that kind of value out on the market right now. Certainly there are teams who want him, but what are they willing to give up?"