LaMarcus Aldridge is a player that will come up in trade rumors this offseason and teams like the Knicks, Lakers and Chicago Bulls are likely to be interested and New York could look to trade Tyron Chandler or Iman Shumpert to get a deal done if Aldridge and the Portland Trail Blazers do not come to a contract extension, meaning he will be a free agent in the 2015 summer.
Aldridge is in an interesting position, as he can be a free agent next year and has the chance to sign an extension now with the Blazers, but as time goes by, that is looking less and less likely. According to ESPN.com and Pro Basketball Talk, Aldridge will likely not sign a deal with the Blazers before hitting free agency because there is only so much money he can sign for between the CBA and the salary cap with Portland and that means it would be much more lucrative to wait and become a free agent. Aldridge is 28 years old and he is turning into one of the best forwards in the league and that should lead to a max contract or at least close to it.
Aldridge came up in trade rumors multiple times last summer and during the season, but after the way Portland ended up performing, those rumors quickly subsided. Last summer the Blazers reportedly were shopping Aldridge and now they are hoping to keep him long term. The contract for this season is at $16 million and if he plays out his deal without signing an extension, he would become a free agent in July of 2015, which is when Kevin Love also will be a free agent if he is not traded before that.
Aldridge had a very good season in 2013-14 and he broke out big in the playoffs, scoring 40 points in back to back games and leading the Blazers in scoring. The team has to deal with a looming contract for emerging star Damian Lillard and that could affect how much money they have to spend on Aldridge. This isn't Kevin Love quite yet, but the team has to decide whether it wants to let Aldridge leave for nothing after next season or trade him now or at the deadline to ensure they get a return.
Aldridge averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds last season and factored into the MVP voting and he was one of the most consistent players in the NBA. According to ESPN.com, the Knicks would be interested in making a deal and this comes after the team previously had a chance to try for a trade earlier in the season. The Knicks have Tyson Chandler and Iman Shumpert as trading chips and they could be options if they want to make a move this summer.
Aldridge will be a prime target for teams if he hits the market and the Blazers have to do their best to try and keep him after their success this season. The Blazers won a playoff series for the first time in a decade and they have two cornerstone players to build around in Aldridge and Lillard now.
