The NBA free agent class has LaMarcus Aldridge as one of the top players on the market and teams like the LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and NY Knicks could be potential targets if he thinks about leaving the Portland Trail Blazers this summer.
Aldridge is looking to sign a max contract and while he is likely to have a strong push by Portland to stay, he could be swayed to leave the Pacific Northwest. According to Marc Stein at ESPN.com, Aldridge is likely to listen to offers on the market this year and the Lakers, Knicks and Mavericks could be options for the forward to sign with. Stein writes that all three Texas teams are in play, as Aldridge is from Texas and could look at the Mavericks, Spurs or Rockets as landing spots.
Zach Lowe of Grantland reports that the Spurs could go after Aldridge if Tim Duncan retires, while the Rockets also remain a strong option for him. Previously this season the Oregonian reported that a player from the Blazers said that it was a "50-50 chance" that Aldridge would stay in Portland. The Blazers will have to sign Damian Lillard eventually and Aldridge may want to get the max money he can on the market if the team goes below that threshold.
Last season Aldridge averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds per game and that marked a career high in scoring and his second best total in rebounding. Last season Aldridge was right in line with that and average 11 rebounds per game and he has established himself as one of the best power forwards in the game. According to CSN New England, the Celtics may pursue Aldridge and Wesley Matthews in a "package" deal and they could look at moving draft picks to do it.
Aldridge had the chance to sign an extension with the Blazers in the past, but he wanted to maximize his value on the market. Greg Monroe did the same thing and that came after he turned down the chance to sign an extension with the Pistons as a restricted free agent. Aldridge also had a very strong season and he has been an All-Star in the past and is expecting to get a max contract.
According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge will be main targets for the Spurs if Duncan and/or Ginobili retires, as the team could make some major moves this summer if those changes happen. The report says that the team could consider a "trade for a draft pick" or signing a big name free agent like Gasol. The Spurs moves likely will depend on Duncan and Pro Basketball Talk reports that Aldridge, Gasol and Jimmy Butler could be potential targets. The Spurs, Lakers and Knicks are also expected to make runs at Aldridge. The Knicks may try and swing younger players like Greg Monroe or Jimmy Butler, but Aldridge remains a target as well.
