LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the top free agents on the market this offseason and teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, NY Knicks, Chicago Bulls, LA Clippers, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs are potential targets for the forward over his return to the Portland Trail Blazers and he should be in line for a max contract after having one of the best seasons of his career.
Aldridge is going to be a main target for teams, but the Portland Trail Blazers are coming into the summer expecting him back. According to Marc Stein at ESPN.com, there are a number of teams that will be looking to sign Aldridge this offseason, with the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks expected to be the top teams pursuing him. The Lakers also are an option and the Clippers have come up as a potential fit if DeAndre Jordan leaves in free agency.
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.
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. the team also could go after Marc Gasol, but he is expected to stay in Memphis. Aldridge is coming off of a career season and while he is expected to get a max contract offer from the Blazers, there is a chance he does not return to Portland.
Marc Stein at ESPN has speculated that the emergence of Damian Lillard could be a hindrance to Aldridge coming back, as he is the face of the franchise and will be in line for a massive extension coming up. That could bit into what Aldridge gets and if he is not satisfied, Stein said on ESPN's SportsCenter that he "would not be surprised" to see him in a Lakers or Knicks uniform next season.
Aldridge is coming into the offseason after having thumb surgery, but that is not expected to be an issue for him long term. Aldridge will be recovering for eight weeks, but that means he should be ready for training camp. Pro Basketball Talk writes that the thumb should have no bearing on whether teams chase him in free agency. The website reports that the Mavericks, Knicks and Lakers will be calling, while the Spurs also are a wild card in the chase.
Aldridge is from Texas and played his college ball there and that could cause him to look hard at the Spurs or the Rockets. The Spurs may have Tim Duncan retiring and they are signing Kawhi Leonard no matter what, but that could lead them to Aldridge as well. The Spurs don't often splurge in free agency, but adding a player like Aldridge or Marc Gasol could be worth it for the franchise.
