The San Antonio Spurs have remained undecided on LaMarcus Aldridge’s future on the team roughly two weeks before training camp. Aldridge, 32, will be entering the third year of his current deal with a player’s option for the 2018/19 season. The All-Star power forward has been mentioned in a number of trade chatters this summer and indications are strong the Spurs will deal him before he gets a chance to bolt out.
Still, Aldridge could find himself wearing a black and silver uniform by the start of the new season, as San Antonio has taken a wait-and-see approach on the matter.
LaMarcus Aldridge’s saga continues
Sam Amick of USA Today reported last June that Aldridge was no longer happy with his situation in San Antonio. The report also revealed that it was the forward’s trade request that prompted the Spurs front-office to shop him for a top-10 pick heading into the NBA Draft.
Aldridge has not lived up to the Spurs’ lofty expectations since signing a four-year, $84 million contract in 2015. Although his numbers from last season (17.3 ppg on 47 percent FG shooting with 7.3 rpg) are still pretty solid, he barely filled in the void left by Tim Duncan as a defensive lynch-pin.
But the most disappointing by far is his inability to provide consistent output in postseason play.
Aldridge, who averaged 16.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in this year’s playoffs, disappeared in several tightly-fought games in which his production could have swung the momentum in favor of the Spurs.
The ever intriguing Marc Gasol trade
The Spurs will likely wait until the final days of the trade window to strike a deal with Aldridge as their trade bait.
Finding a taker for Aldridge isn’t going to be an easy task for San Antonio, since the player can exercise his early termination clause and become an unrestricted free-agent again next summer.
One of the most popular trade scenarios out there is the Aldridge for Gasol swap. The Spurs direly missed the presence of a defensive anchor since losing Duncan to retirement and Gasol’s skills-set perfectly matches what they need.
Gasol, former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, also can stretch the defense with his ability to knock down the long ball (38 percent 3-point clip last season).
Matt Moore of CBS Sports reported, per source, the Memphis Grizzlies have no plans trading the Spanish big man as they considered him and guard Mike Conley “the untouchables’ on the team. This came after Gasol expressed his displeasure with the direction the Grizzlies are taking following the departure of mainstays Zach Randolph and Vince Carter.
Gasol is under contract through 2020 with a player’s option on the final year of his deal. With the rise of several Western Conference teams, it’s going to be tough for Memphis to clinch a playoff spot this coming season.
Trading Gasol for a package consisting of established players and draft picks would always be an intriguing prospect for the Grizzlies since they are neither a contender nor a rebuilding team. Aldridge would still make Memphis competitive, while youngsters (Bryn Forbes or Davis Bertans) and draft picks keep them prepared for the future.
