NBA Rumors: Lakers Among Teams To Pursue LaMarcus Aldridge In Free Agency
LaMarcus Aldridge came up big the last time the Blazers played the Knicks.
The rumors surrounding the immediate future for All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge continue to swirl with the Portland Trail Blazers on pace to be eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Memphis Grizzlies have a two-game lead on the Blazers and will likely shut the door on Portland’s hopes to advance sooner rather than later.
With the Blazers potentially getting bounced in the first round of the postseason, the team will begin to focus on bringing back Aldridge on a long-term deal. Although many anticipate the veteran forward simply re-signing with Portland this summer, the speculation has run rampant about Aldridge potentially heading elsewhere.
One of those potential destinations is with the Los Angeles Lakers. The storied franchise is in desperate need of some top-tier talent and Aldridge would be a considerable upgrade. ESPN’s Marc Stein lists the Lakers along with a few others teams set to pursue the soon-to-be 30-year-old this summer:
To that end, Marc Stein reported on Thursday that the Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs will chase Aldridge in free agency this summer. The Knicks will have at least $25 million in cap space.
If the Lakers or Blazers are unable to land Aldridge in free agency, the San Antonio Spurs or Dallas Mavericks might have the edge. Aldridge is a Texas native and some believe he’d return to his home state with either the Mavericks or Spurs who could use his services to help usher in a new era after Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki.
The New York Knicks are also an intriguing destination for Aldridge, but with Phil Jackson and company likely having the first or second pick in the upcoming NBA draft, the team will likely bring in Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns. Aldridge is still a viable in free agency, but it remains to be seen if the Knicks have a legitimate shot at landing him or intend to do so after potentially adding a frontcourt player in the draft.
