tlongII
10-30-2014, 06:04 PM
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/john_canzano/index.ssf/2014/10/canzano_los_angeles_lakers_may.html
http://imgick.oregonlive.com/home/olive-media/pgmain/img/oregonian/photo/2014/04/-1d89a5848a492a84.jpg
Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) and Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) as the Portland Trail Blazers face the Houston Rockets in game 5 of the NBA playoffs at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Marc Spears, Yahoo Sports NBA writer joined me this week on the radio show (12-3p, 750-AM) to talk about the start of the season. He's always epic. But was particularly compelling in his comments on the Trail Blazers and LaMarcus Aldridge's future. Aldridge becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
Spears dropped a tidbit, calling the Lakers a potential suitor, for a guy Portland would like to keep for a long time.
Podcast of the entire interview here. Wide-ranging interview, on everything from Levi's Stadium, to racist remarks made by NBA owners. Worth a listen.
"I see him as one of the elite --- not only power forward's in the game, if not the best --- one of the elite players in the game," Spears said of Aldridge. "The one thing about LaMarcus is that he doesn't have that 'wow' game where he's going to dunk on you 300 times or shoot threes from half court or do that little dance. He just gets it done and at the end of the game you see it in the box score. He's a franchise star, somebody you can't lose, somebody who will have his jersey in the rafters one day.
"I really appreciate his growth knowing that it wasn't that long ago that he was third fiddle to Roy and Oden and now he's the guy. He worked to get there. I think Portland has to do everything in its power to make sure he's happy, and that he stays. Where could he go? You'd think a place like the Lakers. There's going to be some franchises that throw some money at him... I really hope that he and Dame get a chance to play for a long, long time."
Spears on the Portland 2014-15 season:
"I don't know what to think of this Portland team, man. I think they're going to be good, but is it something that they go to the second round and the same thing happens? I'm trying to figure out if this is a team that is going to take the next step, or just a team that just goes to the playoffs and that's it.
"The West is tough. Memphis is better. Golden State has a true championship shot. I actually picked them to win it. Dallas is better. New Orleans is better. I see Phoenix digressing a little, people have figured them out. They gotta come with it. They came with it strong, but it kind of fizzled out... how do you jump from that? Where do you go from that?"
http://imgick.oregonlive.com/home/olive-media/pgmain/img/oregonian/photo/2014/04/-1d89a5848a492a84.jpg
Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) and Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) as the Portland Trail Blazers face the Houston Rockets in game 5 of the NBA playoffs at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Marc Spears, Yahoo Sports NBA writer joined me this week on the radio show (12-3p, 750-AM) to talk about the start of the season. He's always epic. But was particularly compelling in his comments on the Trail Blazers and LaMarcus Aldridge's future. Aldridge becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
Spears dropped a tidbit, calling the Lakers a potential suitor, for a guy Portland would like to keep for a long time.
Podcast of the entire interview here. Wide-ranging interview, on everything from Levi's Stadium, to racist remarks made by NBA owners. Worth a listen.
"I see him as one of the elite --- not only power forward's in the game, if not the best --- one of the elite players in the game," Spears said of Aldridge. "The one thing about LaMarcus is that he doesn't have that 'wow' game where he's going to dunk on you 300 times or shoot threes from half court or do that little dance. He just gets it done and at the end of the game you see it in the box score. He's a franchise star, somebody you can't lose, somebody who will have his jersey in the rafters one day.
"I really appreciate his growth knowing that it wasn't that long ago that he was third fiddle to Roy and Oden and now he's the guy. He worked to get there. I think Portland has to do everything in its power to make sure he's happy, and that he stays. Where could he go? You'd think a place like the Lakers. There's going to be some franchises that throw some money at him... I really hope that he and Dame get a chance to play for a long, long time."
Spears on the Portland 2014-15 season:
"I don't know what to think of this Portland team, man. I think they're going to be good, but is it something that they go to the second round and the same thing happens? I'm trying to figure out if this is a team that is going to take the next step, or just a team that just goes to the playoffs and that's it.
"The West is tough. Memphis is better. Golden State has a true championship shot. I actually picked them to win it. Dallas is better. New Orleans is better. I see Phoenix digressing a little, people have figured them out. They gotta come with it. They came with it strong, but it kind of fizzled out... how do you jump from that? Where do you go from that?"