Woj: As LaMarcus Aldridge returns to Portland...

[ace3g]

Adrian Wojnarowski @WojYahooNBA
(https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA)As LaMarcus Aldridge returns to Portland, here's a detailed look inside the 5 July days that led him to the Spurs. yhoo.it/1RP4qDc (https://t.co/EOEBks3xxJ)

[HarlemHeat37]

Aldridge loathed driving around Portland and seeing those Lillard billboards that adidas had mounted for him – even when the Blazers made Aldridge the centerpiece of every franchise marketing investment.



Also pretty funny that a washed-up Tyson Chandler put the Suns at the top of the list:lol..


And a lot of love to Pat Riley for unintentionally recruiting for the Spurs, too:lol

[DMC]

Also pretty funny that a washed-up Tyson Chandler put the Suns at the top of the list:lol..
It's interesting that TC was rejected by OKC. They would have had a title with him, I feel certain of it.

[xtremesteven33]

Very interesting article. Woj kinda confirms Aldridges diva persona which is kinda troubling. I wonder how Aldridge will take Kawhi being the main show in the future. Though Aldridge isnt your prototypical "Spur"; I still believe he can learn alot from Duncan, Manu and Pop. I have no question he will contribute offensively, but his clutch intangibles and leadership is still in question.

[apalisoc_9]

And posters think i am trolling and hating when i said Aldrdige had a Diva personality. :lol

Majority of hardcore blazers fans have confirmed his diva personality. Thankfully..TD, Manu, TP and Pop have all bigger NBA personalities. Otherwise, this trade would have been a disaster.

[milkyway21]

Also pretty funny that a washed-up Tyson Chandler put the Suns at the top of the list:lol..


And a lot of love to Pat Riley for unintentionally recruiting for the Spurs, too:lol


speaking of Suns, what's new?

They ignored Kawhi Leonard on draft day (thanks to that), in favor of Markief Morris :huh .. if that's lacking of a 20/20 visiion or intuition or what, I don't know but where's Morris today ? :lol

[Robz4000]

Basically things we knew (sans Pat Riley helping the Spurs), but it actually makes me feel better about LMA and his fit off the court.

[timtonymanu]

Hopefully he'll be fine with Kawhi leading the team

[SoonerSpur512]

Great article

[Canyonero]

Good article, in the end the top franchise got the top FA :flag:

[Robz4000]

Hopefully he'll be fine with Kawhi leading the team

Idk, Kawhi might be too introverted and quiet to be a conventional leader. He'll prolly be the best player but LMA/Green/MVPatty might handle leadership duties.

[milkyway21]

Hopefully he'll be fine with Kawhi leading the team

Obviously that's temporary..based on what Manu said in the article.
Once Alfridge knows the system he'll be leading the Spurs..

[NASpurs]

Nevertheless, Riley made a case to Aldridge that turned out to be an immense blessing for the franchise that had obliterated the Heat in the 2014 NBA Finals. As the idea of joining the Suns gained real momentum, Riley’s message would go a long, long way toward validating the Spurs’ cause. Truth be told, Riley’s words resonated as deeply with Aldridge as anyone’s in the process.“He told me, ‘You’re a good player, but you can be great,’” Aldridge told Yahoo. “I’ve had good seasons on my own, but to win, you’ve got to have other big-time guys with you. When you have other guys who are willing to take that sacrifice with you – maybe you all go from averaging 23-24 points to 18-19 points – and you can all do it together.

“He was saying, ‘Hey, you might have to take a lesser role, but at the end of the day, you want to be known as a champion. Champions have to do different things.’ He brought up Chris Bosh, how he was averaging 21 in Toronto, and came to Miami, and people tried to say he wasn’t important. He told me, ‘We don’t win any of those championships rings without him,’ [and] that [Bosh] wouldn’t trade those rings for anything.

“Eventually, it becomes a road in your career, whether you have to decide whether you want to keep having these crazy stats, or do you want to win a championship?”

On the night of July 2, with Popovich returning for a lunch meeting the next day, Riley had delivered an unintended assist to the Spurs. He had turned Aldridge’s mind back toward San Antonio, setting the stage for Popovich to close the deal. “Yeah, the things [Riley] said were definitely more positive for me coming to San Antonio,” Aldridge told Yahoo.


Gotta send Riley a gift basket or something. :wow

[apalisoc_9]

Obviously that's temporary..based on what Manu said in the article.
Once Alfridge knows the system he'll be leading the Spurs..

Stop posting. You are an embarrasment.

[Kool Bob Love]

Kawhi said he wanted to chase stats and regular season MVPs after the LMA signing. What a fucking clown. Fucking idiot planting seeds to run off LMA like Kobe did Shaq and Pau. SMFH.

[dabom]

Stop posting. You are an embarrasment.

[100%duncan]

Who wouldnt be pissed when you are clearly the best player in the team but the faggot city loves that inefficient chucking point guard? At least in SA, kawhi wouldnt be a media bitch like lollard is.

[100%duncan]

And props to daddy Riles tbh

[timtonymanu]

Who wouldnt be pissed when you are clearly the best player in the team but the faggot city loves that inefficient chucking point guard? At least in SA, kawhi wouldnt be a media bitch like lollard is.

Much less a player that checks out because he got snubbed from the all star team :lol

[SpurPadre]

We don't owe Riley shit. That's his thank you for Game 6.

[Kool Bob Love]

Gotta send Riley a gift basket or something. :wow

suck it easy you clown.

[NASpurs]

suck it easy you clown.

Why is this sensitive faggot talking to me?

Probably the most hypocritical cum stain on this site and that's saying something. :lol

[RD2191]

Why is this sensitive faggot talking to me?

Probably the most hypocritical cum stain on this site and that's saying something. :lol

:lmao

[objective]

speaking of Suns, what's new?

They ignored Kawhi Leonard on draft day (thanks to that), in favor of Markief Morris :huh .. if that's lacking of a 20/20 visiion or intuition or what, I don't know but where's Morris today ? :lol

Lon Babby went on Phoenix radio after that draft and flat out said they didn't draft Kawhi because he refused to work out for them. He didn't work out for the spurs either. The 'refuse to draft a player who doesn't work out' tactic was also used this summer by Vlade as to why he didn't draft Mudiay.

[SAGirl]

To me honestly it sounds like it is really the press who has made up the story about Aldridge being a diva to prop up the little attention whore that is Lillard. I still remember last season when Lillard looked like a cry-baby bc he wasn't selected as an all-star. He was legitimately upset about it and made a whole scene talking to the press and making himself look ridiculous bc of it. He looked cheap bc he even threw jabs at someone else (maybe Nowitzki? who had been selected to replace an injured player, instead of him).

[Kool Bob Love]

Why is this sensitive faggot talking to me?

Probably the most hypocritical cum stain on this site and that's saying something. :lol

you offer Riley a gift basket or "something". I made the choice easy for you clown.

[DarrinS]

Great read! Thanks :tu

[DarrinS]

Why is this sensitive faggot talking to me?

Probably the most hypocritical cum stain on this site and that's saying something. :lol

:lmao

[milkyway21]

Stop posting. You are an embarrasment.

You can ignore me if you want to..but uou can't stop me from posting just because I am not as obsessed with Kawhi as you are :cuss

Embarrassment ? I did not post such things as " Duncan is a stat-padder..."

[DarrinS]

To me honestly it sounds like it is really the press who has made up the story about Aldridge being a diva to prop up the little attention whore that is Lillard. I still remember last season when Lillard looked like a cry-baby bc he wasn't selected as an all-star. He was legitimately upset about it and made a whole scene talking to the press and making himself look ridiculous bc of it. He looked cheap bc he even threw jabs at someone else (maybe Nowitzki? who had been selected to replace an injured player, instead of him).


Well, he did choose SA over other teams where he definitely would be "the man". That speaks volumes about his character, tbh.

[spurs10]

Well, he did choose SA over other teams where he definitely would be "the man". That speaks volumes about his character, tbh. This

[SAGirl]

Well, he did choose SA over other teams where he definitely would be "the man". That speaks volumes about his character, tbh.


This

Agree with you both, not only did he choose the Spurs, he has been very unselfish and understanding of the process of fitting in.

[apalisoc_9]

You can ignore me if you want to..but uou can't stop me from posting just because I am not as obsessed with Kawhi as you are :cuss

Embarrassment ? I did not post such things as " Duncan is a stat-padder..."

Your basketball takes are embarasing

[ILoveOranges]

Agree with you both, not only did he choose the Spurs, he has been very unselfish and understanding of the process of fitting in.

He's going to be a great fit, that's for sure. He does say in the article that he wanted to be appreciated as head of a franchise, but I imagine it's more of him wanting to appreciated for the talent he brings. When Lillard is being featured in marketing billboards, I imagine it was difficult for Aldridge to sit there and think that the franchise he had led his entire career would focus on someone else.

All told, it does seem like Aldridge was picking at reasons to leave Portland. His mind was probably made up a year ago when he realized that he would never win a championship there. In the beginning of his free agency, one of his priorities was probably to be the big alpha head of the team (like some of the fruits on this site seem to be projecting onto him or Kawhi), but through meetings with Riley and Popovich, he came to appreciate the team focus and the brotherhood that the Spurs offered. Everyone fit in, nobody was singled out. Everyone works together.

It's only been seven games but you can see how much more comfortable Aldridge is becoming out on the floor, and how quickly he's adjusting. This team has a high ceiling, with all different kinds of styles and go-to players and shooters.

[Seventyniner]

It's interesting that TC was rejected by OKC. They would have had a title with him, I feel certain of it.

Once again I pause to think of a Westbrook/Harden/Durant/Ibaka/Prime Chandler lineup and thank God it didn't happen.

[milkyway21]

Your basketball takes are embarasing.


I am just a basketball FAN, NOT a basketball expert,..

Don't worry once Tim Duncan & Manu Ginobili retire I will be out of here. You're not that kind of person who can terrify or intimidate me.
For now I just have to torture you with my bad takes. Well you're an embarrassment yourself, so I am not alone..

And pls. don't address me anymore from now on.. you are already in my ignore list. It'll be just a waste of your time.

[SnakeBoy]

To me honestly it sounds like it is really the press who has made up the story about Aldridge being a diva to prop up the little attention whore that is Lillard. I still remember last season when Lillard looked like a cry-baby bc he wasn't selected as an all-star. He was legitimately upset about it and made a whole scene talking to the press and making himself look ridiculous bc of it. He looked cheap bc he even threw jabs at someone else (maybe Nowitzki? who had been selected to replace an injured player, instead of him).

I think that's the point Wojo was making in the article. That LMA liked that the Spurs didn't have a Diva and even the local ads/commercials are always done as a team.

Taken in context, Wojo's statement makes Lillard seem like the Diva not LMA.


Aldridge loathed driving around Portland and seeing those Lillard billboards that adidas had mounted for him – even when the Blazers made Aldridge the centerpiece of every franchise marketing investment. Here’s how it worked in San Antonio, they told him: No Spurs player is ever alone on a billboard.

“It was like a family, like a bunch of guys who love basketball sitting around and just talking basketball,” Aldridge told Yahoo.

[K...]

.


I am just a basketball FAN, NOT a basketball expert,..

Don't worry once Tim Duncan & Manu Ginobili retire I will be out of here. You're not that kind of person who can terrify or intimidate me.
For now I just have to torture you with my bad takes. Well you're an embarrassment yourself, so I am not alone..

And pls. don't address me anymore from now on.. you are already in my ignore list. It'll be just a waste of your time.

just remember our friend APO has had like 5 bad takes in a row. I won't list them cause it's tedious, but it's clear that without Harlemheat37 spoonfeeding him takes he's at best average basketball guy. His real skill is making shitty threads with lame jokes and having his sensitive friends play white knight to defend him. I'd be embarassed to be him, more embarrased than I am as a dreaded casual basketball fan.

[Mugen]

Sounds like the dude is a walking contradiction tbh. I'm happy he's with the Spurs but he needs to buy into the culture/system by the end of the year...

[milkyway21]

just remember our friend APO has had like 5 bad takes in a row. I won't list them cause it's tedious, but it's clear that without Harlemheat37 spoonfeeding him takes he's at best average basketball guy. His rreal skill is making shitty threads with lame jokes and having his sensitive friends play white knight to defend him. I'd be embarassed to be him, more embarrased than I am as a dreaded casual basketball fan.

[DAF86]

Where's the part about Pop and Udoka telling Aldridge "you can take as many shots as you want"?

[pgardn]

And posters think i am trolling and hating when i said Aldrdige had a Diva personality. :lol
.

And how is it you became an expert on Diva's and needing attention?

No need to answer.

You are indeed one of the amazing foot in mouth(keyboard) posters.

[pgardn]

Your basketball takes are embarasing

Holy shit...

[TheGreatYacht]

Obviously that's temporary..based on what Manu said in the article.
Once Alfridge knows the system he'll be leading the Spurs..
milkyway: Ascending ^

[Mnky]

To me honestly it sounds like it is really the press who has made up the story about Aldridge being a diva to prop up the little attention whore that is Lillard. I still remember last season when Lillard looked like a cry-baby bc he wasn't selected as an all-star. He was legitimately upset about it and made a whole scene talking to the press and making himself look ridiculous bc of it. He looked cheap bc he even threw jabs at someone else (maybe Nowitzki? who had been selected to replace an injured player, instead of him).

LMA has consistently been praised by his teammates, in Portland and San Antonio. Divas use the diva card. Kawhi and Danny seem to enjoy playing with him. That's all that matters, they're the future.

[TheGreatYacht]

Kawhi said he wanted to chase stats and regular season MVPs after the LMA signing. What a fucking clown. Fucking idiot planting seeds to run off LMA like Kobe did Shaq and Pau. SMFH.
Great point.

Fcking short bus deflecting and calling LMAlpha the diva :wakeup

[YGWHI]

Obviously that's temporary...Once Alfridge knows the system he'll be leading the Spurs..
Fortunately for the Spurs and their future, Kawhi's continuously improving...not sure why you expect his production will drop considerably. The Spurs need LMA and Kawhi, both involved on offense to win.

[apalisoc_9]

Fortunately for the Spurs and their future, Kawhi's continuously improving...not sure why you expect his production will drop considerably. The Spurs need LMA and Kawhi, both involved on offense to win.

More so with Kawhi obviously..who is shooting over 50% and LMA under 50%..tbh.

[ChumpDumper]

More so with Kawhi obviously..who is shooting over 50% and LMA under 50%..tbh.Player fan.

Now whine about it.

[Floyd Pacquiao]

In the hotel’s valet lane, the emperor of the San Antonio Spurs playfully jabbed Toronto general manager Masai Ujiri for signing Atlanta’s DeMarre Carroll to a $60 million free-agent contract. Spurs family is Spurs family, and Ujiri had punctured a protégé’s program in Atlanta.

Sixteen million dollars a year, Popovich proclaimed with Aldridge approaching them. “Hey, Masai ought to pay you $35 million a year!” Pop shitting on ujiri :lol

[SpursBig3s]

Once again I pause to think of a Westbrook/Harden/Durant/Ibaka/Prime Chandler lineup and thank God it didn't happen.



MY GOD that is a terrifying lineup:wow

[cariocaz]

Gotta send Riley a gift basket or something. :wow

Very interesting.

[dbestpro]

Being the leader of the team from a media perspective is different than from a game perspective. LMA being the media leader is exactly what Leonard wants as he has very little use for the media. Lilliard got all the praise in Portland and became a "me and I" guy when talking with the media, when LMA was clearly the game leader. LMA can have all the media minutes in SA, and it will only make both Leonard and LMA better.

[baseline bum]

Damn, Riley doing the Spurs a solid after they blew up his team?

[Chinook]

I don't know why Riley thought that would work. Makes almost no sense to think Wade and Bosh were a better win-now core than Parker, Duncan, and Leonard (and Pop). Pretty sure that Green was on board by that time as well, and that matters since LMA apparently consulted Danny during the process, and they probably knew Manu would be bad. It's just no comparison to what the Heat had, and Riley should have tried selling South Beach instead.

[Beaverfuzz]

Sounds like the dude is a walking contradiction tbh. I'm happy he's with the Spurs but he needs to buy into the culture/system by the end of the year...

It'll be he and the Kawhi show in two years.

[RD2191]

.


I am just a basketball FAN, NOT a basketball expert,..

Don't worry once Tim Duncan & Manu Ginobili retire I will be out of here. You're not that kind of person who can terrify or intimidate me.
For now I just have to torture you with my bad takes. Well you're an embarrassment yourself, so I am not alone..

And pls. don't address me anymore from now on.. you are already in my ignore list. It'll be just a waste of your time.

Sup

[SAGirl]

I don't know why Riley thought that would work. Makes almost no sense to think Wade and Bosh were a better win-now core than Parker, Duncan, and Leonard (and Pop). Pretty sure that Green was on board by that time as well, and that matters since LMA apparently consulted Danny during the process, and they probably knew Manu would be bad. It's just no comparison to what the Heat had, and Riley should have tried selling South Beach instead.
The Heat do have some good personnel outside of Bosh and Wade in Whiteside and Dragic. To me the most pressing issue was fit. Their franchise player is Bosh... His fit with Lamarcus doesn't make any sense whatsover. They would bump each other out for time with Whiteside. It just didn't make any sense. Bosh at that point also had the lung clot or whatever it was. Its possible Riley just approached Lamarcus as insurance in case Bosh would not be fit to return. LMA probably saw there was an element to that.

From that perspective, the Spurs made a whole lot more sense for Lamarcus, not only has TD played a lot of center minutes this late in his career and still look remarkable, but the Spurs really had an aging HOF veteran as their premier big man and really needed a star big man moving forward. His fit was much better in the Spurs.

[SAGirl]

It'll be he and the Kawhi show in two years.
Already kind of is. They have both closed out games recently with TD and Tony in the bench.

[Beaverfuzz]

Already kind of is. They have both closed out games recently with TD and Tony in the bench.

One is on the bench due to minutes...the other is on the bench due to...................lameness?

[spursistan]

Once again I pause to think of a Westbrook/Harden/Durant/Ibaka/Prime Chandler lineup and thank God it didn't happen.
Sam Presti :tu

Drafting aside, most overrated GM ever..OKC had all the making of Western Conf/league dynasty, they might have to settle for a solitary trip to the Finals when it all is said and done..yeesh ..