Marc Stein: Spurs are #1 on LaMarcus Aldridge's list

[benstanfield]

So we sign LMA for two years, contend for those two years, TD retires and Aldridge expires, and then...

...tell Kawhi to get 'injured' and have expiring TP lead us to 15 wins, get a top 5 pick?

[NASpurs]

[Uriel]

Blazers lack clarity from LaMarcus Aldridge, fear losing free-agent star

The Portland Trail Blazers traded forward Nicolas Batum on Wednesday amid a growing belief within the organization that LaMarcus Aldridge is poised to leave them in free agency, according to league sources.

Sources told ESPN.com the Blazers have been pressing for more concrete signals from Aldridge's camp about his plans before the July 1 start of free agency and are ‎increasingly fearful they have little chance of retaining the All-Star big man once he hits the open market.

ESPN.com reported in May that both the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks strongly believe they'll have a great shot to lure Aldridge back to his home state of Texas next month. But sources said this week that Aldridge is actually thinking more and more about a free-agent jump to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers, sources added, firmly believe they will now be in the Aldridge hunt. As ESPN.com first reported ‎Monday, Lakers officials also continue to try to press the Sacramento Kings to trade them All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins.

The Spurs, sources say, continue to be Aldridge's most likely destination if he goes through with the idea of leaving the Blazers to start anew. But there is a rising sentiment, sources said, that the Lakers have edged past the Mavericks on Aldridge's wish list despite the fact he was a high school star in Dallas.

San Antonio is likewise familiar ground to Aldridge after he played collegiately at Texas in nearby Austin.

The Blazers created an additional $4 million of potential ‎salary-cap space by ‎shipping Batum to Charlotte for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh and have been well set up by general manager Neil Olshey to have the flexibility to go in a variety of directions if they need to respond to an Aldridge defection.

Sources say Portland plans to be very aggressive in July in trying to convince star guard Damian Lillard to commit to a five-year max extension in the $120 million range. And, as ESPN.com reported earlier Wednesday, Portland is expected to make its own hard push in free agency for Oregon-reared Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers, should Aldridge leave town.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13145694/portland-trail-blazers-growing-belief-forward-lamarcus-aldridge-leave-team-free-agency

[TheGoldStandard]

[Spur|n|Austin]

[NASpurs]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13...am-free-agency

The Spurs, sources say, continue to be Aldridge's most likely destination if he goes through with the idea of leaving the Blazers to start anew. But there is a rising sentiment, sources said, that the Lakers have edged past the Mavericks on Aldridge's wish list despite the fact he was a high school star in Dallas.


San Antonio is likewise familiar ground to Aldridge after he played collegiately at Texas in nearby Austin.

[Budkin]

I'll believe it when I see it

[TheGoldStandard]

at those that were thinking LA had no interest in coming here.

Said two weeks ago that the Spurs were number one on his list, and it sounds like the Cyberx guy from Clutchfans who said the same thing was correct also.

Hopefully Cousins doesn't entice him to go to LA if he gets traded, I'll try to keep everybody in the loop

They won't have enough salary to go around to bring both in

[Uriel]

Here's hoping the Kings hold on to Cousins so Aldridge has less incentive to go to Los Angeles.

[Spur|n|Austin]

They won't have enough salary to go around to bring both in

Not with Kobe snorting caviar off the Buss family.

[TheGoldStandard]

Here's hoping the Kings hold on to Cousins so Aldridge has less incentive to go to Los Angeles.

With Kobe's 25Mil and Cousin making 15M + 5M for N. Young They would would be in the same boat money wise to offer Aldridge a big deal but then have virtually 0 dollars to bring anyone else in to fill out that roster. Add into that the prospects they'd have to give up as well.

[Sean Cagney]

He won't get blocked by a PG on the regular

[itzsoweezee]

Here's hoping the Kings hold on to Cousins so Aldridge has less incentive to go to Los Angeles.

You think LA would want to play with Demarcus?

[Spur|n|Austin]

You think LA would want to play with Demarcus?

It's more of a $ thing

[Malik Hairston]

there's no decent player in the NBA that will voluntarily play with Kobe, let alone Kobe and Cousins, tbh..

Lakers signing Aldridge would be really stupid on their part, though..they aren't anywhere near contending, not sure why they would sign a 30-year old to a max deal..

[apalisoc_9]

[Sean Cagney]

Him going there would make no sense at all.

[Splits]

I'll believe it when I see it

[TheGoldStandard]

Him going there would make no sense at all.

Agent trying to coax cash out of teams and generate interest

[Ditty]

They won't have enough salary to go around to bring both in

You're right just read up on that. I don't know why he would want to play for a horrible Lakers team that's going to still be pretty bad even if he went there.

Lakersground saying that Clarkson,Okafor and a one legged Randle is a championship core

I heard the Kings aren't going to do the trade at this time also.

I really think the Spurs are clear cut favorites right now to get LA tbh.

[Silver&Black]

I'll believe it when I see it

[loveforthegame]

I'll believe it when I see it

[Mr. Body]

The Spurs really suck at wining and dining FAs. It's like how Pop doesn't get that seeding and who you play in the first round matters, a lot. They don't get you have to actually pursue people.

[BatManu20]

I'll believe it when I see it

[Spur|n|Austin]

I wonder if people here will believe it when they see it?

No .