“He has tons of respect for coach Popovich,” a source told ESPN.
He wouldn’t be the first. Opponents see how the Spurs respond to Popovich, and how the Spurs react as a team. There are probably times they wish they were part of something like that, especially when their own franchise isn’t as smartly run.
But it’s one thing to want to be coached — it’s another to actually give in to it. Even the Spurs have balked at times with Popovich.
Manu Ginobili often wanted to let his instincts take him where coaching couldn’t, and Tim Duncan could be stubborn. Both followed instruction and embraced a group dynamic, however, because of who they are.
Aldridge appears that way on the court, and perhaps that’s all that matters.
But there are also reports in Portland that he felt overshadowed, first by Brandon Roy and later by Damian Lillard.
If Aldridge does come to San Antonio,
he will face a sticky situation that would challenge a fragile ego.
He will follow Duncan as the franchise’s premier big man, but he can never be better than Duncan. And he will play next to Kawhi Leonard, whom Popovich has already called the future face of the franchise.
Is Aldridge ready for that? Is he ready for the responsibility, to “be pushed,” to join what he has admired from afar?
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he has no real reason to end his vacation in Argentina to fly all the way to California for a few hours just to influence Aldridge to play one more year with him. Ain't going to make a difference anyways what he says.
