SAEN confirms Aldridge is on the trading block.

[Spur|n|Austin]

I wonder if these reports will mean that Jabari Young (and Jeff McDonald to a lesser extent) will be in the doghouse with Pop this season?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Pop doesn't give a about speculation gossip tweets/articles.

[cd98]

Good find. Many thanks. Most level-headed look at this I've seen.

I find this line puzzling though:



We won 67 last year, so does that mean, somehow, the writer or the sources he's chatting with have already given up on the Spurs this season and the near future? Who besides the Cavs and Dubs can you argue are more of a contender than us? I guess LMA was disappointed by yet another second round exit last year?

None of the other teams he looked at were even close to le contenders. Spurs are still the best place for him to be to contend and get paid.

[TheDoctor]

...I will say this much. If the Spurs really did tell him that it was going to be "his team" in order to get him here, I can understand him being a little bit tweaked. Nobody here thought it would be anyone other than Kawhi's team. I don't really care whether LMA deserves it, or whether he's good enough, or whether he should be more of a team player, or any of that. If that's what they told him to get him here, he's got a legit beef over it. Because I don't think it would have mattered what he did, it was never going to happen.

I really don't think that was case. First, Pop has been on record saying Kawhi's the face of the franchise; Second, he even stated that KL is the Big 1:

Pop (December 2014):
"He’s getting more license. When you’re a young kid, you’re going to defer to Timmy and Manu and [Tony]. Now it’s like, ‘To heck with those guys. The Big Three, they’re older than dirt. To with them. You’re the Big One. You’ve got to go do your deal....”

Then, you have LMA saying this is Kawhi Leonard's team:

LMA (Jan 2016):

"I definitely could’ve been that guy here. But going home and being close to family and being on such a talented team, that was hard to turn down.

I’ve always enjoyed being the guy. I think working so hard in Portland to earn the right to have it be my team and to have my own team over the years and try to play at a high level, that was hard-earned. So I take pride in that. I cherish those years. I don’t want to be that guy. This team is so stacked that they really don’t need me to be that guy here.

This is more Kawhi’s team and we all kind of fit in around him and try to make him better and try to make his life a little bit easier. I think if I was trying to be that guy still, then I should’ve not came. But I’m OK with trying to help Kawhi be great every night."

[alpha_HaZE]

Good find. Many thanks. Most level-headed look at this I've seen.

I find this line puzzling though:



We won 67 last year, so does that mean, somehow, the writer or the sources he's chatting with have already given up on the Spurs this season and the near future? Who besides the Cavs and Dubs can you argue are more of a contender than us? I guess LMA was disappointed by yet another second round exit last year?

We lost in the second round last year to a team clearly better than us, and this year it doesn't look like it's our year either. Remember he left Portland because he was tired of the exact very thing. LET ME SAY THAT I disagree with that line of thought, and if LMA is indeed thinking that way it would justify Pop presumably saying; He just don't get it.

To me, I think we had a great chance last year and we do have as great of chance this year as well. If I was LMA, I would first learn how to set up a proper screen the Spurs way... and then ask for a Kawhi treatment.

[RD2191]

This thread should be locked and deleted. There are zero credible reports on LMA being on the trading block.

[HarlemHeat37]

Jimmy Butler for Aldridge..Butler's relationship with the Bulls has been iffy and they were rumored to have been shopping him, last year..their current backcourt doesn't make sense, and they're severely lacking frontcourt talent..adding Aldridge would give them a lot more balance, and he would be by far their best player, which would keep him content..

Trade TP, Simmons and a pick to Philly for Noel..Sixers are being lowballed by everybody, they have no leverage..Brett Brown has a relationship with TP and he could be a mentor to all their young players, while being an upgrade over anything they've had at PG during the past few years..Simmons has a little potential on a Sixers team with minimal wing talent..

Butler/Mills
Green/Manu
Kawhi/Kyle
Noel/Bertans
Gasol/Dedmon

Obviously 0% chance of this occurring, since Aldridge isn't going anywhere and the Spurs would never disrespect TP by trading him to Philly, but a can dream

[MaNu4Tres]

Jimmy Butler for Aldridge..Butler's relationship with the Bulls has been iffy and they were rumored to have been shopping him, last year..their current backcourt doesn't make sense, and they're severely lacking frontcourt talent..adding Aldridge would give them a lot more balance, and he would be by far their best player, which would keep him content..

Trade TP, Simmons and a pick to Philly for Noel..Sixers are being lowballed by everybody, they have no leverage..Brett Brown has a relationship with TP and he could be a mentor to all their young players, while being an upgrade over anything they've had at PG during the past few years..Simmons has a little potential on a Sixers team with minimal wing talent..

Butler/Mills
Green/Manu
Kawhi/Kyle
Noel/Bertans
Gasol/Dedmon

Obviously 0% chance of this occurring, since Aldridge isn't going anywhere and the Spurs would never disrespect TP by trading him to Philly, but a can dream

I'll dream with you.

[jbspurs]

No Cousins please! I've been to Spurs vs Kings game in Sac, This guy complains too much, one time he complained about something even before the game starts. Some Sac fans are tired of him and wants him out.

[MaNu4Tres]

Jimmy Butler for Aldridge..Butler's relationship with the Bulls has been iffy and they were rumored to have been shopping him, last year..their current backcourt doesn't make sense, and they're severely lacking frontcourt talent..adding Aldridge would give them a lot more balance, and he would be by far their best player, which would keep him content..

Trade TP, Simmons and a pick to Philly for Noel..Sixers are being lowballed by everybody, they have no leverage..Brett Brown has a relationship with TP and he could be a mentor to all their young players, while being an upgrade over anything they've had at PG during the past few years..Simmons has a little potential on a Sixers team with minimal wing talent..

Butler/Mills
Green/Manu
Kawhi/Kyle
Noel/Bertans
Gasol/Dedmon

Obviously 0% chance of this occurring, since Aldridge isn't going anywhere and the Spurs would never disrespect TP by trading him to Philly, but a can dream

Spurs get:

Butler, Taj Gibson

Bulls get:

Aldridge, Anderson, Simmons


C: Gasol
PF: Gibson
SF: Kawhi
SG: Green
PG; Butler

Bench:

Dedmon
Lee
Bertans
Manu
Parker/ Mills (Would trade Mills for a 1st)

Murray
Lapro
Forbes
Livio
Garino, Anthony, or Another big.

[sasaint]

Jimmy Butler for Aldridge..Butler's relationship with the Bulls has been iffy and they were rumored to have been shopping him, last year..their current backcourt doesn't make sense, and they're severely lacking frontcourt talent..adding Aldridge would give them a lot more balance, and he would be by far their best player, which would keep him content..

Trade TP, Simmons and a pick to Philly for Noel..Sixers are being lowballed by everybody, they have no leverage..Brett Brown has a relationship with TP and he could be a mentor to all their young players, while being an upgrade over anything they've had at PG during the past few years..Simmons has a little potential on a Sixers team with minimal wing talent..

Butler/Mills
Green/Manu
Kawhi/Kyle
Noel/Bertans
Gasol/Dedmon

Obviously 0% chance of this occurring, since Aldridge isn't going anywhere and the Spurs would never disrespect TP by trading him to Philly, but a can dream

I have had similar dreams - at least with respect to Aldridge for Butler. You have to wonder if Kawhi and Butler would be a harmonious combination, though. But like you said - it is just a dream...

[sasaint]

Spurs get:

Butler, Taj Gibson

Bulls get:

Aldridge, Anderson, Simmons

I would much rather have Taj than Noel.

[jbspurs]

Aldridge, Anderson and Joel Anthony for Ibaka and Vucevic.. Do it Pop

[HarlemHeat37]

Spurs get:

Butler, Taj Gibson

Bulls get:

Aldridge, Anderson, Simmons


C: Gasol
PF: Gibson
SF: Kawhi
SG: Green
PG; Butler

Bench:

Dedmon
Lee
Bertans
Manu
Mills

Murray
Lapro
Forbes
Livio
Garino, Anthony, or Another big.

[sasaint]

Spurs get:

Butler, Taj Gibson

Bulls get:

Aldridge, Anderson, Simmons


C: Gasol
PF: Gibson
SF: Kawhi
SG: Green
PG; Butler

Bench:

Dedmon
Lee
Bertans
Manu
Mills

Murray
Lapro
Forbes
Livio
Garino, Anthony, or Another big.

Great SL, but I would also like to make some move to get rid of the Dedmon/Lee pairing on the second unit.

[Chillen]

Spurs get:

Butler, Taj Gibson

Bulls get:

Aldridge, Anderson, Simmons


C: Gasol
PF: Gibson
SF: Kawhi
SG: Green
PG; Butler

Bench:

Dedmon
Lee
Bertans
Manu
Parker/ Mills (Would trade Mills for a 1st)

Murray
Lapro
Forbes
Livio
Garino, Anthony, or Another big.

That's an amazing trade for the Spurs, but the Bulls wouldn't be stupid enough to do it unless Butler absolutely wants out. At that point LMA is a good return.

[spurraider21]

so Lowe makes a "crazy prediction." Jackie MacMullan says Lowe "reported" that LMA could get traded. and then SAEN parrots the ESPN report and here we are.

lol zach lowe

[DPG21920]

Wait, why do people think Butler can play PG ?

[Slippy]

so Lowe makes a "crazy prediction." Jackie MacMullan says Lowe "reported" that LMA could get traded. and then SAEN parrots the ESPN report and here we are.

lol zach lowe

lol. The pre-season trade of a star player. Unless LA's been behaving like Dennis Rodman & somehow we missed the news, can't see it happening

[MaNu4Tres]

Wait, why do people think Butler can play PG ?

Labels don't mean much. It's about skill-sets.

Not only can Butler be more effective off the ball than Parker when Kawhi is facilitating, but Butler, at this moment, has more effective facilitator skills than Parker in the half court. You don't need a PG to call plays, it can be any perimeter creator that initiates the offense whether if it's a PG like Curry, SG like Harden or SF like LeBron. Facilitors all have the same role offensively -- labeled positions is irrelevant. There are labeled PG's in the league who are essentially 3 and D wings who defend PGs.

Spurs can easily match up on D as well as Danny would defend PGs' full time ( something he's fully capable of doing).

Labels are overrated.

Even Jimmy Butler agrees that he has the skill set of a facilitator in the half court.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-...guard-so-is-he

[SAGirl]

Wait, why do people think Butler can play PG ?

It's open season on all sorts of stupid trade proposals. Better get ready for this. It won't go away, all season.... It's going to get annoying.

[MaNu4Tres]

It's open season on all sorts of stupid trade proposals. Better get ready for this. It won't go away, all season.... It's going to get annoying.

What does 2016 Parker do that Butler can't do on offense?

Don't say anthing that you can't quantify like leadership or knowledge of the system.

Not that I don't believe in leadership, its just you can't quantify it. It's subjective. Leadership shifts anyway. Parker can say he intends on being more of a leader with Duncan gone, but him being a leader isn't going to make him a better defender, and it isn't going to make him more consistent.

[waisman]

Bad debts player,1st pick ×2,3　⇔　Aldridge


best

[DeRozan m8]

aldridge > kawhi ... imho

Ah well, even the Spurs have some clueless fans

[SAGirl]

What does 2016 Parker do that Butler can't do on offense?

Don't say anthing that you can't quantify like leadership or knowledge of the system.

Not that I don't believe in leadership, its just you can't quantify it. It's subjective. Leadership shifts anyway. Parker can say he intends on being more of a leader with Duncan gone, but him being a leader isn't going to make him a better defender, and it isn't going to make him more consistent.

Don't want to argue, exhausted about it. Just overall too many senseless trades suggested... take it as a general comment. I don't care to weigh in on any one in particular bc they are all hypothetical and the suggestions will occur all season.. For the record I would rather LMA not get traded personally and I don't think that he will so it seems pointless to consider except for entertainment.

If they do trade him I won't have a breakdown, but I'd rather they don't.

[usdane]