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the rumors about his unhappiness were true of course, but what we didn't know is that he sulked privately and didn't say anything about it.
Hopefully it works out with Pop's adjustments, etc.
Thanks for sharing Uriel.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...-enters-year-3LaMarcus Aldridge initially closed his mind to utilizing the open-door policy advertised by coach Gregg Popovich.But two years in, it turns out the rumors were true regarding Aldridge's unhappiness, despite all the spin.
Having already stomached the uneasy feeling of not being used in San Antonio's system the way he'd envisioned, a disastrous showing in the Western Conference finals took it over the top, along with an offseason in which San Antonio attempted to trade Aldridge. The five-time All-Star decided it was finally time to get it all off his chest, so he asked for a heart-to-heart sitdown over the summer with Popovich.
"It was me kind of being blunt about it, and being kind of forward," Aldridge recently told ESPN during training camp. "He was open to it. I kind of just spilled my heart about how I felt about how things were, and how things had been going.
"I think he was kind of caught off guard. I don't think he really had noticed [that I was unhappy]. But once I said it, he was great about listening, and it was good from there. I felt like I wasn't really fitting into the system as best I could. I wasn't really helping like I felt I could."
Popovich admitted his power forward's frustrations were "all legitimate," and the hope is the opened lines of communication will help light the path to another le run.
"This is a guy who played for nine years, I believe, before he came here," Popovich said, "and it takes time to get used to a program that is not just new. But when you have nine years under your belt, doing something different, his concerns are totally legitimate.
"We have talked about what we can do to make him more comfortable, and to make our team better. But having said that, I think we are mostly talking about offense. Defense, he was fantastic for us. Now, we have got to help him a little bit more so that he is comfortable in his own space offensively, and I haven't done a very good job of that."
the rumors about his unhappiness were true of course, but what we didn't know is that he sulked privately and didn't say anything about it.
Hopefully it works out with Pop's adjustments, etc.
Thanks for sharing Uriel.
This is absolutely fantastic news tbh. It took all this for him to get it off his chest. He really can be the difference in a le run so long as Leonard is healthy cause he needs some pressure lifted. But as a ball player and a rhythm player at that it can be tough to perform when you don't feel comfortable and needed.
Anyhow hope the best. If he returns to All Star form or Portland Aldridge we could be pretty dangerous. We all seen what Kawhi did basically by himself. Better Aldridge equals less things that have to go right from our many unknowns heading into the season and by unknowns I mean all the new and young players...
Warriors, Rockets, Thunder
Still don't have anyone IMO that can guard him..especially the Warriors and Rockets..
If LMA can channel "Rockets Game 6" and "Warriors Game 1" type of play..Spurs will be a problem
Aldridge pretty much told Pop he wasn't interested in fitting in to the system, the system needs to fit him. Got it.
The final season ...
"Now, we have got to help him a little bit more so that he is comfortable in his own space offensively, and I haven't done a very good job of that." - Pop
Hopefully this means they'll stop throwing the ball to him near the 3 point line and asking him to post up from there. He's an incredibly efficient scorer under the basket and that's been criminally neglected by Pop's offensive schemes last season.
there is a pic of them two talking too
He'll be moved by the deadline to the first team that agrees to extend him tbh
He's not eligible for extension. Barring a disastrous season or a serious Kawhi injury he's very likely to last the whole season and opt out.
This is a good point. I saw some post ups in the scrimmage, and the preseason game, but it wasn't as predominant as it became in that GSW series.
I also saw LMA coming off screens, spotting up, and I have seen him cut too. I still don't like the combo of LMA and Pau together. They are too slow, but I guess it is what it is. Pau must have also had a heart to heart with Pop and got himself back to starting games.
He can still get a new deal with the team he's traded to. They'll just agree in principle that he will be re-signed after the season is over. Either way, I still think he's moved.
Yes, which was always absurd because the Spurs used to be great at getting those type of shots.
I think it was obvious he was upset, so obvious that I can't imagine why Pop would have been caught off guard by it. The only thing I can think of is that Pop has straight-up asked LMA if he was unhappy before, and Aldridge lied about it. This does imply that he hasn't been a locker-room problem like some folks suggested.
I'm skeptical that anything will change, though. What I think LMA wants is different that what would make LMA most effective, and both of those things are different than what they've been doing on the court. Pop has let almost everyone's efficiency go into the toilet with his offensive changes and choice of personnel. I'm not sure he's going to change his ways just because of this.
The Spurs are not likely to move LMA, unless the team becomes a .500 team. As much as everyone has been upset, the Spurs need LMA, and they need him to be good. I do think a little less ball dominance by Parker, now that he is out for a while, will help.
That comment from Manu that he hopes LA stays the entire season was telling. It's unusual for Manu to make a comment like that unless a midseason trade was a possibility.
Interesting point. I wonder why that is. Is it the old man is too set in his ways? Too unwilling to adjust his system to changing personnel? I have my theories but I am interested in hearing others.
Also, I thought Pop was going to play a bit more small ball and he hasn't. So far he's sticking to his 2 bigs. I am guessing Rudy Gay being integrated slowly and Kawhi being out have everything to do with it... which worries a little bit bc the team will not be used to playing the way they really want to be playing. That would put Manu's comments about having a slow start to the season this year more in context.
Parker sets up LMA better than anyone else. LMA doesn't need the rock more. He needs it in better positions to succeed.
I don't think the Spurs would have any issue extending LMA. His contract is under the old CBA, so he'd be making quite a bit under the max, even with max raises.
I agree he won't be traded. But I am not sure he can't be extended. Again, there was all that talk about the Will Barton rule letting guys on three-year deals get extended. If that's the case, I don't know that LMA couldn't just opt out of his final year and take that. However, I've heard little to nothing about the extensions of that nature since then, unless that's what the Heat used on Josh Richardson.
The bigs thing is part of it. LMA will only get the chance to max out his offensive potential at the five. I know Pop wants to at least pay lip service to his dynamic that Aldridge and Tim had during that first year by playing Gasol, but all that does it put an extra big on the court to jam up the post. Putting in a small-forward would be best for everyone on offense, though I guess Lauvergne might surprise with his ability to be a roll-man while also being able to shoot a bit.
Gasol and Patty just didn't make sense if Pop wanted to "fix" the offense.
That statement in the article.was pure, unadulterated bull . Aldridge's unhappiness and offensive struggles have been an issue since he got here. He also has no personal accountability for his poor play. When he performs poorly he points fingers.
I don't think it was news for Pop that LMA was unhappy but the degree of upset, how forceful that conversation with Lamarcus was could have caught him off guard for sure. Pop isn't used to coaching NBA divas. He's only had his stars that he molded from the very beginning and him and Tim were soulmates. To have an NBA diva like this isn't something Pop is used to I am guessing.
He's a fukin scrub. Fall in line behind Kawhi or gtfo.
I think calling him a diva is a bit of a stretch.
It's not long ago that LMA used to be an All-Star and All-NBA caliber player. The past couple seasons, he's tried to fit into the system, sacrificed touches and shots, and generally been a team player. Until this last summer, he never really complained...just did what the coaching staff wanted him to do and deferred to either Tim (when he was here) or Kawhi. He also busted his ass on defense last year.
If he feels that the team can get more out of him, I'd rather him come out and say it rather than just sit back and assume PATFO always knows whats best. He didn't come out and demand a trade or say that he should be the undisputed leader...he just said that he feels like he is capable of doing more for the team and wants to be the compe or he think he can be.
I think we can all agree that the version of LMA we have seen over the past two seasons is not what we thought we were getting when he signed. If this is a step towards getting us closer to that, I am all for it.
Well we don't know what was really said. I do think he demanded a trade and wanted out so that goes with my comments about Pop being taken aback by how forceful and upset LA was. That was a conversation unlike any before then to have surprised Pop. IMO. But now what's relevant is what they do about it now that LA let the cat out of the bag.
maybe if pop was not so involved politically he would have found out lma was unhappy
his job is basketball not running the country
if he wants to do that let him run and get his ass handed to him like Clinton did
which sports writer will have the balls to question pop on this?
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