There’s a new name on the market before the March 25 deadline – and that’s quite the big man. Center LaMarcus Aldridge and the Spurs have “mutually agreed” to separate, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said Wednesday.
The Spurs are buying Aldridge on the market, who was in the final year of his contract before hitting the free agency. Aldridge, 35, averaged 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in his 14th league season. While his prime is behind him, Aldridge was a household name and has a long history with the league.
Could the Celtics be interested?
Like the former Piston and current Net Blake Griffin, Aldridge is not the same player he used to be. He has made seven All-Star teams and five All-NBA teams and his jumper has always been solid, but he has taken a step back this season. The Spurs were a relative surprise at 18-14 during the first half of the season, but they continue from the aging man.
Aldridge is earning $ 24 million this season, which means it would fit in with the Celtics’ $ 28.5 million trade exception, the largest in league history. It’s still unclear if Aldridge can be bought out, but the big man still holds value, meaning the Spurs could get some assets in return.
In terms of fit, Aldridge would be exactly what Celtics president Danny Ainge described: a great man who can shoot. Aldrige has always been consistent from midfield, but he has been solid from the three-point series for the past two seasons. He shot 38.9% on 3.0 attempts from 3 last year; the number is 36% versus 3.6 3-points per game this season.
The defense issues surrounding Aldridge are also fair when it comes to talking. Aldridge missed eight of the 11 games for the Spurs before the All-Star interruption because he was out due to hip and quadricep injuries.
The Celtics will likely have to send one of their big men, perhaps Daniel Theis or Tristan Thompson, out in a trade, as the team is currently loaded with guys who can play low. Robert Williams III is the third option, but he seems to be tightening his way to the center of the future.
Aldridge is still just a potential target for the Celtics in the next two weeks before the deadline. Boston is soon at full strength, with Marcus Smart retiring on Thursday and Romeo Langford closer to his return, but could use some roster upgrades at 19-17 and fourth in the Eastern Conference.