LaMarcus Aldridge’s time at the San Antonio Spurs is over. Gregg Popovich himself confirmed the development on Wednesday and pointed out that Aldridge will no longer return to the team.
According to Coach PopAldridge and the Spurs ‘mutually agreed that he should work elsewhere on a few occasions’, indicating that they are now working to find a suitable trading partner for the veteran big man.
Gregg Popvich says the San Antonio Spurs are working on a trade scenario for LaMarcus Aldridge.
He is healthy, but currently not with the team, as both sides are striving for ‘opportunities to move him elsewhere’.
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– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) 11 March 2021
The decision is the end of LaMarcus Aldridge’s career with the Spurs that lasted six seasons. He signed with San Antonio after nine years at the Portland Trail Blazers in 2015 and initially worked out a $ 80 million four-year deal.
Although Aldridge was unable to lead the Spurs to the finals, he did help the team stay relevant and participate in the difficult Western Conference. In 376 games with the team, he scored 19.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 blocks.
In the 2020-’21 season, he had injuries and health problems. Last February, he suffered a hip injury that cost him six games. Before the All Star break, he also missed their last two games due to stomach illness. However, his numbers declined during the season, averaging just 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per outing.
It remains to be seen where the Spurs will trade with Aldridge. However, since the team made it public, it appears that there is an agreement pending for him, or that they are already in deep discussion about a trade.
For what it’s worth, LMA can certainly still make a contribution, especially to a fighting team. Although he is no longer the same Aldridge who used to pass at random with his length and shooting, his experience and production can undoubtedly be beneficial for a hopeful title.
