NBA Trade Rumors: Potential Landing Spots for LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Aldridge may be the cornerstone of the Portland Trail Blazers' rebuilding blueprint, but the latest NBA trade rumors suggest he doesn’t want to be.
The Oregonian’s Jason Quick reported that Aldridge considers Portland “too small” and “too boring” of a city and wants out. If the 27-year-old gets his wish, here are two possible landing spots for him.
The Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson reported that, according to sources, Aldridge’s agency—which also represents Derrick Rose—wants him in Chicago. However, that is unlikely to happen, Johnson added, because the Trail Blazers want a center, and the Bulls refuse to surrender Joakim Noah in a trade.
How It Happens
If Portland likes what it sees from Meyers Leonard to start the season, it could be confident enough in its future to settle for a package that includes Carlos Boozer, Jimmy Butler and the Charlotte Bobcats’ 2016 first-round draft pick for Aldridge.
According to ESPN’s Chad Ford and Marc Stein, Cleveland offered the No. 1 and No. 19 picks in this year’s draft for Aldridge, but the Trail Blazers shot it down. The Cavs have a deep frontcourt after selecting Anthony Bennett first overall. He joins Anderson Varejao and recent Cleveland first-round picks Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller.
How It Happens
If Cleveland was desperate enough, trading Anthony Bennett or Tristan Thompson along with Anderson Varejao and Tyler Zeller for Aldridge is a possibility. The Cavs would start Aldridge alongside whichever of the two young power forwards they have left. Portland would receive the center it wants in Zeller, its future starting power forward and Varejao, who would help the team develop a winning culture now.
Such trades may sound improbable now, but so did the trade sending Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets.
David Daniels is a breaking news writer at Bleacher Report and news editor at Wade-O Radio.
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