Blazers players worried LaMarcus Aldridge will leave

[Jack Brickman]

If Love and Aldridge are both first options, I think the gap between them is almost nonexistent. Naturally Aldridge was better this year. He was the number one option on his team while Love was the third and sometimes fourth on ours. I think Love's spacing is the wild card, though. Aldridge can hit threes, but you don't really fear him from there. Love, on the other hand, can't be left wide open from three.

 

[gourimoko]

I can see your point with Love and taking him over Aldridge for me is more based on how he would fit on the cavs, honestly. I like Loves passing, rebounding and 3-point shooting more than I like Aldridge's athleticism, defense and more polished low post play. Now admittedly I have not seen a great deal of Portland this year so my evaluation of his game could be completely off but that's at least how i remember him: knockdown mid-range jumper, quick feet in the post and able to run the floor, while having the quickness to stay in front of smaller players on defense as well as keeping himself from getting backed down in the post.

Aldridge, like you said earlier, is the total package. His three isn't as smooth as Love's, for sure, but he's money from everywhere else and he's a much more versatile player in my opinion.

I'll leave it at that because I don't want to start another round of asinine posts and back and forth with folks saying I must hate Love because I'm critical.

The Lakers just seems like such a dead-end franchise on the outside to me right now, and they've looked like that since the flop with Dwight and Nash.... I just don't see self respecting athletes going there anymore, when they don't seem to have that knack for success that they used to have.

The Lakers have a great deal of promise. I think folks need to understand that they've effectively bottomed out and are poised to turn the corner in this phase of their rebuild.

With Kobe retiring soon, it's highly likely that some player will want to step in and take the mantle of this franchise.

The opportunity is there, and they have assets and cap space.

It would be a mistake to ignore their potential to free agents.

 

[gourimoko]

If Love and Aldridge are both first options, I think the gap between them is almost nonexistent. Naturally Aldridge was better this year. He was the number one option on his team while Love was the third and sometimes fourth on ours. I think Love's spacing is the wild card, though. Aldridge can hit threes, but you don't really fear him from there. Love, on the other hand, can't be left wide open from three.

I agree, on offense.

On defense and net production is where you see substantial separation, particularly when Aldridge isn't playing injured.

 

[Jack Brickman]

I agree, on offense.

On defense and net production is where you see substantial separation, particularly when Aldridge isn't playing injured.

To be fair, Love has actually been pretty good on defense the past few months. He'll never have the athleticism of a guy like Aldridge, but he can hold his own when you put him next to someone who can guard centers.

 

[Scholar]

Something no one seems to be including in their evaluations is the differences in age. Love is 26 and Aldrige 29. Lamarcus turns 30 in July. So, next season he starts the first of his seasons on the wrong side of 30.

 

[gourimoko]

Something no one seems to be including in their evaluations is the differences in age. Love is 26 and Aldrige 29. Lamarcus turns 30 in July. So, next season he starts the first of his seasons on the wrong side of 30.

No, I agree.. Love is younger, and has a longer career ahead of him. But to say that makes him the better player?

 

[Jack Brickman]

No, I agree.. Love is younger, and has a longer career ahead of him. But to say that makes him the better player?

I just don't think the gap between them is that significant. You could easily argue that Love was better last year, although Aldridge obviously had better teammates.

 

[gourimoko]

I just don't think the gap between them is that significant. You could easily argue that Love was better last year, although Aldridge obviously had better teammates.

No you couldn't. We've been down this road and had this conversation last summer.

 

[Scholar]

No, I agree.. Love is younger, and has a longer career ahead of him. But to say that makes him the better player?

Never said he was the better player. I really think they are pretty close talent wise. Just different types of players with different types of strengths and weaknesses. My point was that, from a which would I rather have going forward standpoint, I'd stick with Kevin. Lamarcus will be starting his decline while Mr Love is till in his prime.

Remember, Gouri, any arguments that you have made about Mr James and his window of opportunity and performance decline can also be made about Mr Aldridge. Besides, you are on record as claiming that Lebron will be retired by 35. How about Aldridge?

 

[gourimoko]

Never said he was the better player. I really think they are pretty close talent wise. Just different types of players with different types of strengths and weaknesses. My point was that, from a which would I rather have going forward standpoint, I'd stick with Kevin. Lamarcus will be starting his decline while Mr Love is till in his prime.

Remember, Gouri, any arguments that you have made about Mr James and his window of opportunity and performance decline can also be made about Mr Aldridge. Besides, you are on record as claiming that Lebron will be retired by 35. How about Aldridge?

Oh no, I agree with this.. I think folks might be thinking that I would want to trade Kevin for Aldridge, and that's not really what I'm saying.

This is kind of tangential to my earlier point; but all I Was saying is that Aldridge is the better player...

Again, I think Steph is better than Irving, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'd trade Kyrie..

 

[Scholar]

Oh no, I agree with this.. I think folks might be thinking that I would want to trade Kevin for Aldridge, and that's not really what I'm saying.

This is kind of tangential to my earlier point; but all I Was saying is that Aldridge is the better player...

Again, I think Steph is better than Irving, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'd trade Kyrie..

I wouldn't trade either player. I think where they are both at fits perfectly with Mr James as he ages through his early thirties. The whole dynamics of their fit brings up an interesting point. People on this message board have claimed that you could never win with Kyrie as your number one option. In a few years, that day may come, even with James and Love on board. It will be real interesting to see how this all turns out in the end.

 

[jlegg21]

Are we discounting Davis as a power forward? I love Alridge though, I am a huge fan of his. He's clearly better than Blake Griffin, no debate about it. Really good player. Better than Kevin? This year he has been.

I don't see where Aldridge is going to go. I mean, he's going to leave Portland, because he's not happy with the direction of the team?

I have no idea where he'll go, where there's a better direction available. Knicks, and Lakers are terrible. Sure, the Celtics have promise, but it's not like they'd seriously become a title contender even with him aboard.

I think he stays. I just hope players aren't delusional over the allure of the Lakers myth, and realize that team sucks balls, and will for a long time.

Knicks are a joke. I think we've seen careers go to waste there, any cache they had, should be out the door right now.

I hope he stays, I think it'd be a mistake on his part to leave.

Watch out for Dallas. Perfect guy to replace Dirk.

 

[randymoss1881]

He will go to San Antonio if he leaves no other team could offer him a combo of Pop/Kawi. I know I will be laughing though as clown Knick/Laker fans already think he's going there like they have anything to offer him.

 

[theSTEREO.]

Would be interesting to see if he leaves. I can't imagine too many scenarios better than PDX, but I suppose there are some lateral moves out there. Too bad Houston spent all that money they hoped to land Bosh with. Although they'd have some assets to trade for him.

LA in San Antonio if Duncan left would be crazy good.

No room in Dallas unless Dirk retires.

 

[Jscc]

He will go to San Antonio if he leaves no other team could offer him a combo of Pop/Kawi. I know I will be laughing though as clown Knick/Laker fans already think he's going there like they have anything to offer him.

That's where i'd go.

PG: Tony Parker
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Tim Duncan

Could they afford that? Green, Leonard, and Duncan's contracts end after this season. Then they'd need to give Aldridge a max too.