San Antonio should be having a fire sale with all their star players before the trade deadline. Boasting a horrific 13-18 record for a franchise who has only missed the playoffs five times in their history, it is time to see another San Antonio rebuild.
What this entitles is having one or two seasons of tanking, draft the next Tim Duncan or David Robinson, and being a dynasty for a decade. To do so, they would need to trade LaMarcus Aldridge to obtain some young talent or future first-round picks. Aldridge is averaging 19.3 points and 7.4 rebounds with shooting splits of 51 percent from the field and 35 percent from three.
There are only a few teams that have been listed as possible destinations for the 34-year-old power forward, as the aging veteran is close to seeing a possible decline in play within the next few years. But as for right now, the old buck is still very proficient and can lead a team into taking the next step forward. This is why the Spurs need to cash in on Aldridge now rather than this offseason.
The Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and even Aldridge’s former team, the Portland Trail Blazers, have all been linked in trade rumors for receiving the veteran forward.
The Denver Nuggets have been in talks for multiple star talented players, but LaMarcus Aldridge might make the most sense for the Nuggets. Aldridge is a perfect fit alongside Nikola Jokic, as he can help spread the floor, facilitate the ball, and be the screen for the pick and roll. Here is how the trade could look:
San Antonio Spurs would receive:
- Forward Paul Millsap
- Guard Will Barton
- Forward Michael Porter, Jr.
- Forward Juan Hernangomez
Denver Nuggets would receive:
- Forward LaMarcus Aldridge
- Forward Rudy Gay
With this trade, the San Antonio Spurs would be looking into rebuilding for their future. Obtaining Michael Porter, Jr. would be a huge reward if Porter can recover from his back injury properly. As of now, he has been limited within minutes to ensure his health for the long-term. Porter could be the next superstar in San Antonio if he develops the proper way. With the help of head coach Greg Popovich, this could definitely happen. Will Barton and Juan Hernangomez are also great additional bench pieces that would thrive in Popovich’s play style. The only downside to this trade is that they would only have a rental player in Millsap for the remainder of the year. I highly doubt that Millsap would re-sign with a team that is entering a rebuild.
The Phoenix Suns are another team that has shown interest in acquiring the veteran forward. The Suns started off the season super hot and are now on a cold streak, which is resulting in them losing their playoff position. A trade for Aldridge could be what helps lift the team into the next step of fighting for a playoff spot. Here is what the trade could look like:
San Antonio Spurs would receive:
- Guard Tyler Johnson
- Center Aron Baynes
- Forward Mikal Bridges
- Forward Dario Saric
Phoenix Suns would receive:
- Forward LaMarcus Aldridge
The Spurs would be boosting up their roster with players who can give out quality minutes when on the court. Players such as Baynes and Johnson are borderline starters in the NBA and are talented bench pieces that could help the Spurs contend in late games. The prize of this trade for the Spurs would be the shipment of Bridges and Saric. Saric, who is on his third team in two years, has been shipped around the league in various trades involving All-Stars. Saric is a starting-caliber forward in the league and provides consistent offense that the Spurs will be looking for after trading away the proficient forward Aldridge. Bridges has shown the potential of becoming a serviceable wingman. A player who can defend three or four positions and shoot the ball a decent rate is a high commodity in the NBA, and with Bridges only in his second season, the potential that he could have could be extracted in Popovich’s system.
The final team that has been circulating around the LaMarcus Aldridge trade winds is his former team, the Trail Blazers. Aldridge left the team in 2016 in free agency after being frustrated that the team couldn’t find ways to win in the playoffs. But with recent success with Lillard and McCollum (who became an All-Star after Aldridge’s departure), a return wouldn’t sound far fetched. Here’s what the trade could look like:
San Antonio Spurs would receive:
- Center Hassan Whiteside
- Two future first-round picks (one being lottery-protected and the other being unprotected)
Portland Trail Blazers would receive:
- Forward LaMarcus Aldridge
- Guard Marco Belinelli
Not only would this trade make a great storyline for a return home for Aldridge but his ability to score the ball off pick-and-rolls and spread the floor will help the struggling Portland offense. Belinelli is also a great bench piece and has led playoff championship teams in shooting the ball; he is definitely a great player to pick up. San Antonio will have to wait out Whiteside’s large contract for the remainder of the year, as the chances of him being paid a large contract by the Spurs would be slim. The Spurs would also receive two first-round picks, which would be out of the lottery since Portland would be fighting for a playoff spot for the next five years if all goes to plan. Although this trade will make the Spurs worse in the present, the trade allows more minutes to spread out to their younger players who need it so that they can develop. Players such as Lonnie Walker, Jr. could see an increase in minutes with this trade.
The trade deadline is Feb. 6, and the San Antonio Spurs could be seeing themselves in a fire sale within this next month and a half. Aldridge could be seeing new colors on his back, and the Spurs could also be seeing what a full offseason looks like when not making the playoffs.
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