Getty LaMarcus Aldridge goes in for the dunk
The NBA buyout season has begun and the Los Angeles Clippers are being flagged as a possible destination for a few key players. The latest name floated is veteran big man LaMarcus Aldridge, who is moving on from the Spurs after a half-decade in San Antonio.
Aldridge, a seven-time All-Star over his 15-year career, agreed to a $5.8 million buyout Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Spurs buyout means Aldridge can now shop his wares to any team around the league with enough cap space and an open roster spot.
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Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes is reporting that Aldridge “will have conversations with the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets before deciding on his next destination.”
Yahoo Sources: LaMarcus Aldridge will have conversations with the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets before deciding on his next destination.
Aldridge averaged 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in 21 games with the Spurs this season. And while those numbers are far below his career averages of 19.4 points and 8.3 rebounds, Aldridge’s 36.0% from three suggests that he could still be useful in pick-and-pop scenarios. His ability to guard on the post would also come in handy against big men like Nikola Jokic in the West and Joel Embiid in the East.
Five years of unforgettable memories….Thank you, San Antonio!
Aldridge Seeks a Contender
At this point, the smart money seems to be on Aldridge landing with the Miami Heat. The Heat amplified their title chances this week by acquiring guard Victor Oladipo from the Houston Rockets in exchange for center Kelly Olynyk and guard Avery Bradley, a deal that conveniently opened up a spot on the roster for a backup big man like Aldridge.
But the Clippers, currently third in the Western Conference standings behind Phoenix and Utah, are certainly contenders, too, and the prospect of playing alongside superstars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard could be enough to lure Aldridge to the City of Angels.
Aldridge, who is still without an NBA title, could be further enticed by L.A.’s deadline addition of Rajon Rondo. On Thursday, the Clippers acquired Rondo from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Lou Williams and two second-round draft picks. The veteran point guard is well-known for helping teams successfully navigate the postseason, winning titles with Boston and the Lakers in 2008 and 2020, respectively.
With the Clippers, the 6-foot-11 Aldridge would slot in behind promising young center Ivica Zubac and veteran rim-protector Serge Ibaka, allowing L.A. to mix-and-match bigs as needed.
Clippers Look to Keep Winning Streak Going
The Clippers, winners of four straight and six of eight since the All-Star break, appear to be back on track after a slump beginning in mid-February that saw them lose six of nine games, including three straight at the start of March.
Their current winning streak has coincided with the further emergence of second-year slasher Terance Mann. The 6-foot-5 Florida State product has averaged 8.3 rebounds and 13.5 points on 50.0% shooting over the last four games and seems to have solidified his role as the first man off the bench for the Clippers.
Also playing well of late off the bench is shooting guard Luke Kennard. The fourth-year player out of Duke was a key figure in the Clippers’ thrilling 119-110 comeback victory over the Atlanta Hawks on March 22. Entering the game down 21 points midway through the third quarter, Kennard went 8-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-4 from behind the arc, finishing with 20 points in just 19 minutes and thereby earning a place in the history books.
Kennard, who had recently fallen out of head coach Tyronn Lue’s regular rotation, became only the second player in the shot clock era to record at least four assists, seven rebounds and 20 points while shooting 100% from the field in less than 20 minutes of play. The only other player to do that was Knicks guard Jerry Lucas in December of 1971.
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