Getty San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge
The Brooklyn Nets will add yet another multiple-time All-Star to a roster that is likely already headed to the NBA Finals.
Seven-time NBA All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge will sign a contract with the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of the season. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
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The Internet Reacts To Aldridge Signing With Nets
All together the Nets have 42 All-Star appearances between Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin, and now Aldridge. Utter pandemonium.
When the news came down that Aldridge planned to sign with the Nets after the team just signed Griffin less than a month ago the internet burst into flames:
Breaking: Charles Barkley coming out of retirement to FINALLY win a ring with the Nets.
KD after the Nets acquired Harden, Blake and Aldridge 😂
(via @BrooklynNets)
Brooklyn Nets, New York Jets, Las Vegas Bets…. don’t matter.
Lakers in 6
If the Nets get Drummond too 😂😂 OMG
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Aldridge Still Has Some Left in the Tank
Aldridge put up decent numbers in his time with the San Antonio Spurs this season. In the 21 games he appeared in for San Antonio, Aldridge averaged 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
This is another solid pickup for the Nets via the buyout market this season. The scariest part about the Nets signing of Aldridge is that Brooklyn still has one open roster spot left for this season and two-time NBA All-Star Andre Drummond has yet to decide on where he wants to play for the remainder of the year.
Drummond agreed to a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this week.
Perhaps the biggest question mark about the 2021 Brooklyn Nets remains the health of KD. Durant has been out since February 13th with a hamstring injury that he suffered during his return to the Bay Area to take on his former team the Golden State Warriors.
Irving has also missed the last three games for the Nets, after being permitted by the team to miss time due to a family matter. Irving and his fiancée are reportedly expecting their first child.
Aldrige Signing Could Impact Claxton’s Development
If there is a downside to the Nets signing LaMarcus Aldridge it is that it could affect the development of Nets big man Nic Claxton who recently returned from injury. Claxton has already appeared in 14 games for Brooklyn this season which is just one less than the amount he played for the Nets all last year after suffering a myriad of injuries.
Claxton is aware that he is having a great season but still understands the importance of taking things one game at a time.
“I’m just staying present. That’s something I’ve worked on throughout my rehab. Taking everything day by day, whether it’s having a good game, you learn if it’s a bad game and do the same thing,” Claxton said via the New York Post.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a breakout stretch; I’m just continuing to learn how to play with the guys out there and continue to grow. The sky’s the limit.”
The jury is still out on where Drummond will play, but at this rate, him signing with the Nets would not be a surprise.
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