Aren't you glad Aldridge isn't playing like this for another team? (1 Viewer)

[KingSpeed]

Can you imagine if we traded him and he played like this for Cleveland or Houston?

Discuss Aldridge's fabulous start here:

 

[ehizzy3]

give him an extension.

 

[KingSpeed]

give him an extension.

I agree

 

[Darkwebs]

LMA has an offensive game that will age well because it's based primarily on skills and his length. I think he could be the 1A or 1B for us as we build towards a championship contender. Trading him right now would be stupid unless he's made it known that he won't re-sign with us once his current contract expires.

 

[blue9]

He's playing better than I've ever seen him play. However, his team-defense is still mostly terrible. I also think its a losing proposition to build a team around a PF...especially one who doesn't play good team-defense. If as the season progresses he develops a better understanding of how to play D, and if he develops some level of coordination for passing out of double perhaps I'll change my opinion of him as a player, but I don't see any scenario in which I will think building around him could result in championship contention. Even with Killard as our #1 option I just don't see LMA as a #2 on a championship team.

 

[donkiez]

Not to mention LA and Lillard are a fantastic one two punch. I could see them developing into one of the top combos in the league.

 

[magnifier661]

I am so happy he's on our team

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

He's playing better than I've ever seen him play. However, his team-defense is still mostly terrible. I also think its a losing proposition to build a team around a PF...especially one who doesn't play good team-defense. If as the season progresses he develops a better understanding of how to play D, and if he develops some level of coordination for passing out of double perhaps I'll change my opinion of him as a player, but I don't see any scenario in which I will think building around him could result in championship contention. Even with Killard as our #1 option I just don't see LMA as a #2 on a championship team.

LA is the definition of a championship #2. Had LA went to Chicago everyone and their dog would be screaming Rose and LA were the best ever at everything.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Daryl Morey will still try to pawn off Asik and junk for LMA.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Lets see, the alternative would be.........yeah I am happy we have him. He may not be a Hall of Fame player, but I have yet to hear a sensible trade option. Until someone offers us a guaranteed top 2-3 pick, I prefer he stays with us.

 

[KingSpeed]

We are the only team in the NBA with two Top 10 scorers

 

[SlyPokerDog]

His value has never been higher, trade him now!

 

[Strenuus]

His value has never been higher, trade him now!

Heh. Repped.

 

[Rhal]

Its going to be funny next year in S2(if we don't miss the playoffs this year) going into LA's last year in his deal. He isn't going to want to sign a 3 year max extension with us because he knows we will give him a 5 year max or another team will give him a 4 year max in FA and everyone is going to speculate one way or another and so are the "NBA insiders" when in reality no one is really going to know if he stays or not. I predict a lot of angry back and forth on the issue.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

The one thing I hope keeps him in Portland is a competitive team built around him and the lure to have his jersey in the rafters

 

[Boob-No-More]

He's playing better than I've ever seen him play. However, his team-defense is still mostly terrible. I also think its a losing proposition to build a team around a PF...especially one who doesn't play good team-defense. If as the season progresses he develops a better understanding of how to play D, and if he develops some level of coordination for passing out of double perhaps I'll change my opinion of him as a player, but I don't see any scenario in which I will think building around him could result in championship contention. Even with Killard as our #1 option I just don't see LMA as a #2 on a championship team.

Try telling that to San Antonio. For their first three championships, they were built around Duncan. Then as he aged gracefully, Tony Parker became their best player and leading scorer. The veteran Duncan and young Parker were a great 1a and 1b. Still are.

Makes me wish Paul Allen would open the purse strings and throw a ridiculous amount of money at Greg Popovich to coach here for the next five years. Imagine what Pop could do with this roster, with Aldridge in his prime and Lillard already great and getting better. I guarantee he'd teach them both how to play team defense and properly defend the pick and roll. Aldridge's passing out of the double team improved significantly last year. It would be even better in Pop's system that is designed to exploit teams that double team Duncan.

Another advantage of Pop's system; last year Tony Parker led the league in points in the paint. With Lillard's ability to penetrate and score in traffic. Imagine how he'd thrive in Pop's system. He'd get a lot more easy baskets, which would make him a more efficient scorer.

BNM

 

[Draco]

I think the four best teams in the league are in the East. I wouldn't be shocked if we end up contending for the west this year. OKC is a mess, you take Durant off that team they are at the bottom of the west. Clippers have terrible defending big men and no backups. We will see how Houston looks in two days.

People said Dirk could never lead a team to a title until he did it once 5 years ago. Hell people said LeBron and Jordan couldn't lead teams to titles. People are idiots.

Anyone with half a brain knows Aldridge hasn't been the weak link, he's not the reason the teams missed the playoffs. Get him some great teammates like Dirk got and the team could take the next step. If theres a way we can get lucky with an injured center like the Mavs did with Chandler we'd be right there.

 

[blue9]

Try telling that to San Antonio. For their first three championships, they were built around Duncan.

Yes, the RARE exception (and Dirk being the other LUCKY exception). Duncan is arguably the best player of the past 15 (?) years. LMA is not anywhere close to being as good as Duncan (or Dirk). So just because SAS did it with the best player AND the best coach (and DAL got lucky with a far superior player/team/coach), doesn't exactly inspire confidence that we can replicate it with a worse player and worse coach.

Imagine what Pop could do with this roster, with Aldridge in his prime and Lillard already great and getting better. I guarantee he'd teach them both how to play team defense and properly defend the pick and roll. Aldridge's passing out of the double team improved significantly last year. It would be even better in Pop's system that is designed to exploit teams that double team Duncan.

I would LOVE to see Pops coach this team. That'd be the only way LMA could have a successful (as defined by play-off wins) career as a #1 or #2 option. I still don't think that Pops could get enough out of him to turn him into a champion - especially at this stage in his career. Had he been coached by Pops from the get-go he'd be a very different player, but his lack of coordination and contact-averse mentality are now firmly hard-wired into who he is as a player.

 

[Yoda_of_the_MODA]

I predict a lot of angry back and forth on the issue.

You mean like this past summer, when LMA was demanding a trade, and MM and a few other frequent posters here were adamant that he'd be traded by the start of the season? It's going to be brutal...

Tristan Thompson and the #1 pick for LMA is still the dumbest idea I've ever read on this board.

 

[dviss1]

He's playing better than I've ever seen him play. However, his team-defense is still mostly terrible. I also think its a losing proposition to build a team around a PF...especially one who doesn't play good team-defense. If as the season progresses he develops a better understanding of how to play D, and if he develops some level of coordination for passing out of double perhaps I'll change my opinion of him as a player, but I don't see any scenario in which I will think building around him could result in championship contention. Even with Killard as our #1 option I just don't see LMA as a #2 on a championship team.

Yeah, go watch how Dirk (who is MUCH more horrible defender than LA) and co dismantle the Heat again... I swear you are the most negative Nancy of the bunch.

Edit: And LA DESTROYS Dirk and Co every time they play. Who is usually in the highlight of LA's numerous games winners against them? Dirk that's who.

 

[blue9]

Dirk isn't a great defender, but at least he understands HOW to rotate on defense. LMA might have him on man/man defense, but Dirk (barely) edges him on team defense. And his offense is superior to LMA's. So if you've got two poor defenders, one of whom is good on offense and one of whom is very good on offense which do you take? Obviously at this stage in his career I don't want Dirk, but he IS still the better player.

Dirk was damn lucky to ever win a championship - the stars aligned for that one. Duncan is the only PF in the modern era that you could build a championship team around, and expect success. Building around any other PF is folly - this isn't about LMA, this is about how the game/positions are played. PFs should be ancillary players that make those around them better, rather than the focal point of a team. Bosh couldn't do shit in the weak East until he became an ancillary player. Pau couldn't do shit until he became ancillary to Kobe. KG couldn't do shit until he became ancillary to Pierce/Allen. And even Duncan, to an extent, became ancillary to Parker/Ginobili.

 

[magnifier661]

Dirk isn't a great defender, but at least he understands HOW to rotate on defense. LMA might have him on man/man defense, but Dirk (barely) edges him on team defense. And his offense is superior to LMA's. So if you've got two poor defenders, one of whom is good on offense and one of whom is very good on offense which do you take? Obviously at this stage in his career I don't want Dirk, but he IS still the better player.

Dirk was damn lucky to ever win a championship - the stars aligned for that one. Duncan is the only PF in the modern era that you could build a championship team around, and expect success. Building around any other PF is folly - this isn't about LMA, this is about how the game/positions are played. PFs should be ancillary players that make those around them better, rather than the focal point of a team. Bosh couldn't do shit in the weak East until he became an ancillary player. Pau couldn't do shit until he became ancillary to Kobe. KG couldn't do shit until he became ancillary to Pierce/Allen. And even Duncan, to an extent, became ancillary to Parker/Ginobili.

Fortunately we don't have just "Aldridge". There is a player and his name is Damien Lillard. Batum seems to be a perfect 3rd option as well. You talk as though Aldridge is our only quality player. Obviously that is far from the truth.

 

[Elton]

I'm just very happy to have him. He and Dame are becoming a wicked 1-2 punch.

 

[blue9]

Fortunately we don't have just "Aldridge". There is a player and his name is Damien Lillard. Batum seems to be a perfect 3rd option as well. You talk as though Aldridge is our only quality player. Obviously that is far from the truth.

Unfortunately he's not nearly as good at those "little things" like setting picks, making quick/good passes, or rotating on defense. That's what made those other PFs good in their ancillary roles - by and large they were very good in at least one, if not all of those areas.

Also, we're still playing through him as our #1 option on offense. That MIGHT change as Lillard continues to improve. But that's not really the point. Our PF isn't good enough at the ancillary tasks to elevate the team to another level. And, beyond that, do we really want to pay a guy $18M/year to be an inefficient ancillary player? That's what it all boils down to for me - in order to keep him we're going to have to pay him FAR more than he's worth which will keep us from being able to add the necessary players to turn this team into a contender.

 

[Draco]

Dirk was damn lucky to ever win a championship - the stars aligned for that one. Duncan is the only PF in the modern era that you could build a championship team around, and expect success.

Is there any current player in the league you can build a championship team around and expect success outside of LeBron?

 

[blue9]

Is there any current player in the league you can build a championship team around and expect success outside of LeBron?

I would have to say no. But if you're building a team from scratch your #1 pick shouldn't be a PF - at least not until there's another transcendental PF in the league.

 

[illmatic99]

All this is moot I believe. Dame will soon be (in he isn't already) our #1. He has taken the leap.

 

[Draco]

I would have to say no. But if you're building a team from scratch your #1 pick shouldn't be a PF - at least not until there's another transcendental PF in the league.

Yeah, duh the #1 pick would be LeBron. I think the Blazers should make that choice.

Unfortunately the Blazers don't have that choice. They can’t even get a Durant or Irving for him. They can't cut Aldridge and magically add a top all-star from another team. They’d have to bring in a free agent like Al Jefferson, Tiago Splitter, or an injured Andrew Bynum. Keeping Aldridge on the team isn’t the best option conceptually available in all of basketball. Duh! But its better than the available alternatives.

 

[Boise Blazer]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...rcus-aldridge-portland-trail-blazers/3440343/

He's the two-time All-Star who reportedly wanted out of this sleepy little city during the summer, and now he's the veteran leader of this team that is promising enough that he talks about it with a pleasant grin fixed on his face. So – in the name of knowing whether he's the next star who plans to force his way to a larger market – is he happy or not?

"I'm happy here right now," Aldridge told USA TODAY Sports while sitting on a bench inside the team's practice facility. "I feel like we have a team that can win, that can make noise, and I feel like if we buy in then anything is possible. So I'm happy, and it's still my team and I'm playing well.

"I feel like the team has jelled around me. I feel like coach (Terry Stotts) has trusted me more this year to where I'm getting different opportunities that I didn't get last year, so I think everything is going great right now."

The cynics in the crowd will focus on the fact that Aldridge said 'right now' twice as if it was a subconscious qualifier of sorts, and that's understandable given how the NBA culture programs us to assume young stars will long for the grass that isn't always greener. But that much notwithstanding, this much is clear: he's a whole lot happier now than he was at the end of last season.

In the here and now, Aldridge – who has two seasons and a combined $30 million left on his deal – said there is no desire to be traded or a request of any sort that general manager Neil Olshey move him to a better situation if that opportunity presents itself. And while rival front-office executives will certainly continue monitoring his situation, the league-wide belief is that he's going nowhere unless a proposal includes, among other things, an All-Star player in return. When asked what the current message to management is, Aldridge said, "It's not 'If there's a better deal, then get me out of (Portland) or take that. It's 'We're here. Let's win, and let's try to have the best season that we can.'"

 

[magnifier661]

Unfortunately he's not nearly as good at those "little things" like setting picks, making quick/good passes, or rotating on defense. That's what made those other PFs good in their ancillary roles - by and large they were very good in at least one, if not all of those areas.

Also, we're still playing through him as our #1 option on offense. That MIGHT change as Lillard continues to improve. But that's not really the point. Our PF isn't good enough at the ancillary tasks to elevate the team to another level. And, beyond that, do we really want to pay a guy $18M/year to be an inefficient ancillary player? That's what it all boils down to for me - in order to keep him we're going to have to pay him FAR more than he's worth which will keep us from being able to add the necessary players to turn this team into a contender.

The heat are paying bosh 18 mil to be a third fiddle. Aldridge is a better player than Bosh, hands down. Then look around the league and find third fiddles that are payed anywhere from 11-18 mil. Fortunately Aldridge isn't the "third fiddle". He is our best player now, but most likely will be 1b on our offense.

There isn't a player that can guard Aldridge one on one. He is vastly under appreciated in this forum, while people around the league (coaches mainly) vote him in as an all star.