Mavericks, Not Spurs, Could Be the Texas Team to Lure LaMarcus Aldridge Away

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Any team recruiting Aldridge is going to have to offer him an out next year to take advantage of the huge new salary cap... I'm assumin'. Don't know if that levels the playing field at all.

Probably does, I doubt the Blazers wanna go down that road.

 

[RR7]

Any team recruiting Aldridge is going to have to offer him an out next year to take advantage of the huge new salary cap... I'm assumin'. Don't know if that levels the playing field at all.

Then it starts to get tricky. Can only have 1 option year, so it'd basically be a 2 year deal, with player option. Of course, if it's a straight signing, and not a S&T, then his bird rights don't come with that 2 year contract. Maybe not a big issue with the exploding cap, but when you look at what Dallas or SA looks like after signing him, they're going to want to add pieces next season.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Probably does, I doubt the Blazers wanna go down that road.

Better than nothing as they could trade him at the deadline. Unless they prefer the cap space.....

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Better than nothing as they could trade him at the deadline. Unless they prefer the cap space.....

I guess, I think cap space is more valuable than getting back role players on a close to contending team.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I guess, I think cap space is more valuable than getting back role players on a close to contending team.

Agreed. But maybe a young player and a first round draft pick.....

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Then it starts to get tricky. Can only have 1 option year, so it'd basically be a 2 year deal, with player option. Of course, if it's a straight signing, and not a S&T, then his bird rights don't come with that 2 year contract. Maybe not a big issue with the exploding cap, but when you look at what Dallas or SA looks like after signing him, they're going to want to add pieces next season.

Still is an issue because without bird rights they won't be able to offer him the fifth year or 7.5% raises

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Agreed. But maybe a young player and a first round draft pick.....

Who can offer that though? Boston is the only team rich in assets to really get me pumped.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Who can offer that though? Boston is the only team rich in assets to really get me pumped.

Hard to say who would be attractive next February. Players come out of no where. And almost everyone will have a 1st round draft pick to offer. I don't see this really happening either, I am just saying I would consider it. But like you said the cap space might be better. I doubt we would get a top FA but 2 good ones is possible.

But he could sign a 5 year deal as well..... I am not ruling that out. I think we have as good a chance as anyone else to sign him.

 

[magnifier661]

Any team recruiting Aldridge is going to have to offer him an out next year to take advantage of the huge new salary cap... I'm assumin'. Don't know if that levels the playing field at all.

But then they lose bird rights because he would need to play for them for 3 years. So basically give him a year rental?

 

[Sinobas]

Why would Dallas want him? That makes no sense. Why would you want a poor man's Dirk Nowitski when you actually have Dirk Nowitski. Why would you want a shooting PF that shoots under 40% outside the paint when you have a guy that shoots well over 50%. Do they think LaMarsha is going to play down low for them?? haha!

 

[BigGameDamian]

Why would Dallas want him? That makes no sense. Why would you want a poor man's Dirk Nowitski when you actually have Dirk Nowitski. Why would you want a shooting PF that shoots under 40% outside the paint when you have a guy that shoots well over 50%. Do they think LaMarsha is going to play down low for them?? haha!

Well Dirk did say that he'd take less money & a bench role if Dallas was able to land Aldridge.

 

[Rhal]

Why would Dallas want him? That makes no sense. Why would you want a poor man's Dirk Nowitski when you actually have Dirk Nowitski. Why would you want a shooting PF that shoots under 40% outside the paint when you have a guy that shoots well over 50%. Do they think LaMarsha is going to play down low for them?? haha!

I figured you would be jumping at any chance LMA gets off this team. Also Dirk doesn't shoot well over 50% outside of the paint he actually shoots under 50% outside the paint and LMA doesn't shoot under 40% outside the paint.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Well Dirk did say that he'd take less money & a bench role if Dallas was able to land Aldridge.

No, he didn't.

 

[Sinobas]

Dirk certainly does shoot over 50% outside the paint when you factor in his 3pt shooting. And he's shoots about 48% from mid range. Last year, LaMarcus shot 39% from the 10-16 range. He's no where close to being as good as Dirk outside the paint. Given that either guy can get their shot off just about any time, why not give it to a guy that actually hits at a good clip.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Well Dirk did say that he'd take less money & a bench role if Dallas was able to land Aldridge.

No, he didn't.

Where's your link to this, Greg er Dame? You have one.

I don't really believe Dirk will have to take a bench role to make this happen. He can just as easily play the three.

 

[BonesJones]

Dirk certainly does shoot over 50% outside the paint when you factor in his 3pt shooting. And he's shoots about 48% from mid range. Last year, LaMarcus shot 39% from the 10-16 range. He's no where close to being as good as Dirk outside the paint. Given that either guy can get their shot off just about any time, why not give it to a guy that actually hits at a good clip.

Dirk:
3-10ft: .365 (terrible)
Outside the Paint:
10-16ft: .478
16-< 3pt: .475
3pt: .380

So around 44% outside the paint, definitely not 50%

LMA:
3-10ft: .448
Outside the Paint:
10-16ft: .392
16-< 3pt: .415
3pt: .352

Around 40% Outside the Paint (Tons of 16ft to 3pt attempts, not as many 3s). Tons of his 3 attempts are to beat the shot clock, also struggled shooting post ligament tear. So ability wise they're even, with LMA creating much of his and setting up the entire offense with Dirk creating a little bit and playing more off others. LMA is also a lot better finisher around the rim. So LA isn't a poor man's Dirk Nowitzki.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Says he's willing to do whatever it takes.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I did not hear that. What second mark did he say that?

 

[riverman]

Dirk certainly does shoot over 50% outside the paint when you factor in his 3pt shooting. And he's shoots about 48% from mid range. Last year, LaMarcus shot 39% from the 10-16 range. He's no where close to being as good as Dirk outside the paint. Given that either guy can get their shot off just about any time, why not give it to a guy that actually hits at a good clip.

If LA leaves, what are you going to have to talk about?

 

[riverman]

I am pretty certain that Lamarcus plays his whole career in Portland. If he wanted a trade, I don't think there's anyway Olshey trades with a western conference team and actually don't see any point in making the competition scary good. The smart money is on him getting his career contract in his prime here, where it all started and he's the alpha male of the franchise.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

If LA leaves, what are you going to have to talk about?

Batum

 

[Sinobas]

we've

Dirk:
3-10ft: .365 (terrible)
Outside the Paint:
10-16ft: .478
16-< 3pt: .475
3pt: .380

So around 44% outside the paint, definitely not 50%

LMA:
3-10ft: .448
Outside the Paint:
10-16ft: .392
16-< 3pt: .415
3pt: .352

Around 40% Outside the Paint (Tons of 16ft to 3pt attempts, not as many 3s). Tons of his 3 attempts are to beat the shot clock, also struggled shooting post ligament tear. So ability wise they're even, with LMA creating much of his and setting up the entire offense with Dirk creating a little bit and playing more off others. LMA is also a lot better finisher around the rim. So LA isn't a poor man's Dirk Nowitzki.

You must not realize that shooting 38% from 3 is equivalent to shooting 58% from 2. And dirk makes a lot more threes than LA. Just compare their eFG% or TS%. LA is one of the worst in the league, and Dirk is one of the best, even though LA is better inside. That just goes to show you how much better Dirk is outside.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

He resigned with us last time because he had no choice. He was restricted.

I don't know what's wrong with saying that I wish we traded him because he's not going to resign here.

There is nothing wrong with what you said; it is a perfectly reasonable opinion.

 

[HailBlazers]

You must not realize that shooting 38% from 3 is equivalent to shooting 58% from 2.

Explain to me how that works exactly?

Found this from a Mavs fan, thought it was funny how it echo's some of ya'll :

I hope not. I find Aldridge to be a massively overrated player, I would rather let the team suck in two years when Dirk probably retires. We aren't winning the chip either way, not with Aldridge as our best player.

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1391731

 

[magnifier661]

Dirk certainly does shoot over 50% outside the paint when you factor in his 3pt shooting. And he's shoots about 48% from mid range. Last year, LaMarcus shot 39% from the 10-16 range. He's no where close to being as good as Dirk outside the paint. Given that either guy can get their shot off just about any time, why not give it to a guy that actually hits at a good clip.

Dirk is, by far, the best shooting PF to ever play the game. But time isn't on his side right now. What his age is really exposing is his defense, or lack thereof.

Aldridge is absolutely able to dominate the paint if the coach calls him to do that. I actually think those "mid range shots" have more to do with the plays Stotts calls for than Aldridge doing it because he wants to.

Remember when Nate finally called for Aldridge to mainly play in the post, he was having monster numbers. He's good at banging, probably one of the most versatile inside players right now. If Aldridge does come back, which I think is highly likely, I expect Stotts to implement more of an inside game for him.

As for the comparison of Aldridge and Dirk right now, it's 1000% Aldridge is better at this moment. Dallas would shit to get him and have Dirk as the back-up

 

[magnifier661]

And for those of you that think a team will sign Aldridge as a free agent without a guaranteed 3 years doesn't know cap restrictions. You can only go over signing Aldridge if you have his bird rights, so only way to obtain that is a sign and trade or signing him to 3 years or more.

 

[e_blazer]

Explain to me how that works exactly?

Found this from a Mavs fan, thought it was funny how it echo's some of ya'll :



http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1391731

2 x .58 = 1.16 pts per shot

3 x .38 = 1.14 pts per shot

 

[e_blazer]

Of course, the problem with the above over-simplification through stats is that not all shots are created equally. If a team doesn't have an effective interior and mid-range game, you for darn sure won't be able to shoot from three at a .38 rate because the defenders will be all over your case...as Steph Curry has been finding out in this series.

 

[MarAzul]

Dallas would shit to get him and have Dirk as the back-up

Yeah, But I think Portland is where Aldridge belongs. Just think of the offense you could run with Aldridge and Meyers together, High Post motion offense with those guys swapping roles for different looks or focus, not to even mention the stretch 4 three pointers. Perhaps the Batum lead Pick n rolls with those guys with the three point option. Damn! Seems like a coaches dream to me.

 

[BigGameDamian]

I did not hear that. What second mark did he say that?

Sorry wrong link haha....

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story...willing-transition-sixth-man-dallas-mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki says he would be willing to transition to sixth man

Dirk Nowitzki, a 13-time All-Star and the face of the Dallas Mavericks' franchise, would be willing to come off the bench if it's in the team's best interests next season.

One potential scenario would be Nowitzki transitioning to a sixth man role if the Mavs are successful in what sources say is their planned pursuit of Portland Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, a Dallas native and perennial All-Star who will be a free agent this summer.

"Yeah, I mean, whatever it takes," Nowitzki said during the Mavs' exit interviews Wednesday. "I've always said that. My last two years I want to enjoy. I want to be a good team. I want to be on a winning team. Playoffs. Hopefully deep runs. So, yeah, anything I've got to do to help is obviously no question."

The 36-year-old Nowitzki, the 2011 Finals MVP and seventh-leading scorer in NBA history, has repeatedly proven that he's willing to sacrifice to maximize the Mavs' chances of competing for another championship.

Nowitzki, who has never had an agent, has negotiated hometown-discount deals on his last two contracts. He signed a four-year, $80 million deal in the summer of 2010, taking $16 million less than he would have made on a maximum contract. He took a significantly steeper discount last summer, signing a three-year, $25 million deal that gave the Mavs enough flexibility to sign small forwardChandler Parsons as a restricted free agent and attempt to recruit Aldridge orLos Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan this summer.

"With a guy of Dirk's character and level of loyalty and level of love for this franchise and this city, he's demonstrated pretty thoroughly that he's willing to make any sacrifice possible," coach Rick Carlisle said. "He's made great financial sacrifices to get the team better around him, so it doesn't surprise me that he said that [he is willing to become a sixth man].

"Is it possible? It's possible. Is it likely? I'm not sure about that. But the fact that you've got a guy who is basically an iconic player in this league willing to even talk about something like that is character just above and beyond the norm. It's just another reason why we're all privileged to have a chance to work with this guy."

Nowitzki's production slipped during his 17th NBA season, but he was still selected to the All-Star Game for the 13th time in 14 years. He averaged 17.3 points and 5.9 rebounds as the Mavs carefully managed his minutes (29.6 per game, the lowest since his rookie season).

The possibility of Nowitzki coming off the bench for the remainder of his golden years hasn't been a subject of much discussion within the Mavs, but it is in play as they make their plans to remodel the roster of a 50-win team this summer.

"As Dirk, we have the best interest of the Mavericks [in mind]," Dallas president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. "If we feel it's in our best interest, whether it's acquiring a player, and Dirk is selfless enough to swallow that pill, then we'll make that decision from a coaching perspective with Rick and [owner Mark Cuban].

"Again, I'm almost speechless about what Dirk has done for this franchise and continues to do. It just doesn't cease to amaze me."

Nowitzki did express one practical concern about coming off the bench.

"I mean, the problem is there would some stiffness coming off the bench," Nowitzki said. "I'm usually not the most mobile, agile player, but there are bikes and stuff in the back that you can ride and get loose."