Aren't you glad Aldridge isn't playing like this for another team?

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

Discuss Aldridge's fabulous start here:

 

give him an extension.

 

I agree

 

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.

 

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.

 

I am so happy he's on our 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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

Heh. Repped.

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

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.

 

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.

 

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.