The problem was exactly as Boise Blazer explained. The purposeof asking a question is to get an answer to that question. Since LA has already stated that he won't talk about it during the season, Quick knew before he askedthat hewouldn't get an answer. Therefore, the question was clearly not being asked in good faith. The whole intent of the question was to lead into the implication/speculation that Aldridge may be leaving. A reporter is supposed to obtain information, and then use that information to formulate a story. Quick entered with an already predetermined agenda, and asked questions intended to feed into said agenda. That's not nothing more than tabloid journalism, and the Oregonian is theoretically supposed to be above that. Permitting this kind of garbage shows that they're not.
Did you read the article? It was a pretty good read. Went over his history with the team and fans. Most stuff I already knew but I thought LMA came off looking great! Most "tabloid journalism" goes out of their way to make the subject look bad. This piece did not. But that is my opinion and I don't tend to not get upset as much as some of you do.
That's not the point. You know the phrase, "The ends don't justify the means." If he wants to write an article about Aldridge, that's great. A competent reporter should be able to do so without resorting to disingenuous inquiries. It suggests that he's been operating in this tabloid methodology for so long that he doesn't know how not to.
Frankly, while I'm interested in the answer, there were a few different ways to go if you really wanted to get to the bottom of the question and were going to be a dick and do it mid-season: "I understand not taking a max extension 2 years ago with cap space that would've increased your salary for the last two years and taken you up to the new TV deal (because of the flux in the roster), but did the Blazers even offer the 'using cap space' max to increase your salary for last year, this year and maxs in 2015-16/16-17?" "I understand that you don't want to negotiate in the media, but can you give fans any thoughts about 'hometown discounts' or 'taking less so we can keep the core together'? What do you think about K*be's contract extension?" or if he really wanted to be racy: "The Blazers offered you 3 years of max extension (through 2017-18)--more than anyone in the league could pay you. You said you wanted to wait so that you could get more guaranteed this summer (the 5-year max). But it's not more than possible, because you're still a 30% max player (instead of 35% for 10+ years' service players). You could have had a 3/55M extension (or 2/36, for that matter) and then became a UFA again a) when you can get 35% max and b) the cap is much higher, so the % is of a bigger pie, while still being a prime All-Star. The only reason you wouldn't would be for major injury. If you're not betting on yourself, why should the Blazers, especially if you say you want to stay here and they want to give you the maximum amount they possibly can?"
I agree that is way too much thought into a question than i have ever heard out of Quick or any other O-live reporter for that matter.