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LaMarcus Aldridge: Top 5 Free Agency Destinations

By Gerald Bourguet

Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) before game four against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) before game four against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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LaMarcus Aldridge
May 14, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (left) hugs Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (right) talk after game five of the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center. The Spurs won 104-82. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

1. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are just so unfair, aren’t they? It’s not enough for them to win five championships in the last 18 years. It’s not enough that they have a capable superstar replacement for Tim Duncan waiting in the wings with Kawhi Leonard. But if the early whispers from ESPN’s Marc Stein are to be believed, the Spurs could be at the top of Aldridge’s free agency wish list.

The allure is easy to understand. At age 30, this could be the last max deal of Aldridge’s career. He wants to win a championship. Going to San Antonio might give him the best opportunity to do so. There’d be an undeniable amount of pressure on him as the heir to Duncan’s throne, but the Texas teams have an undeniable appeal with LMA being a Dallas native.

The Spurs have a lot of flexibility this summer and if Aldridge is interested, they’ll have some decisions to make. After all, Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, Marco Belinelli, Jeff Ayres and Matt Bonner ALL become unrestricted free agents this summer.

Cory Joseph and Aron Baynes are restricted free agents, and we haven’t even mentioned that Kawhi Leonard is eligible for a max-level extension as a restricted free agent the Spurs will DEFINITELY lock up.

Are Duncan and Ginobili ready to retire, or do they have another year in them? If they want to go another year, would Aldridge prefer to sign a one-year deal before the salary cap explodes in 2016-17 so he could rejoin the free agency market and make even more money? These are all questions that could factor into what kind of contract Aldridge pursues if he does want to join San Antonio’s championship culture.

With only $33.8 million guaranteed on the books, the Spurs have plenty of room to work with. But after Kawhi’s max contract, deals for lifelong Spurs like Duncan and Ginobili if they want them and contracts for role players like Green, Belinelli and/or Baynes, money might get a little tighter.

But with a team that is all about togetherness like the Spurs, isn’t it possible we see Duncan, Ginobili and Green all take bargain deals to stick around? If Aldridge wants to win, it might not get better than teaming up with Gregg Popovich, R.C. Buford and a budding two-way star in Leonard. Can you imagine a more terrifying old man frontcourt than Aldridge and Duncan?

Next: NBA Awards Watch: Final MVP Pick For 2014-15

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