NBA: 10 stars that could be on the move next

LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs

As the Western Conference continues to evolve in the post-Kevin Durant era teams are jockeying for position to make a run for the NBA Finals.

For the San Antonio Spurs it may be better to build for the future rather than the present.

San Antonio’s roster is interesting. Six of their current 15 players for the 2019-20 season are 30 years of age or older. LaMarcus Aldridge is at the top of that list at 34.

Now Aldridge is still a vastly productive player. He averaged 21.3 points and 9.2 rebounds last season for the Spurs while earning an All Star selection.

But for the Spurs to progress and grow, it may be time to move away from some of their older players and hand the keys over to guys like Jakob Poeltl, Dejounte Murray and Lonnie Walker.

Aldridge still has two seasons and $50 million left on his contract, which may be unattractive to potential trade partners.

However, unlike most NBA contracts Aldridge’s deal declines in value — $26 million in 2019-20 to $24 million in 2020-21 — and is also guaranteed for only $7 million in the final year if he is waived before July 2020.

This interesting structure could make Aldridge’s trade value more palatable for teams looking to trim their salary.

While there is no denying his on court production — even this late in his career — the Spurs may be better off trading their All Star center rather than keeping him around.