2021 NBA Trade Deadline: 10 trades we need to see

Trade No. 9: LaMarcus Aldridge to the Portland Trail Blazers

Who knows what this team could have accomplished, had LaMarcus Aldridge stayed with the team. After leaving in 2015, right in the midst of his prime, to chase after a championship with the San Antonio Spurs, Aldridge is still ring-less and about to enter free agency.

Now at the age of 35, Aldridge is clearly not the player he once was. Luckily for him, every accolade he has earned throughout his illustrious NBA career had nothing to do with his athleticism and was thanks to his skill set and intelligence.

Aldridge is one of the best post-up players this league has ever seen. And if being a beast in the paint wasn’t enough, he has steadily built a great 3-point shot in recent years as well. His productivity may be decreased, but LMA is still the whole package.

For a team like the Portland Trail Blazers who have been struggling to find a solid power forward since the moment Aldridge left, the potential return would be a match made in heaved. Being of advanced age and nearing free agency means that his trade value is lower than ever.

Since Aldridge’s departure, Damian Lillard has blossomed from a star to a bonafide superstar. Unfortunately, however talented a backcourt they may have with Dame and CJ McCollum, the lack of solid big man presence has always held them back.

The two did struggle with their bond in the past, though have admitted to having resolved their communication issues once and for all. Having grown a ton since the separation, reuniting them would be a sight all NBA fans would hope to see.