OCTOBER 16th, 11:07pm: The signing is official, per team release.
4:11pm: Charania clarifies in his full report on the trade that Aldridge’s extension will actually add just two years to his current deal, with the 2018/19 player option representing the third year. In total, Aldridge will be under contract for four years, with a partial guarantee in year four.
3:26pm: The Spurs have reached an agreement with big man LaMarcus Aldridge on a contract extension, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Wojnarowski first reported earlier today that the two sides were engaged in discussions on a possible extension.
Aldridge’s new contract is a three-year extension worth $72.3MM, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter) that the third and final year is only partially guaranteed. The 32-year-old exercised his 2018/19 player option as part of the agreement, per Wojnarowski (via Twitter), so the new deal will begin in 2019/20 and will lock him up for five years in total.
Aldridge, who initially joined the Spurs as a free agent in the summer of 2015, saw his production drop off a little last season. His 17.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and .477 FG% were all below his career averages, while his 18.6 PER was his lowest mark since 2009/10.
The dip in Aldridge’s performance makes the timing of the contract extension somewhat surprising. Wojnarowski noted in his piece earlier today that the relationship between Aldridge and the Spurs has been rocky over the last two years — both sides have been unhappy at times, and the team explored trade scenarios involving the former Blazer earlier this year.
However, according to Wojnarowski, Aldridge arrived at camp this year in better shape than usual, and has strengthened his relationship with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
With Aldridge’s player option for 2018/19 now locked in, the Spurs have approximately $78.4MM in guaranteed money on their cap for next season. With the NBA salary cap projected to increase slightly to $101MM, the Spurs could have some flexibility. But their estimated team salary doesn’t include player options for Danny Green, Rudy Gay, and Joffrey Lauvergne, or possible new deals for free-agents-to-be like Tony Parker and Kyle Anderson.
Because Aldridge’s new contract exceeds the parameters of an extend-and-trade deal, he won’t be eligible to be traded for six months after signing his extension, meaning he won’t be the subject of trade rumors at this season’s deadline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
This will only lock him up for 4 years in total including this season. The 3 year extension includes him exercising his player option for next year so in reality its only a 2 years extension worth $49.95 million beginning in 2019/20 with the second year partially guaranteed. He will be under contract with San Antonio through to 2021 and be an UFA in the summer of 2021.
Wow this surprises me. He sort of approach the downside of his career this last season, and he already played like an old guy when he was younger LOL. Next couple years it’ll look like he’s 50 years old out there. I guess he’s a good second option with a healthy Kawhi Leonard. That kind of money in my opinion goes to a guy who can carry the team. Which Aldridge can no longer do. I don’t know just my opinion.
The thinking may be that his game does not rely on having the quickness of youth!
Now if he said he was willing to be a center, his value would go up, and he would be worth all that. However this contract only goes one more year past Pau Gasol’s.
Like Gasol , Aldridge has shown 3pt talent also. Spurs will start 5 good distance shooters!
I was surprised at this one. At times it seemed he wasn’t a good fit. Didn’t step up during the playoffs when Kawi went down. He must have had a good talk with Pop. The Spurs wouldn’t offer that extension otherwise.
I would not have been surprised to see him come back to Blazers. He was not unhappy here. I heard him speak about wanting to be close to his mom, & she didn’t want to leave Texas. I chuckled at the “ playing old comment”…
He deserves to be happy,glad to see a deal was made
This surprises me too. Thought this guy was going to opt out, or get traded because of all the trade rumors I’ve heard his name in, but I know better, than to doubt the SA Spurs.
The reference link to Green and Gay does not indicate player options for next year, just straight contract. (Probably a good thing in Gay’s case.) Maybe more info has come to light. But guaranteed obligations then add up to $99.5mil. Maybe Parker signs for Ginoboli money but Anderson has fine numbers.
I would have expected a Spurs extension announcement would have been for Anderson but I can’t call Aldredge’s a mistake.
Not sure where you’re looking re: Gay and Green, but both definitely have player options for 2018/19.
To paraphrase the Nights in White Satin poem:
Cold-hearted rules for night high-contrast mode
Removes the colors on samsung beta browser
Red is green and green– white
But Luke decides which is right
On basketball-reference.com.
Okay for the record, “player-option” dollars are shown in green in the links, but my screen settings changed the colors. I’m still recommending the browser. Anyway. Spurs frighten differently now, with shooting.
I like the deal. Really, the Spurs only committed $32M more to LMA over the life of the new deal. His contract is reasonable enough that he would not be a difficult player to deal, and if his Pow Wow with Pop leads to better usage, he will look like a bargain.