LaMarcus Aldridge Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Spurs, Varejao, Draft, Fisher

November 30th, 2012 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, I asked Hoops Rumors readers whether Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was in the wrong for sending his star players home before last night's game against the Heat. Over 83% of respondents so far have sided with Popovich rather than with commissioner David Stern, who called Pop's decision "unacceptable." Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports agrees with you in his take on the subject, calling Stern's statement a "temper tantrum that left everyone around him embarrassed, humiliated and wondering why he insisted on staying until February of 2014."

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA as we prepare for the weekend:

While Anderson Varejao has been a popular topic of trade speculation lately, the Cavaliers have no plans to move him, writes Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. In any case, most teams who would be interested in Varejao don't have the assets to acquire him or aren't willing to part with them, says Amico.
In his latest draft blog at ESPN.com (Insider only), Chad Ford examines a few players whose stocks have slipped early in the season, including UNC's James Michael McAdoo and Tony Mitchell of North Texas.
A pair of Dallas Morning News scribes offer up opposing takes on the Mavericks' signing of Derek Fisher, with Eddie Sefko noting that signing Fisher as a starter will make the team's bench stronger, while Kevin Sherrington says it's a patchwork move in another year "about nothing."
Within Sam Smith's latest mailbag for Bulls.com, he writes that Carlos Boozer "basically cannot be traded" unless it's for a contract that's as bad or worse than his.
NBA.com's Fran Blinebury wonders if it would be in the Trail Blazers' best interests to consider trading LaMarcus Aldridge this season.

Odds & Ends: Gooden, Aldridge, Gasol, Bulls

November 27th, 2012 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

With most of the Bench Mob gone, this year's version of the Bulls isn't built for 48 minutes, opines Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. However, Luol Deng seems to disagree with that view, as he told reporters today.

"It's not fair to the guys that are here, the new guys, to be compared to the guys from the last two years," Deng said, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. "They’re still getting used to it. Even the Bench Mob, the first year we had them, it took a while to get going. When we got going, it clicked. The year after that, last year, what helped us a lot was we had a lot of guys returning so we knew how we play and how to play with each other. We’re still learning how to play with each other."

Here are a few more Tuesday afternoon odds and ends from around the NBA:

While the Bucks would like to move Drew Gooden's contract, there's no urgency to "dump" him, since he's still a mentor and leader in Milwaukee, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com makes his case for why the Trail Blazers should consider trading LaMarcus Aldridge. Blazers GM Neil Olshey reportedly told Aldridge last month that the team has no intentions of dealing him.
Although Pau Gasol has a 15% trade kicker, he'd actually only receive about a 3.4% bonus if the Lakers dealt him, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times explains.
Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman believes Derrick Williams could be a realistic target for the Thunder if GM Sam Presti gets involved on the trade market again this season.
Several NBA scouts told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that it's unfair to compare Kentucky freshman and potential 2013 No. 1 pick Nerlens Noel to former Wildcat Anthony Davis. "I think Anthony Davis’s IQ is so high that he’s unique that way," said one scout. "This is a guy that was a small player, a two guard, who could handle the ball, do all those things. I mean, Nerlens could never be a ball-handler. He’s not a passer, ball-handler guy."

Blazers Have No Plans To Trade LaMarcus Aldridge

October 29th, 2012 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

LaMarcus Aldridge and Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey met earlier this month to discuss Aldridge's future in Portland and the team's direction over the next several years, reports Jason Quick of the Oregonian. Quick hears from Aldridge and Olshey that two main points came out of the meeting: The Blazers have no plans to trade Aldridge over the next two years, and the team intends to pursue an accomplished veteran in free agency next summer.

Having undergone a significant roster overhaul this summer, the Blazers have a young team this season. At age 27, Aldridge represents the veteran presence on a roster whose core pieces include Nicolas Batum (23), Wesley Matthews (26), Damian Lillard (22), and Meyers Leonard (20). Given the Blazers' relative youth and inexperience, and the way Portland's last franchise player, Brandon Roy, was set aside by the club, Aldridge approached Olshey to inquire about the rebuilding process and his role with the franchise. He left the meeting pleased with the answers he received.

"What I took from this meeting that made me more confident was that this isn't a total rehaul," Aldridge said. "He said we have young guys this year, but we have cap room next year, and we can bring in another older player, another good player, and that can help us get over the hump next year. He also said they still want this to be my team, for me to lead it, and that we aren't trying to get rid of you or trade you in the next year or two. That's the number one thing I wanted to hear."

With three years and nearly $44MM left on his current contract, Aldridge will be eligible for free agency in the summer of 2015. As for next summer, the Blazers figure to have about $50MM in contracts on the team's books, giving them room to be a player on the free agent market. The team could also clear close to another $7MM in salary if it turns down 2013/14 options for Luke Babbitt, Nolan Smith, and Elliot Williams.

Northwest Rumors: Aldridge, Morrison, Fournier

October 14th, 2012 at 9:09am CST by Chuck Myron

The Timberwolves have already made news, cutting ties with a pair of training camp invitees, and there are a few other items of interest out of the Northwest Division this morning.

LaMarcus Aldridge sees himself as a legitimate No. 1 option, and doesn't think the Blazers need to acquire anyone else to play that role, he told Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
Adam Morrison, in camp with the Blazers on a non-guaranteed minimum-salary deal, said he had similar offers from other NBA teams but chose the Blazers in part because of their proximity to his home in Spokane, Washington, writes Joe Freeman of the The Oregonian as he details the comeback attempt of the 2006 No. 3 overall pick. Morrison also said the team let him know it would give him a legitimate shot of making the opening-night roster, but Friday's waiver claim of fellow small forward Justin Holiday adds to the competition for a spot.
Evan Fournier was the lone international product to be taken in the first round of this year's draft, and though the Frenchman didn't figure to make the Nuggets' rotation when training camp began, the 19-year-old is making a push for regular playing time as a shooting guard, according to Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.

Northwest Notes: Aldridge, Nuggets, Thunder

October 4th, 2012 at 11:36am CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at some items out of the Northwest Division..

A free agent in 2015, Blazers big man LaMarcus Aldridge says that he's happy with the direction of the organization, writes Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge. "I'm fine with it," Aldridge said. "We have some guys who are really, really good. They're young. Give them one or two years and we should be good to go." The 27-year-old has yet to advance in the playoffs with Portland and finds himself without a bonafide No. 2 star to play with as he enters his prime.
For the first time in three years, the Nuggets could go four months without a significant roster overhaul, writes Matt Moore of CBSSports.com. It remains to be seen how long that will last, however, with Ty Lawson in line for an extension, Andre Iguodala holding an option for 2013/14, and GM Masai Ujiri in a contract year.
Thunder guard Daequan Cook doesn't expect James Harden's contract talk to be a distraction for the team this season, writes Susan Bible of HoopsWorld. Earlier this week, Harden says that he's confident that he'll get a deal done with Oklahoma City.
After a slow rookie season, Derrick Williams appears to be on the right track heading int0 2012/13, writes Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press. The Timberwolves reportedly tried to trade the former Arizona star and two first-round picks to the Blazers over the summer for Nicolas Batum.

Blazers Notes: Lillard, Claver, Freeland, Batum

September 10th, 2012 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

While Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge thinks there's hope for the Trail Blazers in the near future, he also thinks a number of arguments frequently made by fans, players, or the media don't hold water. A team having a "great attitude" or "flying under the radar" doesn't mean a surprise season is coming, according to Deckard.

We have a handful of other Blazer notes to round up this morning, after GM Neil Olshey talked to Joe Becker on KGW on Sunday. Here are a few highlights from Olshey's comments, which Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge transcribed:

Olshey felt that Damian Lillard was not only the best fit for the Blazers at No. 6 overall in June's draft, but also the best player available when Portland picked. The GM expects the rookie point guard to be productive immediately.
Victor Claver and Joel Freeland should bring a team-first mentality to the Blazers, according to Olshey, who notes that Nicolas Batum is excited about the club's style of play getting some "international flavor."
Olshey on Batum's new contract leading to increased expectations: "I think Nic's going to embrace it. It was one of the reasons we were so anxious to embrace the offer sheet. When we met with Nic prior to him signing it, that was something he really wanted. He wanted to embrace being one of the leaders on the team. Having more responsibility on both ends of the ball."
Olshey praised Blazers owner Paul Allen and said that his experience in Portland has been "incredible" so far.
The Blazers GM mentioned that he was excited to see Blazers players in the gym recently, pointing out that LaMarcus Aldridge, who organized the voluntary workouts, has been a "solid voice of leadership for the young guys."

The NBA’s Next Dwight Howard

August 14th, 2012 at 11:14am CST by Luke Adams

Dwight Howard is still nearly over 10 months from free agency, but it appears the "Dwightmare" is over, with D12 having been traded to a team likely to sign him long-term. However, as we saw with players such as Howard, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and others, superstars approaching unrestricted free agency have a tendency to create some drama.

Howard wasn't the first star to be the subject of months of speculation and rumors, and he won't be the last. So with his saga over, at least for now, it's no surprise that a handful of NBA scribes have started trying to determine which player will be next to hold his team hostage. Here are a few of their ideas:

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld identifies Paul, Josh Smith, and Andrew Bynum as three players facing unrestricted free agency in 2013 that could be subject of months of "will he stay or go?" speculation. However, Kyler says Paul is likely to re-up with the Clippers next summer and that Bynum is "thrilled" with his new situation in Philadelphia. Smith would also prefer to stay put, according to Kyler, but it's not out of the question that he's traded later this season.
Tom Ziller of SBNation also names Paul and Bynum, filling out his list of possibilities with Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge. Acknowledging that Love and Aldridge are still a ways off from free agency, Ziller says he thinks there's a decent chance Aldridge could want out of Portland if the team doesn't make major strides in the next couple years.
Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops looks at a number of candidates to be the next Dwight, noting that it won't be long before the speculation about the summer of 2014 begins — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh all have the chance to opt out at that point.

Blazers Rumors: Aldridge, Batum, Hibbert, Canales

July 20th, 2012 at 8:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

It was a busy day for the Blazers, who officially welcomed Nicolas Batum back after matching his offer sheet from the Timberwolves. They also were involved in a three-team trade, picking up Sasha Pavlovic, the cash to cover his salary, and two second-round picks in exchange for 2011 second-round pick Jon Diebler. There's also encouraging news from LaMarcus Aldridge, who says he's "98 percent" healed from hip surgery and expects to be playing five-on-five again in a week, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. There's plenty more going on in the Rose City, and we've got it here:

Batum addressed some of the comments he and others made during his contentious restricted free agency. In a video on CSNNW.com and transcribed by Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Batum said it was true that he wanted to go to Minnesota, but never ruled the Blazers out. "Minnesota was a good situation for me, but I never said it was better than Portland," he said. "I told Portland, 'If you really want me, match. If you don't want me, I'll go.'"
Aldridge told reporters, including Chris B. Haynes of CSNNW.com, that he was communicating with Roy Hibbert throughout the Blazers' courtship of the restricted free agent center who ultimately chose to re-sign with the Pacers (Twitter links). "I was disappointed," Aldridge said of Hibbert's decision. "I definitely felt like he would put us over that hump of being on the next level."
Aldridge said he hasn't been paying attention to the team's head coaching search, but reiterated his endorsement of interim coach Kaleb Canales, as Freeman notes, via Twitter.

LaMarcus Aldridge Out Of Olympics

June 29th, 2012 at 5:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

LaMarcus Aldridge is a no-go for the Olympics as he recovers from right hip surgery, Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports. Aldridge is the third player in the past two days to withdraw from Team USA because of injury, joining Chris Bosh, who pulled out today, and Dwyane Wade, who declined his invitation yesterday.

Odds & Ends: Hornets, Aldridge, Bulls, Chandler

June 3rd, 2012 at 10:28pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Sunday night:

John Reid of the Times-Picayune writes that new Hornets owner Tom Benson's impact is already being felt, as Saints fans are opting to buy season tickets.
Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge, currently recovering from hip surgery that has his Team USA availability in jeopardy, tweets that he's fine after being hospitalized earlier this week for a blood virus.
Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico tweets that in addition to Steve Nash and Jason Kidd (both of whom the Bulls are said to be targeting), Nick Young and Carlos Delfino could be on Chicago's radar as well.
Newsday's Al Iannazzone reports that Dwyane Wade expects Knicks center Tyson Chandler to start for the U.S. Olympic team this summer. Dwight Howard had been expected to start until back surgery ended his hopes of playing in London.