Midway through March the San Antonio Spurs came out and announced that they would be moving on from LaMarcus Aldridge.
In a statement, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich noted that all parties involved had agreed it was time for a change.
“LaMarcus is not with the team,” Popovich said at the time. “He’s healthy, in that respect, but we’ve mutually agreed to work out some opportunities for him, and that’ll be elsewhere. So he won’t be with the team moving forward.”
On Wednesday, in the midst of DeMar DeRozan’s status suddenly coming into question, additional details emerged regarding Aldridge’s future.
Specifically, that there are currently three teams in the running for his services if and when he gets bought out.
Those three teams: the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets.
“League source says that after likely being bought out,” wrote Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m hearing [Andre] Drummond is going to land in Los Angeles (Lakers) and Aldridge will be the starting center for either Miami [or] the Lakers. Brooklyn’s in the hunt for both.”
That answers that. https://t.co/giybknFbu8
— Game 7 (@game7__) March 22, 2021
Wherever Aldridge ends up, it’s becoming increasingly clear that his time in San Antonio is coming to an end. The inevitable trade or buyout will be an unceremonious end to Aldridge’s sixth season with the Spurs – a run more known for its undelivered promise that any sort of substantive results.
So far this year Aldridge is averaging 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Based on Drummond’s tweet today, it’s unclear whether he’ll end up with the Lakers or whether that honor will fall to Aldridge. But either way, both would provide the injury-maligned defending champs with some much-needed front court support.
Related: 2 Teams Viewed As Favorites To Trade For Raptors’ Kyle Lowry
