LaMarcus Aldridge will not return to the San Antonio Spurs. On Wednesday, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich announced that the team and Aldridge have agreed to part ways. According to ESPN, the Spurs could trade Aldridge by next week as they have been talking to a few teams. If that doesn’t happen, San Antonio will buy out Aldridge’s contract.
“He’s been a great teammate. No problem there,” Popovich said during his virtual pregame media availability before the Spurs’ game against the Dallas Mavericks. “We just think this is a win-win for both LaMarcus and the club. When an opportunity arises, that’ll be up to management, his agent and that sort of thing, and we’ll all move forward.”
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Aldridge, 35, has been given permission to “work on some opportunities elsewhere.” He is still on the Spurs roster and has an expiring contract with a salary of $24 million. Aldridge has been dealing with some health issues, missing eight of the Spurs’ final 11 games before the All-Star break due to quadriceps and hip injuries. In the three games where he was active, Aldridge was a reserve for the first time since his rookie season in 2006-07, which was when he was a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.
“He might the longest teammate that I’ve had,” Spurs veteran guard Patty Mills said, who also played with Aldridge in Portland. “He’s obviously well respected by this group particularly and every team that he’s played for. As a teammate, you just wish the best for him.”
Aldridge was drafted by the Chicago Bulls No. 2 overall in 2006. However, he never played for the Bulls as he was traded to the Trail Blazers shortly after he was drafted. From there, Aldridge became one of the top power forward/centers in the NBA, making the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2007. Aldridge has been selected to play in the All-Star game seven times and has been selected to the All-NBA Team five times.
In his five and a half seasons with the Spurs, Aldrige has averaged 19.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. “He’s done everything we’ve asked,” Popovich said. “At this point, we’d just like to do something that will work for him as much for our club because he deserves that.”
