The Biggest Domino

Last summer, LaMarcus Aldridge chose not to sign an extension but we all went away with the feeling that re-upping with Portland this summer was pretty much a done deal.  It seemed such a foregone conclusion that no one (well, I didn't anyway) really considered Aldridge to be on the market.  But drop a coupla playoff games on the road, add just the slightest hint of doubt and the speculation runs rampant.  Suddenly Aldridge is the biggest domino out there and where he chooses to play will affect a great many rosters.  We all assumed he'd be a Blazer but almost every team in the league is now in play.

Celtics: Aldridge, one more frisky free agent, a solid supporting cast, 200 draft picks on the way, one of the best coaches in the business...the Celtics could compete in the East right away.  They can afford him, they can fit him in the cap, it could happen.

Nets: If Lopez opts out suddenly the Nets have $17m to spend.  But they wouldn't load in on another big money free agent after botching move after move for the last few years...you bet they would!  In the world of Big Apple sports the only way out of your money problem is to spend more money.  Ask the #1 Hawks how much they'd like to run into the Nets with Aldridge next year in the playoffs?  (I'm betting not so much)

Knicks: You kidding?  Match made in heaven: Melo, Aldridge, Okafor, Rondo, coupla more kooky free agents, you got a team that could hang in the East and even be fun to watch.

Raptors: If I'm Aldridge and I've got a hundred places to go, Toronto is #101 on my list.  That said, it looks like that Raptor roster is gonna get the blow up, they'll be making moves and might could have big money to throw around.  Toronto is a beautiful town, Kyle Lowry is a helluva player (when he feels like it) and depending on who survives the roster cut, there might be a nice supporting cast ready to go.  Don't see it happening but its possible which could make them at least a buzzable news diversion.

Cavs: If Love splits and they let Mozgov walk, there would be money for Aldridge to join in with Lebron and Kyrie.  That trio could work: just let Kyrie have his x amount of shots, feed Aldridge enough to keep him happy, Lebron could go back to leading the team in assists and trying to win Defensive Player of the Year.  (And I think John Calipari runs screaming out of Lexington to coach that team)

Bucks: Think about that: Aldridge, Jabari, Antetokounpo, Middleton, MCW as your starting five.  Not bad.  That team would score some serious points, they could compete with the Cavs.

Pacers: If Roy Hibbert walks, there could be room on the floor and salary cap.  Aldridge won 50 games a year with Lillard in the West, how could he do with Paul George in the East?

Wizards: The inside-outside combo they could build with Aldridge, Wall, Beal and Pierce (if Aldridge is there, I'd stick around if I were Pierce) would just be a gorgeous thing of beauty.  The Wizards probably can't pull off a deal like that but if they sneak into the conference finals, maybe catch the Bulls sneaking in from the other side, the Wizards are actually possible contenders in the East.  That's gotta look impressive to a guy looking for a place he can win right away.

Magic: Some pieces would have to get moved around but Orlando has a fine collection of young talent, one strong presence in the middle to control the offense will make them all better.  That team would be better than you think.

10 out of 15 teams from the East.  That's just the East!  West:

Wolves, Jazz: Like the Magic they've got collections of young up and coming talent, probably not enough to lure in Aldridge but plopping him into those lineups would make them vastly better.  And both could make the necessary roster adjustments.

Nuggets: Aldridge as the steady offense in the middle allows Faried and Nurkic to be the tough  complementary guys, keep Ty Lawson, bring in some shooting, throw in a potato and you got yourself a stew.  (Yeah, there's no reason on earth that Aldridge would leave Portland for Denver, I'm just illustrating how awesome he could be in so many different places)

Clippers: If DeAndre Jordan moves on (looking more and more like he might) then suddenly the Clippers have cap space to bring in that 3rd regular offensive option they've needed.  Think about that: CP3, Blake and Aldridge together?  The D wouldn't be as good but the offense wouldn't stagnate any more, they'd be better-equipped to outscore people.  Two weeks ago that wouldn't have even occurred to me, now I'm curious to see it happen.

Lakers: Plenty money, plenty of scoring (with or without Kobe), plenty of hype, plenty of love, plenty of glory.  What b-baller doesn't at some point dream of being the centerpiece for the LA Lakers (fast-break makers)?  One more year of headache and then the Lakers should be good again, does Aldridge want to endure Kobe's last tour on the hope the Buss kids know what they're doing?

Pelicans: Aldridge and Anthony Davis surrounded by an ocean of shooting guards?  Sure, sounds batter than AD and Omer Asik and an ocean of shooting guards.

Rockets, Mavs, Spurs: The teams that made all this speculation possible, apparently all three are very interested in Aldridge.  Imagine the Mavs snagging Aldridge and Deande Jordan.  The Spurs with Kawhi and Aldridge?  Rockets with Harden and Aldridge?

Blazers: ....Uh, LaMarcus...remember us?...We had a handshake deal last summer?  You didn't answer my text....just wondered if something was wrong...I made breakfast and here's a max contract...just gonna leave it over here on the desk...just sign it whenever...okay, well...cool.

Do you see what I'm saying: Aldridge can combo with so many other players, he fits so many situations!  How was it that nobody saw that until the Grizzlies started laying the beatdown to the Blaze?  20 teams out there just waiting for a crack at this guy.

The 10 teams not in on Aldridge are of a few different types: Grizzlies (Gasol), Warriors (Draymond), Hawks (Millsapp), Pistons (Drummond) have to re-sign their own guys first which pretty much takes them out of the running for Aldridge.  Likewise Bulls, Heat and Thunder already have the big-money part of their rosters accounted for.

The other teams not in on Aldridge are teams that really need to take a look in the mirror and think about how they're living life: Sixers (no, no, no, not ready to win games or spend money), Hornets (they best thing they got is Al Jefferson, not much for Aldridge to get excited about), Suns (doesn't fit anything in their roster or their general gameplan...that fact probably ought to be Phoenix's wakeup call), Kings (couldn't even bring myself to imagine a world where Aldridge chooses the Kings).

So where does he go?  I suspect he wants to stay in Portland but how much of the supporting cast does he get to keep (and how much does he want to keep)?  Aldridge is the heart and soul of the Blazers, what more does he expect to get somewhere else?  A better chance to win means skipping those West teams and heading East; more money means staying in Portland; being closer to his hometown would put him in the Southwest Division.  (He's been on Portlandia, for christ's sake!  He can't wear a Mavs jersey, that would be so weird!)

LaMarcus Aldridge is the perfect illustration of the modern NBA: he can go anywhere and be rich and famous and really good at basketball, the stars of the league are their own individual entities above and beyond the teams they play for, and endorsement deals and media appearances can be gotten anywhere just as easily in this fiber optic age.  Does he want to win games or is there some other route to his happiness?  I dunno.  The media has got his mind all messed up right now but in the end I'm guessing he stays in Portland.