For a long time, it seemed as if the Trail Blazers had avoided the issue that so many teams have faced with their impending free agent stars. As recently as a month ago, it seemed, if not unthinkable, at least very unlikely, that power forward LaMarcus Aldridge would look for greener pastures in free agency.

Aldridge is the face of the Blazers franchise, and has spearheaded their return to the ranks of the Western Conference's elite, while playing with a cast of role players and supporting stars who complemented his game. And yet, if you believe reports, Aldridge is very much looking for a new home this summer after Portland's unceremonious exit from the playoffs. That would obviously have major ramifications for the Blazers heading into the next season, but it isn't their only concern moving forward.

Aldridge's big decision

The Blazers will go all out to re-sign Aldridge, and for good reason. Though he isn't the most efficient star in the game, he's a high-usage scorer who can score from anywhere on the floor, and he added 3-point range to his game this season too. He is the type of player you can build an elite offense around, and the malleability of his game gives you a high margin for error in building that offense.

Moreover, the Blazers might be the best fit for Aldridge from a Fantasy perspective. The fact that he isn't spectacularly efficient -- ranking just 79th in True Shooting percentage out of 104 players who have attempted 2,000 or more shots over the last three seasons -- means he really does need a high usage to remain an elite Fantasy option.

Unfortunately, the potential landing spots mentioned for Aldridge probably wouldn't give him quite as much free reign. The Spurs have emerged as a dark horse contender for Aldridge's services, and every Fantasy owners knows about the issues that come with relying on the Spurs; they don't play even their best players huge minutes, and no player on the roster posted a usage rate above 25 percent last season. For comparison, Aldridge has used an average of 30 percent of the Blazers' offensive possessions over the last two seasons.

The story wouldn't be quite the same in Cleveland, one of the other landing spots suggested. This is much more of a long shot -- they have Kevin Love on the roster, after all -- though they would also be a bad landing spot for Aldridge's Fantasy value. You need to look no further than Love's disappointing Fantasy showing this season for an example of what could happen to Aldridge.

The best-case scenario among teams mentioned as potential options is either a return to Portland or a move south to Dallas. The Mavericks have a blueprint of how to get the most out of a sweet-shooting big man, and Dirk Nowitzki has already expressed a willingness to take on a smaller role if he needs to. 

Replacing a star

There is no good way to lose a player of Aldridge's caliber, and the Blazers would almost certainly take a big step back if he were to leave. However, the roster would be ripe for turnover, with the potential for numerous players to break out.  

If Aldridge were to leave, the Blazers wouldn't be without recourse. Joining Aldridge in free agency this summer are Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo and Dorell Wright, leaving them with quite a bit of cap room, if they need it. Of course, they would need that cap room to replace at least Aldridge and Lopez, as they don't have really have obvious replacements in-house.

However, with Matthews coming off a ruptured Achilles, the team may be best served turning things over to C.J. McCollum on the wing. McCollum did little for the first year and a half of his NBA career, but he was very impressive late in the season, including the playoffs. McCollum shot 47.8 percent from the field in the team's five-game loss to the Grizzlies, averaging 17.0 points and 2.2 3-pointers per game, right in line with his averages for the month of April.

Replacing Aldridge would be a much tougher job, though they may have one sleeper candidate who could step up for Fantasy: Meyers Leonard. Leonard has been unable to consistently earn a big role, but he showed a lot of intriguing skills this season, most notably with the expansion of his game to the perimeter. Leonard shot 48.0 percent from 16 feet to the 3-point line this season, while adding a 42.0 percent mark from 3-point range.

Of course, that came on very limited opportunities, so you don't want to overreact here. Still, if Aldridge leaves and the Blazers aren't able to add a legitimate replacement, Leonard could be staring at a significant role next season, which would certainly put him on Fantasy radars; he averaged 13.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per-36 minutes last season.

The Blazers have been incredibly dependable for Fantasy purposes over the last two seasons, but that is definitely at risk this summer. What Aldridge ultimately decides to do could alter the Fantasy landscape next season.