LaMarcus Aldridge has played his last game as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. After failing to find a trade partner for Aldridge, the Spurs have bought out and released the veteran big man, the team announced on Thursday. Aldridge now becomes an unrestricted free agent and in turn he is free to sign with any team he wants, Aldridge hadn't appeared in a game for the Spurs since March 1, as the two sides decided that they would be going in different directions.
With the buyout complete, the Miami Heat are expected to emerge as a frontrunner to sign Aldridge, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers were also previously reported as potential landing spots for Aldridge if he were bought out. Aldridge is expected to speak with several teams before making a final decision on where he wants to continue his career.
Aldridge, 35, has been with the Spurs since 2015 but he clearly wasn't viewed as part of the franchise's future. On the season Aldridge is averaging only 13.7 points per game, the fewest he's scored since his rookie season, and only 4.5 rebounds per game -- a career-low. Aldridge previously asked for a trade from the Spurs following the 2016-17 campaign, but the two sides ultimately ironed out issues and Aldridge went on to play three more productive seasons in San Antonio. This time though, his Spurs' stint is actually over. Despite the way that his tenure in San Antonio ended, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has nothing but positive things to say about Aldridge.
"He's been a great teammate," Popovich said of Aldridge in a statement earlier this month. "There was no problem there. We just think this is a win-win for both LaMarcus and for the club. So, when an opportunity arises, that'll be up to management, his agent, you know, sort of thing. We'll all move forward. He's been a great teammate. He's done everything we've asked. And at this point, we'd just like to find something that will work for him as much as for our club, because he deserves that."
Aldridge has lost a step, or two, over the course of his career, but he could still potentially contribute to a contending team in a reduced role. Aldridge's primary skill is his ability to space the floor as a shooter, and shooting tends to age well. So, if Aldridge can find the right support system moving forward, he could still be a viable bench option.
