LaMarcus Aldridge's time in Alamo City comes to an end. Earlier on Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs and the sweet-shooting big man reached a mutual agreement to part ways, with Gregg Popovich announcing their intention to trade him.
This seemingly signals the end of a pretty weird era in Spurs history, where they were seemingly quite desperate to fill the void left by Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and finally (and unexpectedly), Kawhi Leonard. Strange couplings with stars like DeMar Derozan, Rudy Gay and Aldridge, mixed with an eclectic mix of role players and intriguing young floor generals, were thematic to the second half of the 2010s in San Antonio. And with this news, it seems as if that period is reaching its end.
That's not to say that this is bitter, however. This parting of ways is in no way similar to the bitterness and vitriol that marred Kawhi's departure from the Spurs after that fateful playoff encounter with Zaza Pachulia. This is a parting made in peace and mutual respect, and it stands to reason that as with most of the players that leave San Antonio, they just want to see them be happy–maybe even win a title. Just not with them.
With that in mind, we take a look at the three best trades to get LaMarcus Aldridge a championship:
Trade 1:
Utah Jazz receive: LaMarcus Aldridge
San Antonio Spurs receive: Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O'Neal
This trade immediately comes with a few questions. The Spurs have no reason to ask for two seemingly random wings, and Utah doesn't necessarily need a potentially ball-stopping big who might not be able to play defense.
However, this trade does make a sneaky amount of sense. The Spurs get two low maintenance wings that are more than solid role players for when DeRozan's contract ends at the end of this season, allowing them to let him go and let their collection of underrated young point guards develop their playmaking skills.
Utah gets another wrinkle to throw into its offense. They are almost religiously devoted to the modern concept of three, layup or bust, and while that style of offense is efficient, they will be bound to run into a team that can stop Donovan Mitchell's shot making. Right now, Utah doesn't have another primary scorer who can find their own shot.
Enter Aldridge. He is a near-guaranteed two points each time down the court, and he is ideal for when the game starts to slow down and Utah is trying to preserve a lead. He was never super athletic, but his style of offense doesn't require buckets of athleticism, and Rudy Gobert is the closest thing to an actual wall on the defensive end.
Try to stop Utah's already unstoppable offense with Gobert rolling to the basket, more space and an easy dump off in Aldridge, and Mitchell or Conley creating at the top. Add in the threat of Joe Ingles as a secondary playmaker and scheming for this team is going to be HARD.
Trade 2:
Los Angeles Clippers receive: LaMarcus Aldridge
San Antonio Spurs receive: Marcus Morris, Patrick Beverley
The Los Angeles Clippers need juice. They still haven't shaken the 2020 Orlando Bubble stink off of them, and with the way they have been playing, the doubt as to whether or not this team can win a championship together is palpable.
Long story short: if the Clippers don't win a championship within the next one or two years, the clock will strike midnight and the Los Angeles Lakers' constant little brother franchise will turn back into the pumpkin it once was.
They could build for the future, starting now with some intriguing youth on the roster, or they could make a big, last great gasp for air while the Lakers continue to reel after the loss of Anthony Davis.
In exchange for Aldridge's constant green light from 20 feet in, and an insurance policy if Kawhi or Paul George show signs of laying eggs in the postseason, the Clippers only have to surrender two role players.
Let's be honest about Patrick Beverley: he might pretend to be Kevin Garnett or Draymond Green, but he's Bruce Bowen. A loud presence on and off the court that is always in the limelight for antagonizing one player or another. Under Doc Rivers, Ty Lue, Kawhi Leonard or Paul George's leadership, he is an unstable wildfire waiting to happen. Under Popovich, he becomes a valuable mentor to the young guns leading the show for San Antonio.
Back to the man of the hour, he is a seamless offensive fit with the Clippers, and a player whose profile Tyronne Lue is familiar and even won a championship with: Kevin Love. The defense can be carried by the three-headed hydra of Kawhi, PG and a resurrected Serge Ibaka. Aldridge gives these Clippers another gear with which to push to the top of the mountain.
Trade 3:
Boston Celtics receive: LaMarcus Aldridge, Dejounte Murray
San Antonio Spurs receive: Kemba Walker, Daniel Theis, Romeo Langford
You want your Boston Celtics back Beantown? Bang.
This trade has clear benefits for both sides. The Celtics get a less splashy, but bigger and more consistent floor general for the present and the future on a team-friendly salary, and some added go-to offensive help. Similarly to the trades above, they also manage to escape this transaction with their defense largely intact.
The Spurs trade a fading star for one that is still in its prime and locked in to stay to help mentor the kids. Popovich has shown the ability to get the best out of smaller guards, and Kemba Walker is the perfect blend of superstar personality that San Antonio was hoping to get with Kawhi, only brighter and less awkward.
San Antonio also receives youth in return in Romeo Langford, whom their vaunted training staff will have a field day developing, as well as an underrated brick wall in Daniel Theis, who fits perfectly into the mold that San Antonio demands of its players.
Long story short: Lamarcus Aldridge deserves to win. You've got to love a humble star, and when they win, we all do. He still has a lot of value in this league–and an age friendly game that, with the right nudge, could be just the push these teams mentioned above need to win it all. For them, and for him.
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