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3 scenarios to bring LaMarcus Aldridge back to the Portland Trail Blazers

By Stevie Cozens

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 21: LaMarcus Aldridge #12 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during a game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on February 21, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 21: LaMarcus Aldridge #12 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during a game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on February 21, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /
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LaMarcus Aldridge may be on the out with the San Antonio Spurs. How could the Portland Trail Blazers bring the All-Star big man back to town?

The Portland Trail Blazers need a four / five to play alongside Jusuf Nurkic in the 2019/20 season. With the San Antonio Spurs looking to re-build, there seems to be a strong likelihood of veterans LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan being moved to clear the way for their younger players to grow.

In 2019/20, the Spurs missed out on the playoffs for the first time in 20 years, and there are now strong rumors that they want to move up in the draft or look to pivot and improve their team for the future. In Aldridge and DeRozan, they have two veterans that don’t really fit a rebuilding team.

The Blazers couldn’t use DeRozan, but they could have a perfect fit with a guy who plays both the four and the five in ex-Blazer Aldridge. He would be more a backup five than a four but could play some four against certain teams.

Which three scenarios could we see LaMarcus Aldridge returning in?

LaMarcus Aldridge Portland Trail Blazers
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

LaMarcus Aldridge return scenario one – least likely.

Though I think Aldridge’s return would be great for the Blazers, I see it as very unlikely that they would gut the roster of their role players to bring him in.

Aldridge still plays at a fringe All-Star level, and maybe if the Blazers are struggling at the trade deadline, they make a move, but I don’t see this as very likely.

If Rodney Hood doesn’t fully recover from injury, and Zach Collins isn’t contributing at the level required of an extension candidate, I could potentially see the Blazers moving these guys at the deadline. Trevor Ariza is a one-year rental, so if things weren’t working out with this trio, Neil Olshey could make moves at the deadline to bring in help.

If Ariza ages badly this year and the Blazers decide that they don’t want to resign either Collins or Hood, they could dump one of them with Ariza to the Spurs and then bring back Aldridge. This move might require one more minimum salary, but Mario Hezonja could be added for matching purposes.

The Spurs aren’t in win-now mode like the Blazers are, so they could take their time to develop Collins, if he wasn’t progressing how the Blazers would like. By bringing in Aldridge, they would inherit his bird rights to be able go over the cap to re-sign him.

Though the Blazers would be bringing in more salary than they were sending out, this would be doing the Spurs a favor so neither team would need to give up any significant assets.

Aldridge could finish his career in Portland and re-sign on a team-friendly deal in the 2021 off-season.