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LaMarcus Aldridge or Bust for Dallas Mavericks

By Reid Hanson

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LaMarcus Aldridge is set to become a free agent this summer and the Dallas Mavericks are wise to target the All-Star native Texan.

The season has ended for most of the NBA, and that means it’s time to roster plan. The Dallas Mavericks find themselves in the very familiar situation of reloading nearly from scratch. Continuing their annual plan of “roster flexibility”, the Dallas Mavericks are willing and able to throw max money at the free agent of their choice.

LaMarcus Aldridge is that free agent.

The Dallas Mavericks are in dire need of an All-Star of LaMarcus Aldridge’s cailber. After failing to lure their top targets in consecutive seasons, the Mavs are making a trend of settling for patchwork rosters. That must stop. With the salary cap set to explode after next season, the Mavs need to start putting the pieces in place now.

Few will question LaMarcus Aldridge’s skills. The 6’11” power forward averages 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and one block per game. Recently named 2nd Team All-NBA, Aldridge is set to possibly cash in on the biggest contract of his career.

Currently 29 years old, Aldridge can earn the most money by re-signing with the Portland Trailblazers. Every team with available cap space can sign him to the same amount in year 1 (nearly $19M), but only the Blazers can offer the fifth year (expected to total roughly $25M on its own). Because of this, Portland still has the inside track, even with their roster instability, but Aldridge is said to be seriously considering other options as well.

The LA Lakers may have fallen out of the hunt. They recently earned the 2nd pick in the upcoming NBA draft and are now expected to parlay that into one of the top frontcourt players. They are also said to be targeting Kevin Love and subsequently may not be able to focus their attention on Aldridge.

The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls are also said to have interest. Each one of those teams can offer big upside from their respective markets and/or rosters around the All-Star PF.

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With personal ties to Texas, teams like the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs have a special “home state” in-road that may prove very attractive. Aldridge is said to be seriously considering the Mavs and Spurs and will, without question, receive the full court press from both clubs.

With so many teams in the mix, the Dallas Mavericks will have their work cut out for them. But make no mistake — they will be all-in on the highly sought after free agent. There isn’t a Plan B. Aldridge is the prize and anything else is a distant 2nd.

The Mavs are still obvious longshots, but that can’t change their “LaMarcus or bust” attitude. Dirk is willing and able to come off the bench, clearing up any positional uncertainty. Regardless of what happens with Monta Ellis (soon-to-be free agent himself), LaMarcus Aldridge would instantly be the best player on the Dallas Mavericks’ roster on day 1.

Would this propel the Mavericks into contender status? Maybe not on its own, but it would surely provide a cornerstone of which to build. The hard part is convincing LaMarcus Aldridge that Dallas is the place to be for him.

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