The San Antonio Spurs and LaMarcus Aldridge have finally decided to put an end to their misery. Ever since he joined them in free agency back in 2015, it’s been clear that they just never meshed the way it was intended.
Aldridge isn’t as young or as good as he was when he first left the Portland Trail Blazers but he still could be a massive boost for any contender, so he’s likely to draw plenty of attention in the trade market.
However, even though some fans and analysts believe that the Los Angeles Lakers could try and make a run at him, we just don’t see Aldridge ever wearing the purple and gold jersey, and here’s why.
The Lakers’ Free-Agency Pitch For Aldridge Was A Disaster
According to Business Insider, the Lakers’ free-agency pitch for LaMarcus Aldridge went pretty badly, with Kobe Bryant looking barely interested in his services and the front office talking about non-basketball related stuff to try and sign him:
“Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday that the Lakers initially had a 50-50 shot at Aldridge, but their pitch ultimately fell flat because Aldridge wasn’t sold on how the team would get back into championship contention,” the report started.
“That the Lakers’ appeal off the court — Los Angeles can offer good weather, celebrities, and marketing opportunities — was a bigger selling point than what they can offer on the court is a bad sign for the Lakers. With several of the NBA’s biggest free agents already signed on day one of free agency, it seems the Lakers will have to begin settling for some of the lesser names on the market,” it concluded.
And even though that the team is clearly back in contention and is coming off winning the NBA championship, Aldridge reportedly doesn’t feel comfortable with the way their front office handles business. He just doesn’t like the Lakers anymore.
Lakers Aren’t Likely To Make Trades
More than that, it’s clear that the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t trying to make trades right now. Instead, they’re reportedly going to be quite aggressive in the buyout market, with Andre Drummond as their top priority.
That’s why, regardless of how much the fans would love to see the former Blazers star in a purple and gold jersey, we just don’t see that happening.