As everybody knows, LaMarcus Aldridge bolted from Portland this summer, choosing to play for the San Antonio Spurs over other teams like the Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, and Rockets. Going to the Spurs made sense for Aldridge; he’ll be on a team that’s set up to immediately contend for a championship.
That being said, Aldridge picked the wrong Texas team. He should have opted to play for the Rockets in Houston. I am in no way saying that Aldridge’s decision to play in San Antonio was a bad one — just that playing in Houston would have been even better for him.
LaMarcus Aldridge should have gone to the Rockets because he would fit perfectly there. The rockets have an obvious hole at the power forward spot. Sure, Terrence Jones is a solid young player, but LaMarcus Aldridge is a proven star, particularly on the offensive end. Many people regard Aldridge as a defensive liability, but that’s false. He’s a solid player defensively; he’s just not elite on that end. However, Houston was a great defending team last year — the sixth best defensive team in the NBA in fact. They can more than afford to have another solid-but-not-elite defender in their lineup(the other being Harden). Dwight Howard’s a monster shot-blocker, and he can pick up the slack on that end.
The Rockets made it to the Western Conference Finals last season, but fell short against the Warriors. Aldridge could have given them the edge they needed to take down Golden State this coming season. The Rockets were the 12th best offensive team in the NBA this season — not bad, but not superb either. That’s understandable, as James Harden is the only truly elite offensive player in the starting lineup. Patrick Beverly’s decent offensively, but is more of a defensive player. Trevor Ariza has developed into a fantastic shooter, but he’s not really the type to create his own shot. Dwight Howard scores quite frequently, but that’s because he overpowers defenders with his strength and athleticism. As far as offensive skill set goes, Howard is pretty limited. Aldridge would be another offensive star to pair with Harden.
Aldridge is one of the best midrange shooters in the NBA. You can’t give him an inch of space or he’ll knock down a jumper, and defenders know that. Aldridge has been expanding his range further as of late, shooting 35.2% from 3-point range last season.
An All-Star level stretch-4 is exactly what the Rockets need, and that’s surely what the team is hoping Terrence Jones evolves into. Aldridge can finish down low with a variety of post moves, but he can also stretch the floor. The mere threat of Aldridge shooting will drag his defender out of the paint, allowing Dwight Howard room down low to work(Dunk over somebody), or giving James Harden room to drive to the rack(or kick it out to Beverly or A3za), where he almost always finishes or draws a foul. It’s just hard to imagine any team shutting down an offensive juggernaut like that one.
Aldridge could have played pure power forward in Houston, which is very important to him.
Knicks meeting was cancelled once it became clear NY wanted Aldridge to play center, something he is adamant against doing, per source.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 2, 2015
Aldridge will be sharing the frontcourt in San Antonio with a fellow power forward… You know, the greatest one to ever play basketball? Sure, Tim Duncan will probably be accommodating and be listed as center in the lineup, but he’s a power forward by nature, and you can’t change that. The Spurs will be playing with two power forwards, whereas in Houston, Dwight Howard is about as pure a center as you can get.
Again: I’m not suggesting that Aldridge made a life-changingly bad decision in joining the Spurs. He’ll have a great opportunity to win a championship, and I think that San Antonio should be considered the favorites to win it all next season, especially with the acquisition of David West.
When you think about it though, Aldridge would have been on a contending team next season either way, with the Spurs or Rockets. There’s no guarantee that he wins a championship in his first season with either team. After all, the 2011 Miami Heat proved that you need some semblance of chemistry, and not just talent. I don’t necessarily believe this will be a problem in San Antonio, since that Spurs system is the best out there. However, this season could be the last with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and even Gregg Popovich. After that, it’s Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard, and an aging Tony Parker playing for a coach that’s not Pop. I don’t like the championship odds for that team anywhere near as much as the Houston team that Aldridge could have joined.
With the Rockets, Aldridge could have joined a core group of guys that aren’t on the verge of retirement. They could have been a Western Conference powerhouse for multiple seasons. Dwight Howard is the same age as Aldridge: 29. Trevor Ariza’s the oldest of the bunch at age 30, James Harden is already one of the best players in the world at age 25, and Patrick Beverly is just 26.
This team could have been a major contender for at least 3 or 4 more seasons, depending on injuries and how well Howard and Aldridge age(I would imagine that LMA will age more gracefully than Dwight).
So, to sum it all up — Aldridge should have come to Houston. Choosing San Antonio definitely made some sense, but Houston made all the sense in the world. Aldridge would be an even better fit in Houston than in San Antonio, he could have played his true position 100% of the time, and he could have had the full roster stick around for more than a single season.
I wish Aldridge luck, but if I were him I think I’d be kicking myself by the time the 2016-17 season rolls around.
