With the Warriors sweeping the Spurs out of the playoffs last night, to no one's surprise, the question of trading LaMarcus Aldridge has been at the top of a lot of sports websites today. And we here at SeedSing are no different. I want to talk about how I think this is not a viable option for a team like the Spurs.

Yes, Aldridge has not been as productive in the 2 years he's been with the Spurs as he was in his first 7 with the Trailblazers. Sure, he has disappeared in the playoffs. Yeah, when Kawhi went out and he was the focal point of the offense, he struggled. But, what do the Spurs think they could get for him, and it is just not in the Spurs nature to do something like this. When was the last time they just traded away a very good player? They traded George Hill away a few years back, but that was to get Kawhi. Other than that, nothing comes to my mind. This is a team that builds through the draft and signs players near the end of their career that can give them one or two more years. They also love to take foreign players in the draft, stash them and have them come over in a few years. They also always draft late in the first round, and they take guys that fit their system that can sit behind an already established NBA player. The Spurs are a smart team is what I am saying. 

When they signed Aldridge 2 years ago, that was the biggest move I have seen them make since tanking and taking Tim Duncan first overall. Aldridge was supposed to be the heir apparent, but it is wildly clear that Kawhi is the guy now for the Spurs. But, Aldridge is still a very good and competent big man in the modern NBA. He can shoot, rebound and is an okay defender. He is also very coachable and doesn't seem to complain too much behind the scenes, at least to the public's knowledge. He is also best fit to be a second or third option on a team. He is the second guy in San Antonio, and he was the second fiddle in Portland. Some may say that he was the first option, but that team was being built around Damien Lillard. That should have been made very clear when he was free to walk 2 seasons ago. Portland always wanted Lillard to be the guy. 

If they do trade him, who could the Spurs go out and get that can replicate what Aldridge brings to the team? Like I said, he is a modern NBA center. So, if the Spurs want to trade him, who should they look at getting? I'm sure they would want a young guy like Karl Anthony-Towns, Anthony Davis or Boogie Cousins. That is not happening in a million years. Those guys are number one guys, and I don't think they'd want to leave to go be the second option behind Kawhi.

So maybe a second tier center you say. Okay, Nerlens Noel is very happy and fits perfectly in Dallas. None of the 76ers young guys fit what the Spurs want to do, and Embiid is not available. The Rockets aren't going to trade away Clint Capela or Nene, they are great fits in Houston. Steven Adams is not leaving OKC. He is beloved there, and while his style of play is a fit for the Spurs, OKC is not giving him up for Aldridge.

That would leave the Spurs with guys that aren't a tenth of the player who Aldridge is for them. They could go out and get a Zaza Pachulia, Al Horford, Marcin Gortat or a Willy Cauley Stein type guy. That is not the route I think the Spurs would want to go. It is definitely not the route that Pop wants to take.

The Spurs need to keep Aldridge. They are most likely going to lose guys like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli to retirement. And when those 2 do officially retire, I will write pieces on them and how great they were. Patty Mills will most likely leave in free agency. Pau Gasol is probably gone, either to retiring or signing elsewhere. And, Johnny Simmons and Dewayne Dedmond might get extremely overpaid this offseason. If they were to trade Aldridge, and lose all these guys, they'd be very, very thin, especially in the front court. If they do trade Aldridge, I'm sure they'd do everything to keep Dedmond, but he is not LaMarcus Aldridge. The Spurs have guys to replace the Ginobli's and Parker's of the world. Dejounte Murray and Kyle Anderson are ready to be starters in the NBA. Brinn Forbes is a decent defender and three point shooter. Johnny Simmons, as long as they keep him, is extreme energy off the bench and can score and defend. I'm sure they have some guys on their deep bench that are just awaiting their turn. But, they do not have that front court depth. Gasol will be gone. David Lee is done. Dedmond is inconsistent and unplayable at times. In my opinion, they need to keep Aldridge no matter what.

I've grown tired of hearing about how LaMarcus Aldridge is a trash player and a choker. How is his playoff performances in the past couple of years any different than James Harden? Harden has laid 3 straight eggs in the playoffs, yet no one is saying that the Rockets need to trade him. All this, "we need to trade guys after 2 years because they aren't who they were with their first team" is nonsense. LaMarcus Aldridge is a damn good NBA player. Give him at least one more season, paired up with Kawhi, and I bet he will play his role to near perfection. It wasn't his fault that Kawhi got hurt. It's not his fault that he plays a mid range game. He is too good, and young, to give up on right now. I hope the Spurs keep him because he and Kawhi are the West's best shot to beat the Warriors. The Rockets don't play enough defense. The Thunder only have Westbrook. The Clippers are about to blow it up. The Jazz are good, but not that good, and they may lose some key guys this offseason. The Spurs though, they can play with the Warriors when fully healthy. They would have won game one if not for Kawhi's injury. But, Aldridge was also very good in that game.

Don't give up on Aldridge San Antonio and your fans. He is still a very, very good NBA player.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

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