LaMarcus Aldridge pauses as he watches game action against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs. (Photo : Getty Images/J Pat Carter)
It all seems the Los Angeles Lakers are 100 percent committed to the youth revolution going on within the franchise, until they stumble upon an enticing opportunity of adding LaMarcus Aldridge into the mix.
The Lakers will be entering a new chapter in their storied franchise after a 19-year journey with Kobe Bryant.
One of the most lethal scorers in NBA history may no longer there to bail them out, but purple-and-gold franchise nevertheless has something in place for the future - a plethora of talented youngsters who could one day emerge as the next big attractions in the City of Angels.
But after three consecutive losing seasons, the question now is how much longer the Lakers brain trusts and most of all its fans can wait for the franchise to become championship-caliber again.
It's almost guaranteed that one or probably two of the Lakers youngest trio of D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle will reach their All-Star potential. However, no one would know if having two All-Star players would be enough to win a championship or even come out of a very stacked-up Western Conference.
Enter Aldridge into the picture
Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express reported about the Spurs' openness to move Aldridge, the player they signed for $80M over four years in 2015, in exchange for right pieces.
"The Express-News has been informed by a league source the Spurs are open to trading the former Longhorn should the right package surface. Those within the Spurs refuted the suggestion, saying no talks have occurred with any team."
ESPN's Jackie MacMullan also provided some insights on the latest trade rumors surrounding Aldridge. In an interview with CSNNE Early Edition, he dropped a bold statement that the Spurs could trade Aldridge between now and the February trade deadline.
"Young echoes that sentiment, writing in his piece that sources close to the situation believe Aldridge may not be happy at the moment. According to Young, the Spurs are believed to have pitched him on a role as their primary offensive weapon when they signed him, and that hasn't exactly occurred, with Kawhi Leonard assuming that role instead."
The Lakers aren't even considered the front-runners in case the Spurs really want to trade Aldridge. That title belongs to the Boston Celtics. Then again, the Lakers are no doubt an intriguing trade partners for the Spurs if they want to acquire a better combinations of young talents and assets.
Although it appears a gamble for the Lakers to trade away basically their future for an opportunity to win now for a 31-year old power forward. Then again, acquiring an elite talent like Aldridge would make the Lakers a destination again for elite free-agents, especially if D'Angelo Russell or Brandon Ingram stays.
The Lakers can easily match the trade requirements for Aldridge by including either Timofey Mozgov's or Luol Deng's contract (tradable by Dec. 15) and sweeten up the pot by putting Randle, Ivica Zubac, Larry Nance Jr or a combo of Russell/Ingram into the package.
Again, the opportunity of acquiring a double-double machine like Aldridge is quite intriguing since it's a make-or-break deal. However, if the Lakers want to speed up the rebuilding process and hit championship status before the ultimatum set by Jim Buss, trading for Aldridge is the decision the franchise has to make.
