The San Antonio Spurs could consider Kenneth Faried or Paul Millsap as trade targets if the team pushes through on trading LaMarcus Aldridge.
There are rumors about Aldridge unhappy with the Spurs and that the five-time All-Star may not be with the team before the season ends. ESPN's Jackie MacMullan claimed it could happen as the Spurs' "experiment hasn't quite worked out the way they hoped," while Zach Lowe insisted trading Aldridge could become a possibility if San Antonio could not "outperform expectations."
While the Spurs have yet to confirm such move, there are plenty of options to consider should the team decides to place Aldridge on the trading block. The likes of Kenneth Faried and Paul Millsap have all been mentioned in the rumor mill as possible trade targets for an Aldridge deal.
LaMarcus Aldridge to Denver Nuggets for Kenneth Faried, 2017 first round draft pick
The Nuggets have plenty of tradable assets they could offer to the Spurs for the services of Aldridge. It is unclear whether the Nuggets would have any interest in adding Aldridge to their frontcourt-heavy lineup, but the franchise has been without a star since trading Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks.
According to Blake Holmes of Sports Illustrated's Fansided, the Nuggets could package Kenneth Faried and a 2017 first-rounder for Aldridge.
"The Spurs would most likely be looking to make a deal for another power forward/center to replace Aldridge, so what should Denver give up? A deal that I believe would work greatly in Denver's favor would be to offer Kenneth Faried and their first round pick of the 2017 draft for Aldridge," Holmes wrote.
Aldridge would provide the Nuggets a star they are desperately longing for, giving the team an intriguing mix of veteran and young talents. His offensive firepower should be fully utilized by the Nuggets, with Jokic and Nurkic covering the defense.
However, Faried alone won't probably convince the Spurs to let go of Aldridge. But if the Nuggets could include another key player like Danilo Gallinari or Will Barton, it is a deal worth considering for the Spurs.
LaMarcus Aldridge to Atlanta Hawks for Paul Millsap
The Hawks are facing a familiar situation with Millsap likely to explore free agency next summer. While the Hawks have expressed their intentions to keep Millsap "long-term," trading him now remains the wisest move for Atlanta to avoid another star walking away in free agency.
According to Russ Bengtson of Complex Sports, trading for Aldridge could be a viable option for the Hawks if they wish to acquire something valuable in return for Millsap.
"Aldridge has expressed some discontent in San Antonio, and might be a better fit alongside Dwight Howard in Atlanta. Millsap is a perfect Popovich player who has built up his game playing on the Spurs of the East. It's about time he tried the real thing. Hawks officials have expressed the desire to keep Millsap long term, but a Twin Towers setup of Howard and Aldridge could prove too enticing to pass up," Bengtson wrote.
Both players are skilled offensively, but Millsap's ability to make plays and his defensive versatility makes him a better fit playing Gregg Popovich's schemes. Pairing Millsap to Kawhi Leonard creates a solid defensive tandem, covering up Gasol's lapses on that end.
Aldridge, on the other hand, provides the Hawks a scoring big man who could instantly fill the void left by Horford. Aldridge, who has career averages of 19.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, would give Atlanta a fire and ice frontcourt tandem with Howard.
Any potential deal would likely include other pieces who could further improve both team's lineup, but swapping Aldridge for Millsap could already be an enticing scenario for the Hawks and Spurs.
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