The Portland Trailblazers are still trying to find a way to retain their franchise power forward LaMarcus Aldridge even while the four-time All-Star free agent continues to assess the proposals of different teams vying for his services.
One way they are allegedly doing this is to get his fellow free agent, center Greg Monroe, to join the team and coax Aldridge to stay.
Oregon Live reported that the Blazers "Plan A" is to sign Aldridge and Monroe to maximum contracts as divulged by the team's president Neil Olshey. The management is hoping that the idea of an Aldridge-Monroe-Lillard big three would be enough to make the former Texas Longhorn to postpone his moving away endeavor.
Monroe also stands 6 feet and 11 inches tall but is slightly wider. He is perfect to provide Aldridge the frontcourt help that he needs to finally bring the Blazers beyond the second round of the playoffs. The 25-year-old scored 15.9 ppg and grabbed 10.2 rpg last season for Detroit, which could be complementary with Aldridge's 23.4 and 10.2.
According to the SB Nation's the Blazer's Edge, team executives led by Olshey and owner Paul Allen met with Monroe on Wednesday morning to discuss the possibility of his signing.
Monroe was also being pursued by big market teams Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks to fill up their current big man needs, but reports said that he is unlikely to pick these two squads as his ultimate destination this offseason.
While it is a long shot, the Blazers have enough cap space to accommodate the signing of these two big men if both so decide to join the team.