Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridg (Photo : REUTERS)
The Los Angeles Lakers will enter the free-agency season with point guard Rajon Rondo and power forward Kevin Love standing atop their wish list. However, ESPN NBA insider Ramona Shelburne believed the Lakers are also in play for All-Star big man LaMarcus Aldridge regardless of what will happen with the Portland Trail Blazers' fate this postseason.
In her appearance on 710 ESPN's Mason and Ireland last week, Shelburne discussed the Lakers' free-agency plan for this summer and the names the purple-and-gold would want to acquire as they try to speed up their rebuilding effort.
Rondo and Love were the usual names mentioned as potential free-agency targets for the Lakers' front office, but Shelburne dropped another big name that certainly added intrigue to their discussion.
Aldridge, four-time NBA All-Star and perennial 20-points, 10-rebound average guy, is believed to be also high on the Lakers' free-agency wish list despite the fact that he's about to turn 30-years old this July. According to Shelburne, Aldridge might not be getting the same attention as his fellow incoming free-agent All-Stars, but the Lakers very much covets the highly-skilled big man.
"I think LaMarcus Aldridge is actually a lot more in play than people think," said Shelburne, who covers stories for both the Lakers and Clippers for ESPN.
The ESPN NBA insider added that the situation Aldridge is currently dealing with in Portland, where Damian Lillard has become the face of the franchise in three years could be a factor for the big man to bolt out after this season.
"You have that group there. How can you really improve that group up in Portland? I think Neil [Olshey] has done a great job up there, but it's Portland, he's never quite fit in and they've made it really clear that Damian Lillard is the face of their franchise," Shelburne stressed.
Aldridge, the former no.2 overall pick out of Texas, is averaging 23.5 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 47 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc in 35 minutes per game this season.
