San Antonio Spurs: LaMarcus Aldridge failed Gregg Popovich
Two years into the experiment it’s pretty clear, LaMarcus Aldridge failed Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs
Some players are unworthy of great organizations. The San Antonio Spurs are not a problem for LaMarcus Aldridge, he’s simply a problem for them.
Last week, during a segment of ESPN First Take, Stephen A Smith reported that Aldridge was “unhappy” and blames the organization for his declining play.
"“From what I’m told, this is an individual that is very unhappy in San Antonio right now. He feels that the Spurs have compromised him, his productivity, they have hurt his game. And as a result, he wants out.”"
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The Spurs responded by making Aldridge available via trade (in an unsuccessful attempt) for a top-10 pick ahead of the 2017 NBA Draft. Then, after failing to unload him on draft night, did a bit of damage control after all the reported rumors.
"[via KSAT.com]“We’re happy with the group we have, if we can make it better, we’ll do it at any opportunity we can,” Spurs GM RC Buford said."
Whether San Antonio moves him or not is irrelevant. Who is Aldridge to disrespect an elite franchise such as the Spurs?
The Spurs sport the highest winning percentage in NBA history (62.4%), have won at least 50 wins in each of the last 18 seasons and are led by legendary head coach Gregg Popovich, who may be the greatest coach of all-time.
Meanwhile, Aldridge is a guy that as the “franchise player” only advanced passed the first round of the playoffs once during his nine seasons in Portland.
Even during his 2015 free agency, many teams knew he was not a No. 1. Which his why San Antonio, next to Kawhi Leonard, seems like the perfect marriage.
In return, Aldridge choked in big moments, came up short when his team needed him most and turned his back on the entire organization at the first turn of adversity
Not only would Aldridge find the potential for huge player success that he was searching for, but at the same time San Antonio would find their probable successor to Tim Duncan.
San Antonio believed in Aldridge enough to break their 12-year tradition of not investing big money on the outside free agent market.
In return, Aldridge choked in big moments, came up short when his team needed him most and turned his back on the entire organization at the first turn of adversity.
In Portland, Aldridge never played on the big stage. When he signed with San Antonio, that all changed. And Aldridge simply wasn’t ready for it. It almost felt like the bigger the game, the smaller Aldridge would show up.
This past postseason, Aldridge had an up and down showing. However, when the Spurs needed him most, when Kawhi Leonard went down with an ankle injury, Aldridge failed to answer the call.
Instead of stepping up in Leonard’s absence, Aldridge looked fidgety, unsteady, nervous and panicked in crunch time. In Game 2, when San Antonio looked to him for guidance without their No. 1, Aldridge turned in an eight-point, four-rebound performance.
How poor of a passer LaMarcus Aldridge is out of the post is absolutely debilitating for the #Spurs pic.twitter.com/bxU1Pa869N
— Justin Jett (@JustinJett_) May 21, 2017
In Game 3, Aldridge finished with 18 points on 17 shots. He added just five rebounds. He also posted a minus-27 plus/minus rating. To end the series, in Game 4, he turned in another eight-point performance.
But that’s the organization’s fault, right? If anything, San Antonio has the right to be upset.
The only defense for Aldridge is his game doesn’t translate towards the new NBA culture of shooting three-pointers and running the floor. This new NBA benefits players like Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, Chris Bosh (when he was healthy), Karl-Anthony Towns and Kevin Love.
Not Aldridge.
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Even during the NBA Finals, there were no true big men on the floor consistently between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. And when they were, they were making their teams consistently worse.
It’s time for LaMarcus Aldridge to realize that the San Antonio Spurs aren’t the problem. He is.