Brooklyn Nets: How the unfortunate loss of LaMarcus Aldridge impacts the Nets

Exploring the unfortunate and abrupt retirement of LaMarcus Aldridge and how it impacts the Brooklyn Nets. 

The Brooklyn Nets have compiled one of the best rosters in recent NBA history. On paper, I don’t think anyone would argue with the opinion that this team has the most and best talent in the NBA. However, that took an unfortunate hit Thursday when LaMarcus Aldridge surprisingly announced that he would be retiring effective immediately from the NBA.

Aldridge took to Twitter to make the announcement, a little more than just two weeks after signing with the Nets in search of his first championship in the NBA.

The good news is that Aldridge is improving and appears to be in good spirits now. The fact that he was able to make this decision on his own terms, to a certain extent, is great. Though, it is somewhat disappointing to know that Aldridge’s best shot at winning a championship is now over.

Since his college days at Texas, Aldridge was a force on the offensive end. After being the second overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, Aldridge quickly translated his collegiate success to the pros. He had nine accomplished seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers before he elected to sign with the San Antonio Spurs during the summer of 2015.

Aldridge and the Spurs elected to part ways after more than five years together, which led to Aldridge signing with the Nets in March.

Throughout his career, Aldridge averaged 19 points and eight rebounds on 49 percent shooting from the field. He also made seven all-star teams during his career.

How his unfortunate retirement impacts the Brooklyn Nets?

Now that we know LaMarcus Aldridge is doing better, we can begin to shift the focus to how his retirement will impact the Nets. On one hand, it’s probably easy to say or suggest that Aldridge’s loss won’t hurt the Nets much, if at all.

And you might be right. But that wouldn’t do justice to Aldridge as a player. Even though he still had his shortcomings at this point in his career, mostly on the defensive end of the floor, he was still averaging 13 points and five rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field during the five games he played in with the Nets.

He had emerged as a starter and appeared to be, at least, part of the team’s supporting cast that was going to help deliver this team a championship. He was part of this team’s frontcourt depth, which had grown with both the addition of Aldridge and Blake Griffin over the last few weeks.

The good news is that Brooklyn still has a strong core of bigs to rely on heading into the playoffs, including a couple of other versatile players that can be slid down to play the power forward or center at times.

The big question is whether he’ll leave a big void in the locker room. Aldridge may not have won a championship before, but was one of the more experienced players on the roster. There’s no question that will be missed in one form or manner.

The unfortunate loss of Aldridge certainly hurts the Nets. Though, if there’s one team that has dealt with uncertainty time and time again this season, it’s been the Brooklyn Nets. Could they navigate it one more time before the playoffs begin?