The Portland Trail Blazers have had a roller coaster of an off season thus far. They’ve already made two hefty trades involving starter Nicolas Batum, veteran Steve Blake, and 23rd pick Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Now, LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, and Robin Lopez all potentially appear to be on their way out of Rip City.
If this is the case, Damian Lillard, who just signed a five-year, $120 million extension, would be the only returning starter from last year. Like all Portland fans, Lillard doesn’t want this to happen, but unlike the fans, he can actually do something about it. Currently, as Sam Amick of USA Today Sports reported, Lillard is preparing to fly down to Los Angeles to directly meet with LaMarcus Aldridge.
Aldridge is set to meet with the Lakers for a second time since free agency began. Their first impression on the four-time All-Star was negative, L.A. reported that he and Kobe didn’t mesh well together. Also, the focus of the meeting was more centered around non-basketball related subjects. Aldridge is keen on finding the right place to sign, and a major priority of his is verifying that he will not be playing the center position. Chances are, this wasn’t mentioned originally by the Lakers and he knew other teams could provide better.
The Blazers still have over $20 million in cap space, plenty to re-sign LA to a deal he desires. However, they only have nine players with contracts, so a decent chunk of the cap space must be saved to entice other players to join the team. If Lillard is successful in persuading Aldridge to stay in Rip City, there’s a high possibility Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez will be unable to sign deals.
The Sacramento Kings have expressed interest in Matthews, and are apparently set to offer him a ‘deal he can’t turn down’. With the situation in Sacramento, he’ll need a very expensive deal to get involved in that mess. On top of the Kings, the Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors are preparing to offer Wes a deal. If Portland can’t keep the cap space necessary for what he wants, it’s plausible that we could see Matthews in a different jersey next season.
As for Robin Lopez, he most likely won’t re-sign with the Blazers either. Although playing for the Blazers helped his value in the free agency market, Neil Olshey and Terry Stotts have passed a discrete message across that they don’t need him to return. The addition of Ed Davis and Mason Plumlee stacks Portland’s frontcourt, not to mention Meyers Leonard on the bench and the possibility of LA returning.
Re-signing Aldridge is key in securing a playoff spot for Portland. Although Blazer management must choose between Aldridge and Matthews, Lillard’s initiative to convince LA to return may push Wes further away. With no resistance to Wes’s exit, there’s a big chance he’s moving on from the Northwest. If all goes well, however, Aldridge will return and Portland will maintain their standing in the West.