Aldridge informed Blazers he will not be re-signing.

[BlazerRed]

http://www.columbian.com/news/2015/jun/25/sources-aldridge-tells-blazers-he-wont-be-back/

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140605232214/adventuretimewithfinnandjake/images/1/1f/Crying.gif

[BlakFrankWhite]

If he goes to the Spurs....we're all F'kin DOOMED :(

[RoseCity07]

He should have asked for a trade 2 years ago. Instead he told the team he wanted to wait so he could sign a longer contract. That is probably worse than what Lebron did.

I really feel like Aldridge is doing this not to win a championship but because he wants to go to a party city. I guess you can't blame him but I hope he doesn't try to sell this as Portland doing him wrong. Fans cheered for him win or lose. Blazers traded up in the draft to grab him.

It's just sad that small market teams are basically farm teams for major cities. The NBA needs to have franchise tags to avoid this. It waters down the league when a star decides to leave.

[Alamо]

http://i.minus.com/ibqSexEXz4XC0e.gif



http://media.giphy.com/media/cbG9wtoO8QScw/giphy.gif

[LoneyROY7]

Damn, I remember when Brandon Roy, Aldridge, Oden, and Batum were supposed to lead Portland into the next era.

[niko]

He should have asked for a trade 2 years ago. Instead he told the team he wanted to wait so he could sign a longer contract. That is probably worse than what Lebron did.

I really feel like Aldridge is doing this not to win a championship but because he wants to go to a party city. I guess you can't blame him but I hope he doesn't try to sell this as Portland doing him wrong. Fans cheered for him win or lose. Blazers traded up in the draft to grab him.

It's just sad that small market teams are basically farm teams for major cities. The NBA needs to have franchise tags to avoid this. It waters down the league when a star decides to leave.
He might go to SA. Your owner is a mega billionaire with unlimited resources. This isn't a small market thing.

[Rocketswin2013]

If he goes to the Spurs....we're all F'kin DOOMED :(
I think he's going to LA.

[BlazerRed]

He should have asked for a trade 2 years ago. Instead he told the team he wanted to wait so he could sign a longer contract. That is probably worse than what Lebron did.

I really feel like Aldridge is doing this not to win a championship but because he wants to go to a party city. I guess you can't blame him but I hope he doesn't try to sell this as Portland doing him wrong. Fans cheered for him win or lose. Blazers traded up in the draft to grab him.

It's just sad that small market teams are basically farm teams for major cities. The NBA needs to have franchise tags to avoid this. It waters down the league when a star decides to leave.
Strap in for the rebuild, Myers Leonard is our new king now :bowdown:

[gts]

If he goes to the Spurs....we're all F'kin DOOMED :(Spurs will have a problem going after him. They'd have to do a ton of financial cat juggling to even get in the conversation unless Aldridge is willing to play for peanuts... It's doable but nearly impossible for the Spurs

[ArbitraryWater]

http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/assets/4348639/oohdirk_medium.gif

[Droid101]

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/Straightcash10/jack-nicholson-nodding.gif

[gts]

http://i.minus.com/ibqSexEXz4XC0e.gifThis gif.... :roll: Still cracks me up, genius

[StephHamann]

http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/assets/4348639/oohdirk_medium.gif

:oldlol:

[Smook A.]

No surprise at all. You could just tell after the Grizzlies series that he didn't wanna be back. I don't blame him at all since he's only been out of the 1st round once in his 9 years with Portland. The frustration obviously got to him and he knew that the Blazers weren't going to make a serious playoff run any time soon with the guys they had.

If he really wants a ring, San Antonio should easily be at the top of his list.

[DirkLegend41]

Does anybody realize that the Spurs have no money to spend on Aldridge?

[ArbitraryWater]

No surprise at all. You could just tell after the Grizzlies series that he didn't wanna be back. I don't blame him at all since he's only been out of the 1st round once in his 9 years with Portland. The frustration obviously got to him and he knew that the Blazers weren't going to make a serious playoff run any time soon with the guys they had.

If he really wants a ring, San Antonio should easily be at the top of his list.

and that one time he made it out of the first was extremely fortunate, they were the worse team actually.

[fragokota]

http://i.minus.com/ibqSexEXz4XC0e.gif

best gif ever :roll: :roll: :roll:

[Springsteen]

http://i.imgur.com/QyTHy2m.jpg

[BlazerRed]

Does anybody realize that the Spurs have no money to spend on Aldridge?
They don't right now.. they COULD possibly move enough assets to make room. It's a long shot though.

[StephHamann]

They don't right now.. they COULD possibly move enough assets to make room. It's a long shot though.

So the only teams with Cap are Lakers and Mavs?

Cuban never gets FA so ALDRIDGE A LAKER CONFIRMED



http://media.giphy.com/media/MLi42SVDV49kQ/giphy.gif

[ralph_i_el]

He should have asked for a trade 2 years ago. Instead he told the team he wanted to wait so he could sign a longer contract. That is probably worse than what Lebron did.


I really feel like Aldridge is doing this not to win a championship but because he wants to go to a party city. I guess you can't blame him but I hope he doesn't try to sell this as Portland doing him wrong. Fans cheered for him win or lose. Blazers traded up in the draft to grab him.

It's just sad that small market teams are basically farm teams for major cities. The NBA needs to have franchise tags to avoid this. It waters down the league when a star decides to leave.

Small market teams do just fine. With the internet, you can be a massive star no matter where you play as long as you win games.

[buddha]

if Damian Lillard wasn't an overrated POS, Aldridge would still be in Portland.

[sixer6ad]

If Love does not resign with CLE, he will look there. Promise.

[RoseCity07]

if Damian Lillard wasn't an overrated POS, Aldridge would still be in Portland.

lol what?:oldlol:

[JohnnyBravo5]

He likes the Hawks. We can renounce all our scrubs and fit him easily. Start Sef and draft a back up big and we're in bizness

[Kblaze8855]

The NBA needs to have franchise tags to avoid this. It waters down the league when a star decides to leave.

A franchise tag wouldnt do anything in the NBA. Guys would just sign their deals to set up leaving a year later. You clearly couldnt franchise a guy forever. Thats pretty much what the NBA had before Oscar robertson sued. You cant just make someone work for you forever after their contract is expired.

The NFL cant even do that. Max of 2 franchise tag years...but their careers are so much shorter that 2 years is major.

In the NBA? You lose a guy a year later. They would probably just sign 4 year deals knowing the 5th year is their franchise season.

It would just be a churched up team option at the end of every max deal. So guys with leverage would just sign for a year less....get 20 million the last season...then walk.

It wouldnt change a thing.

And it shouldnt.

The first unrestricted FA in history was Tom Chambers in 1988. 41 years in.

The league got to **** players over long enough.

[ShackEelOKneel]

I really feel like Aldridge is doing this not to win a championship but because he wants to go to a party city.

They don't have these in Portland?

http://www.mamacheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/party-city.jpg

[ShackEelOKneel]

He might go to SA. Your owner is a mega billionaire with unlimited resources. This isn't a small market thing.

What? It absolutely does. When was the last time a significant free agent went to Portland because of Paul Allen?

[BlakFrankWhite]

If Love does not resign with CLE, he will look there. Promise.

Doubt it

Seeing Love become nothing more than a 3rd option must have discouraged other all-stars from joining.

Its been spurs and mavs

[ShackEelOKneel]

Small market teams do just fine. With the internet, you can be a massive star no matter where you play as long as you win games.

It isn't just about marketing, but about big cities and sometimes weather. The internet can't fix that. But even so, maybe you haven't noticed the attention players get in the likes of LA and NY, even when the teams suck. Nick Young for example went from known only by hardcore NBA fans on the internet when he was in DC to joining the Lakers and becoming engaged to Iggy Azalea.

[bluechox2]

portland could trade him draft night

[Spurs m8]

Rosecity - do you just talk for the sake of it?
Do you know anything you're saying?

[RoseCity07]

A franchise tag wouldnt do anything in the NBA. Guys would just sign their deals to set up leaving a year later. You clearly couldnt franchise a guy forever. Thats pretty much what the NBA had before Oscar robertson sued. You cant just make someone work for you forever after their contract is expired.

The NFL cant even do that. Max of 2 franchise tag years...but their careers are so much shorter that 2 years is major.

In the NBA? You lose a guy a year later. They would probably just sign 4 year deals knowing the 5th year is their franchise season.

It would just be a churched up team option at the end of every max deal. So guys with leverage would just sign for a year less....get 20 million the last season...then walk.

It wouldnt change a thing.

And it shouldnt.

The first unrestricted FA in history was Tom Chambers in 1988. 41 years in.

The league got to **** players over long enough.

No but the league can tell a player they can't play in their league if they don't play for a team. If you tag a player and he doesn't want to play he can leave the league. The NBA is a company. With the rules in place they can tell players to stay in a city or leave.

Why I don't really think a tag could work is because a player could tank it if you force him to stay.

[jbryan1984]

Doubt it

Seeing Love become nothing more than a 3rd option must have discouraged other all-stars from joining.

Its been spurs and mavs


What option did you think he would be playing with LeBron and Kyrie? You could really see, especially in the Chicago series what Love did for us as far as stretching the floor. Pau would not of been camped out, he would of been running around the 3 point line. If Love leaves, he just can't accept who he is, he is never going to be the star leading a team to a title, no way, he couldn't even lead a team to the playoffs at all, we know that. He is in a perfect situation with us. Its pretty crazy if you spend your first time in the playoffs sitting on the bench while your team plays in the finals and then want to leave.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

I say he goes to Dallas. Cuban convinces him he'll be the next Maverick god once Dirk retires.

[Kblaze8855]

No but the league can tell a player they can't play in their league if they don't play for a team. If you tag a player and he doesn't want to play he can leave the league. The NBA is a company. With the rules in place they can tell players to stay in a city or leave.

Why I don't really think a tag could work is because a player could tank it if you force him to stay.

Go read up on the Oscar Robertson vs the NBA case. that case is the reason what you are saying can't be done.

No contract limitless franchise tags would be challenged in court and defeated. And they should be. you wanting to for somebody to play where you say they play or not at all without a contract is simply not going to happen.

You would have to totally rewrite the CBA and there would never be an agreement. All you can do is destroy the NBA trying.

And for what? Selfish fans thinking they have a right to someone's entire career regardless of how they feel about it?

American pro sports are built on contracts. When they expire players can do whatever they want and that is exactly the way it should be.

[T_L_P]

:(

[iamgine]

You wanting to for somebody to play where you say they play or not at all without a contract is simply not going to happen.

By "you" I assume you mean the NBA.

I guess it would not be worth it now with the CBA and other stuff already in place but I don't see why in the beginning they can't do that. Clearly it can be argued to promote more parity (lets just assume the league cares deeply about parity). I can see a rule where a player is bound to the team of his last contract if they designate him as a franchise player. In return they must offer him the maximum amount of salary for a maximum # of years one year before his contract expires. It's up to him how many years he wants to take and when he wants to take that contract but as long as he's still the franchise player he can only play for that team.

[Kblaze8855]

They did do that in the beginning. They did it for 30 years. Plenty of superstars got screwed over for years. Guys like Rick Barry and Earl Monroe. They didn't call it the franchise tag they called it the reserve clause.

If you didn't come to an agreement to extend your contract when it expired if the team wanted to keep you anyway they could simply exercise the clause and pay you your previous seasons salary as many years as they wanted to do it.

Which was actually an improvement over the older system which allowed the team to resign you to limitless one year deals that automatically decreased 10 percent from the previous season. They could draft you sign you to a three year deal then keep you for the rest of your career paying you 10% less each season if you didn't accept the long term offers.

It was bullshit and Oscar Robertson who was the president of the players union at the time sued the league over that and other issues related to allowing player movement and claiming that the impending ABA NBA merger would create a monopoly that would remove the one option players had to gain any leverage.

In the end what they settled on was restricted free agency. There was no such thing as a truly unrestricted no compensation required free agent until 1988 when The Sonics lost Tom Chambers for nothing to the Suns.

People get sad when a free agent leaves and want to go back to a system that was already challenged and defeated in court.

Young leagues often try shit like that. The MLS is doing it right now and the players are going to sue the shit out of them in a few years I'm sure.

The MLS actually admits they don't allow free agency because it will cause competition between the teams and drive up salaries.

Some judge will destroy them on that in the next 20 years I guarantee it.

[iamgine]

^it's a problem though if he can be paid more somewhere else but had to stay with the team. Seems like that is the main problem, not the "forcing a player to stay with one team forever". There shouldn't be a problem with the reserve clause/franchise tag if they have to be offered max contract for max years a year before their contract expires.

[wang4three]

Meyers Leonard time!!

https://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/uspw_5887774.jpg

[BlazerRed]

lol what?:oldlol:
He's right about the overrated part.. I like Lillard but he's s second tier player. Some people act as if he's a top 5 PG.

[BlazerRed]

Meyers Leonard time!!

https://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/uspw_5887774.jpg
Future GOAT is rising from the ashes :bowdown:

[RoseCity07]

Go read up on the Oscar Robertson vs the NBA case. that case is the reason what you are saying can't be done.

No contract limitless franchise tags would be challenged in court and defeated. And they should be. you wanting to for somebody to play where you say they play or not at all without a contract is simply not going to happen.

You would have to totally rewrite the CBA and there would never be an agreement. All you can do is destroy the NBA trying.

And for what? Selfish fans thinking they have a right to someone's entire career regardless of how they feel about it?

American pro sports are built on contracts. When they expire players can do whatever they want and that is exactly the way it should be.

I think my point was that it would be in every contract because it would be in the CBA. Of course I don't mean just do it. You have to get the players to agree. That isn't going to happen but I'd like the NBA to try. Make it a better deal than the NFL. A team like the Timberwolves should be able to offer Lebron 50 million if he's drafted to that city. It doesn't need to be a franchise tag. Just an option for a city to tag a player and give him a special deal based on their draft position or personal accolades.

[RoseCity07]

He's right about the overrated part.. I like Lillard but he's s second tier player. Some people act as if he's a top 5 PG.

Lillard hit the worst shooting streak of his life in January and never recovered from it. This happened near the time he hurt his wrist in New York. Also, near the time he started wearing those cheap Adidas. Yet, he still finished the year with his highest FG% of his career and scoring the most PPG of his career.

He's getting better. That's all I can ask. He deserves to be criticized but I'm not going to act like he's a scrub because of a bad stretch. If he did that next season I'd agree.

[BlazerRed]

Lillard hit the worst shooting streak of his life in January and never recovered from it. This happened near the time he hurt his wrist in New York. Also, near the time he started wearing those cheap Adidas. Yet, he still finished the year with his highest FG% of his career and scoring the most PPG of his career.

He's getting better. That's all I can ask. He deserves to be criticized but I'm not going to act like he's a scrub because of a bad stretch. If he did that next season I'd agree.
He's certainly no scrub, I just think people have hyped him up to a higher standard than he actually is. Love the dudes attitude, just needs to keep improving.

[Kblaze8855]

I think my point was that it would be in every contract because it would be in the CBA. Of course I don't mean just do it. You have to get the players to agree. That isn't going to happen but I'd like the NBA to try. Make it a better deal than the NFL. A team like the Timberwolves should be able to offer Lebron 50 million if he's drafted to that city. It doesn't need to be a franchise tag. Just an option for a city to tag a player and give him a special deal based on their draft position or personal accolades.


Already exists. Google "Derrick Rose Rule". Chris Paul argued for it and won it in the last CBA. Its why Kevin Durant got an extra 15 million on his last deal. His personal accolades allowed him to skip the usual max for his experience and jump to a higher pay grade with the team that drafted him. A young player gets the option to get that special deal if they are all NBA 2 times or more, start the ASG 2 times or more, or win the MVP.


Extra bit of money for personal accolades at the end of your deal.

But nothing will ever keep free agency from existing again. And nothing should.

[bluechox2]

aldridge about to leave his team high and dry and with no backlash?

[Myth]

aldridge about to leave his team high and dry and with no backlash?

I think most of Portland understands why he wants to leave, but there will certainly be backlash if he goes to Lakers, and potentially Rockets or Cavs.

[Crimsonrain777]

werent there rumors that he'd be looking towards the Cavs if Love doesnt resign with them?

[RoseCity07]

Already exists. Google "Derrick Rose Rule". Chris Paul argued for it and won it in the last CBA. Its why Kevin Durant got an extra 15 million on his last deal. His personal accolades allowed him to skip the usual max for his experience and jump to a higher pay grade with the team that drafted him. A young player gets the option to get that special deal if they are all NBA 2 times or more, start the ASG 2 times or more, or win the MVP.


Extra bit of money for personal accolades at the end of your deal.

But nothing will ever keep free agency from existing again. And nothing should.


Okay, but why can't the Timberwolves offer Lebron 50 million a year. Lebron is worth way more than the max by his contribution to a team. I like the salary cap but for certain players it's unbalanced the way pay structure works. I bet Lebron would think about going to the highest bidder if they could offer him any amount.

[Vancouver-Grizz]

aldridge about to leave his team high and dry and with no backlash?


At least he gave them notice and maybe work a sign and trade to get some picks back.

Only thing is Portland has been playing quite well and would think he would stick around. Think they are missing one more reliable 3rd option and they are pretty close on contending with LMA.

[coin24]

Come to LA:rockon: :rockon:

Sucks for Portland but that core just wasn't getting it done and injuries did them in early..

[RedBlackAttack]

Already exists. Google "Derrick Rose Rule". Chris Paul argued for it and won it in the last CBA. Its why Kevin Durant got an extra 15 million on his last deal. His personal accolades allowed him to skip the usual max for his experience and jump to a higher pay grade with the team that drafted him. A young player gets the option to get that special deal if they are all NBA 2 times or more, start the ASG 2 times or more, or win the MVP.


Extra bit of money for personal accolades at the end of your deal.

But nothing will ever keep free agency from existing again. And nothing should.
Yep.

One of the more interesting cases of the Rose Rule was Kyrie Irving this past season. He had everything checked on the list. All he needed was a starting nod by the fans for the 2014-15 All-Star Game. Instead, Kyle Lowry got the nod and Kyrie was a reserve.

Basically, Justin Bieber saved the Cavs $10 million.

[Lebron23]

Blazers are now back in rebuilding mode. That POS Lillard cannot carry a team in the playoffs.

[KNOW1EDGE]

I don't blame him for wanting to leave, but this is the best roster Portland has surrounded him with.

If he leaves, which it is still uncertain, but if he leaves, hopefully Portland can pull a sign and trade.

Or sign Greg Monroe

[Rocketswin2013]

Blazers are now back in rebuilding mode. That POS Lillard cannot carry a team in the playoffs.
:lol The Lillard hate is hilarious. People loved him last year.

[dazzer87]

:lol The Lillard hate is hilarious. People loved him last year.
"What have you done for me lately" Forum

[Combat Wombat]

Blazers are now back in rebuilding mode. That POS Lillard cannot carry a team in the playoffs.

Oh, look. The ugly midget of ISH is jumping on yet another bandwagon. This time it's the "Hate on Lillard" one.

You're so fcuking pathetic.

[ArbitraryWater]

Adrian WojnarowskiVerifizierter Account
‏@WojYahooNBA

Sources: Free agent LaMarcus Aldridge is working to narrow his list of choices to two or three teams today. No final decision is imminent.

this dude is SLOW