LaMarcus Aldridge Is A Diva

[KingLeBronJames]

[QUOTE]By Jason Quick | The Oregonian/OregonLive

It was the 2015 playoffs, Memphis, and the Trail Blazers' bus was idling in front of the team hotel. A steady stream of players, coaches and support staff had boarded for the past 20 minutes, yet for the last five minutes, nary a soul had approached the steps.

Still, the bus remained idling. Brake lights glowing. Engine chortling. Exhaust billowing toward Beale Street.

And it remained idling ... and idling ... and idling ... for a good five minutes.

Finally, the brake lights relented. The driver spotted what he was waiting on: From the hotel, LaMarcus Aldridge emerged, giant headphones over his ears. When he boarded, the bus immediately went into gear and headed toward the arena.

What struck me when I watched that scene, and what I've thought about often since then, is this: I wonder what Damian Lillard was thinking as he waited on that bus?

And later, as Lillard flew home with his teammates from Memphis, I wonder what he thought when he looked and discovered that Aldridge had taken his own flight home the night prior?

Those thoughts bring us back to today: July 4, 2015, a day that will stand for many things in Blazers history. It's the day Aldridge left for the San Antonio Spurs. The day the franchise became Lillard's. The first day of yet another rebuild.

But it will also mark one of the biggest organizational exhales ever.

See, inside the Trail Blazers, there is a collective sigh of relief knowing Aldridge is not returning.

Don't get me wrong: Everybody wanted him back in Portland; his talent made the Blazers a better team.

But from the front office to the marketing department to the game-day support staff, there was a general exhaustion with Aldridge. Massaging an ego so often, for so many years, can take its toll.

If there was a nick, a bump, or a bruise, Aldridge always wanted an MRI, prompting one former staffer to quip it was a good thing owner Paul Allen was rich enough to cover the frequent expense.

Until this season, when he postponed a surgery on his non-shooting hand to help the Blazers make a playoff push, Aldridge was constantly looking for a reason to sit out games, particularly if it was after his status as an All-Star had been cemented that season.

He could be a sweet guy. He bought a luxury suite at the Moda Center for the kids at the St. Mary's Home for Boys. And he periodically surprised employees with gifts.

But he was so bitter about perceived slights that happened nine years ago

[Vancouver-Grizz]

Take the high road Portland....

Don't be Pat Riley or Dan Gilbert in these situation....its a lose lose.

[Foster5k]

Still got nothing on LeBron.

[Done_And_Done]

Meh...

For 9 or whatever years, we haven't heard a single peep about LMA being a Prima Donna of any sort. He takes his talents elsewhere and all of sudden he's the worst thing the city has seen since the Jailblazers Typical media robot attempting to capitalize on a gaping opportunity.

[Lebron23]

Still got nothing on LeBron.


OP is not even a LeBron fan. He's another account of FlashDwyane3 who's a Kobe fan in disguise.

[imnew09]

At least he didnt make The Decision LOL

[The_Yearning]

Lol at the writer. He clowns LMA and praises Lillard's "leadership" when dude was writing poems crying about not making the all-star team :roll:

[LoneyROY7]

Lillard doesn't care about making sure everybody knows he's a star?

Is that why he bitched and moaned his way onto the all-star team?

[blazerftc]

Meh...

For 9 or whatever years, we haven't heard a single peep about LMA being a Prima Donna of any sort. He takes his talents elsewhere and all of sudden he's the worst thing the city has seen since the Jailblazers Typical media robot attempting to capitalize on a gaping opportunity.

I actually remember another article, also by Quick I believe, written after we had to amnesty Brandon Roy. He had an interview with LMA where he said something like "people forget that I was the number two pick in that draft."

It's been happening for a while. Beat writers aren't in the business of running down players on the current roster, however.

[It's A VC3!!!]

If the bus incident is the best example the writer could talk about then in no way was LA a diva..

He's just upset LA left. Plain and simple. LA might have a sensitive ego but I don't believe it is bad enough to warrant a "sigh of relief" that he's not back.

[RIP CITY]

Sounds like a writer trying to take advantage of a Star player leaving, blowing up some very minor incidents to try to stir up some clicks for his article. Writer sounds like a pretentious whiny bitch, probably holds some kind of a grudge against LMA for some perceived slight over the years. Sounds more like HIS interpretation of what LMA was all about, not what everyone in the Blazers organization thought. Nothing to see here but a bitter writer hunting for clicks IMO.

[FireDavidKahn]

99% of players in the nba are divas:sleeping

[Smoke117]

The Blazers are going absolutely nowhere as long as Damian Lillard is their franchise player.

[kentatm]

:lol Portland brass must be mega butthurt if they are going to start trashing LA in the media with leaks like this.

[blazerftc]

:lol Portland brass must be mega butthurt if they are going to start trashing LA in the media with leaks like this.

Jason Quick has been the Blazers beat writer for years. This isn't a hit piece. He wrote all kinds of exposes after players left the team. Damon Stoudemire, Ruben Patterson, Zach Randolph, etc. nothing he said was untruthful.

[Done_And_Done]

I actually remember another article, also by Quick I believe, written after we had to amnesty Brandon Roy. He had an interview with LMA where he said something like "people forget that I was the number two pick in that draft."

It's been happening for a while. Beat writers aren't in the business of running down players on the current roster, however.

Perhaps there have been a reports of him being a little sensitive but as Kahn said above, the league is infused with egomaniacs. It's nothing out of the ordinary. This bitter beat writer produced a piece that epitomizes click bait. Whiney nuisance or not, the guy busted his off for that team for nearly a decade. He didn't deserve to be lowballed like this. Especially not for the sole purpose of selling a story. Which is exactly what this little punk was trying to do

[KendrickPerkins]

"I am."

:roll:

You're ready to lose 50 games each year? Hahaha!

Rest in piss, portLand!!!!

[FireDavidKahn]

Whining to the media that you're not an all-star = being a diva

[Blue&Orange]

This must be true i remember Aldridge's puclic temper tantrum when he wasnt selected for the All-star game... oh wait.

[PejaNowitzki]

Even if this was true, there is no way to write this and not come off sounding salty as hell at this point.

[Joshumitsu]

Meh...

For 9 or whatever years, we haven't heard a single peep about LMA being a Prima Donna of any sort. He takes his talents elsewhere and all of sudden he's the worst thing the city has seen since the Jailblazers Typical media robot attempting to capitalize on a gaping opportunity.

No way, even ESPN picked up on Aldridge's insecurities. This isn't anything new if you're a Blazer fan.

espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/5762/lamarcus-aldridge-handle-with-care (espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/5762/lamarcus-aldridge-handle-with-care)

This article pretty much confirms Aldridge's emotional issues and paranoia....from having management cater to his needs to holding a grudge against a nice teammate like Brandon Roy because Roy forgot to invite Aldridge to a BBQ.

The guy is great and I'll miss him but he was nuts....like a psychotic ex-GF.


As for the Oregonian article? Jason Quick is a douchebag and Portland fans don't like him either. He wrote a similar article attacking various personalities when he "left" the Blazers...only to return the next year.

[Funktion]

http://thesportspin.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/lebron-crying.jpg

[Done_And_Done]

No way, even ESPN picked up on Aldridge's insecurities. This isn't anything new if you're a Blazer fan.

espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/5762/lamarcus-aldridge-handle-with-care (espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/5762/lamarcus-aldridge-handle-with-care)

This article pretty much confirms Aldridge's emotional issues and paranoia....from having management cater to his needs to holding a grudge against a nice teammate like Brandon Roy because Roy forgot to invite Aldridge to a BBQ.

The guy is great and I'll miss him but he was nuts....like a psychotic ex-GF.


As for the Oregonian article? Jason Quick is a douchebag and Portland fans don't like him either. He wrote a similar article attacking various personalities when he "left" the Blazers...only to return the next year.

Yeah after doing a bit of digging I've heard the same about Quick.

I just find it a little irksome that he went in on him like that and sugar coated it with hollow compliments. It just came off as classless and infantile to me. With that said, I alsoalso wasn't aware of the flaws in LMA's character either.

Anyways... Cest La Vie

[Svendiggity]

Lillard doesn't care about making sure everybody knows he's a star?

Is that why he bitched and moaned his way onto the all-star team?

stfu with this already. All he did was say he felt disrespected. If you knew anything about Lillards story you would know he doesn't cry about anything in Basketball. He's not afraid to voice his opinion, it's a sign of strength, not weakness.