Spurs and LaMarcus Aldridge agree to 4-Year Deal

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The San Antonio Spurs’ title window has been propped open even after Tim Duncan retires. LaMarcus Aldridge is coming to South Texas. Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted out the initial report followed by Aldridge himself making the announcement.

Several reports indicate this is a four year, $80 million deal and Aldridge has a player option after year three. This now gives the Spurs a terrifying projected starting line up of Tony Parker, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Aldridge and Tim Duncan with Patty Mills, Boris Diaw and Kyle Anderson coming off the bench. Matt Bonner intimated on Michelle Beadle’s podcast that he’d like to be back for another year. The Spurs will now wait on Manu Ginobili’s decision on playing one more year and Wojanarowski reports David West could be in their future plans.

The Spurs still have a couple of holes to be sure. They need to find another playmaker to spell Parker. That could be Manu if he decides to come back or they could match any offer Cory Joseph gets but at that point the math gets tricky. Maybe someone like Norris Cole takes the minimum. They also added Nate Wolters to their Summer League roster so that’s potentially an option. They also need a back up center. Names like Joel Freeland and Bismack Biyombo come to mind. So there’s still stuff to figure out. The point is everything the Spurs wanted to accomplish this offseason has happened. They’re right there with Golden State and probably a smidge ahead of Oklahoma City at the top of the Western Conference. Also, ESPN’s Marc Stein gave Spurs fans some Fourth of July dessert with this tweet about the future of the Spurs coaching staff.

Summer isn’t over yet, but right now the Spurs couldn’t have had a better start to free agency.

  • Matt Binger

    Holy poop we just signed possibly the best offensive power foward in the game. Get timmy a backup and resign ginobili and we are on our way to the finals !!! Go SPURS!!!

  • Tony Le

    Somebody pinch me.

  • Betsy Duncan

    Over the moon with this news! I have faith that R.C. and Pop will ensure bench depth, too.

  • Matt Binger

    yup, its real

  • jaydog7

    Know it’s waaaay too early, but HELL! R.C. Buford for
    Executive Of The Year!, I just don’t know could’ve pulled all
    of these moves off, given the market they’re in! (MAYBE
    PAT RILEY……MAYBE, but it takes more than throwing
    down rings on the table….)

  • Jesús Enrique Saucedo López

    Still need to sign manu

  • John T.

    This is not only great news in the short-term, but long-term this gives the Spurs a great advantage in trying to land another max free agent when every team has cap space the next two seasons.

    So is this the equivalent of rebuilding in the Spurs organization? I much prefer it to whatever they are doing in Los Angeles, New York, and Philly.

  • DorieStreet

    Wow—-Pop & Co. pulled it off!

  • Joe

    What are the chances we can get Pop a new nickname? 3 g’s 2 p’s? Greatest General Going. Probably Precognitive.

  • thedrwolff5

    we need a back up center AND Parker looked bad last year…like…bad. I’m not all in on title favorites till I know what’s going on at point guard. 20 games in we will know the story. Tim can’t shoot from range anymore but he is still awesome off the ball. Aldridge from 18 feet opens up the middle. Tim is playing Center…at 39-40 night in and out. Large units pushing on him for 80 games.

  • John T.

    Your pessimistic view of Parker could be completely true. I agree Parker was bad and injured during the Clippers series, but he wasn’t bad for the entire season.

    Optimistically, I could argue that Parker was leaned on heavier than any Spur from 2011-15, and that this is the longest off season of rest for him since 2011. It was during that off season that Duncan transformed his conditioning and diet regimen and came back with new vigor.

    I read an article on spursreport that Parker himself acknowledged that he needed to change his approach, and was taking Duncan’s example for extending his career. With LA and Leonard taking on more responsibility, Parker might be more effective and durable next year. Yeah 2011-13 Parker is not walking thru that door but he may not have to either.

    Also, I think having Mills healthy to start the season should be of added benefit. He’s a more than capable back up combo guard and is young, athletic, has enough corporate knowledge and playoff chops to split minutes with Parker.

    I would be more concerned with a 39-40 year old Duncan playing center if this were the 1990s, but in this era Pop, RC, LA, and Duncan think he can do it so I will agree with them.

  • Allan Advincula

    I honestly hope LA won’t be a repeat of Richard Jefferson.

  • Ryan Flores

    Dumbest thing I’ve read in a while

  • Melbourne Spur

    So basically replaced Tiago, Baynes and CoJo with Aldridge, West and Kyle Anderson for this season. And with Kawhi, Danny and TD all coming back, it is the best off-season I can remember by a long way.

  • TitletownX5

    Took the Splitter trade hard because I followed him in the Liga until he arrived here. Was my 3rd favorite player on the Spurs behind Ginobilli and Timmy. Having said that, with LMA saying yes and West agreeing to sign on and them actively pursuing Mo I’m starting to feel a little better about the post Splitter era. But we lost Baynes, Marco, and COJO in the process as well. We just need a 2nd tier PF/C and someone to replace COJO and we are good. Gonna have to change the avatar and buy the NBA league pass to check on Splitter, Baynes, Marco, and COJO. GSG!!!

  • TitletownX5

    At this point I’ll take Bonner for one more year. He may have not been burning up the net the last two seasons but he’s been more aggressive these last couple of years under the rim and throwing his body around and defending and playing with lots of heart.

  • ben from austin

    Our top nine (ten if Anderson’s ready to contribute nightly) is crazy good.

    We could use a traditional rim protector as a 5th big for occasions when quick penetrating guard is killing us.

    Here’s a crazy thought: Would JaVale McGee consider a comeback with the Spurs for the minimum salary and maybe 10-15 minutes a game?

    I know the general consensus is that he’s flaky and stupid. But his best days came playing under George Karl, and I remember him saying in interviews that playing for a great coach made all the difference.

    I feel silly even bringing it up, I’m just trying to think of ways to make this free-agency season even more wacky and wonderful.

  • NYC

    We’re getting Ridnour. Bear with me:

    Ridnour got flipped 4 times already because he has a fully non-guaranteed contract. He is now in possession by Toronto. T’ronto just went and paid Cory Joseph. I think it’s a safe bet that Ridnour’s moving on to a 5th team this summer. Poor guy. (Latest they can waive him is July 10, so I’ve read).

    Spurs are looking to fill like 5 spots for the veteran’s minimum. Ridnour is a proven veteran PG whose calling card is taking care of the ball. Guess who loves steady, veteran PGs who take care of the ball and are capable of starting in a pinch (read: when Parker inevitably gets hobbled)? Rhymes with Smopovich.

    Our only other PG, Mills, is really more of a combo guard better suited to playing off the ball. Manu is breaking down and if I have to watch him make one more bad turnover, I will tear my hair out and what’s left of his. Kyle Anderson’s not ready. No way Smopovich plays him a minute in the playoffs. He’ll start Diaw at PG before that happens.

    Therefor, SA needs another proven PG, yet has no money to give. But, we are suddenly a sought after destination this year for seasoned veterans looking to taste the finals.

    The writing on the wall spells R-I-D-N-O-U-R. I’m pre-ordering my jersey now. Who’s with me?

  • Tim in Surrey

    Good idea but, last I heard, JaVale was one of the people the Clippers were looking at to replace DeAndre Jordan. The other really talented potential reclamation project out there is Larry Sanders, but I have no idea what his story is right now. I suspect he needs to get his life together before his career, but who knows?

  • Tim in Surrey

    There are a couple of currently unsigned Vanderbilt alums, John Jenkins and Jeff Taylor, who might be possibilities. Taylor has been the better player, a classic 6’7″ 3-and-D guy, but may not interest the Spurs because of a domestic violence conviction last year. Jenkins is a great shooter but limited in other parts of his game. Kevin Pelton included him in his list of players that needed a “second draft” because of a poor fit with their previous team. Unfortunately, in Jenkins’ case that previous team was Coach Bud’s Hawks (who didn’t really need a designated shooter with Kyle Korver around), so he may not work well in San Antonio, either.

  • Allan Advincula

    Why?

  • NYC

    What we really, really need is a defensive big. Behind Duncan, who will be resting a lot, we have no one. I don’t think neither Aldridge nor West are known for rim protection. Tiago was no shot blocker, but he played deceptively good defense nonetheless. And Bonner, god bless his soul, he tries. He tries….

    Who’s on the market that we can realistically get?

    No way JaVale McGhee comes for the vet min. That guy left DC to get paid. I’m not sure if we could afford a Ian Mahinmi even if he were available. Did you see how much they paid Alex Ajinca?!? Maybe if Brenden Hayward gets waived? I’ve got nothing. And this thought is genuinely ruining what would otherwise be the most exciting off-season I can remember.

    Is what’s his face still in the league? You know, what’s his face: 7’3″, no. 2 pick, traded to Thunder, traded to Rockets, traded… somewhere else. Total bust, but he’s still 7’3″! That’s gotta count for something, right?

  • GillyTooTall

    Personally, I think the D. West signing is almost as big as the LA signing. West is a super tough, physical defender who can knock down the mid range. Manu has a shiny new partner to play with in the PnR. What a joy it will be to watch!

  • GillyTooTall

    It’s not a dumb statement, IMO. Not everyone is built for the “Spurs way”. There is an outside chance he just won’t get it. He could get moody if he doesn’t get the shots and the stats he is used to. There is an outside chance he just doesn’t fit in the locker room. Who can say for sure?

    But I’m betting on PATFO. Their track record has more than earned my faith.

  • Riotsmoke

    I somewhat agree with this, but in the grand scheme of things, you aren’t going to find a good rim-protecting shot blocker for the vet minimum. Another thing to think about is the league is transitioning to a high-pace,3 and D, up tempo game with smaller guys who can shoot. This makes the need for 7 footers not as much a necessity as it was a few years ago. Even if we do find someone the chances of them seeing serious minutes, or making any sort of contributions, is more than likely going to be dependent on who we’re playing. (Teams like Houston, Dallas, etc so we can match up) Chances are though if the offense is flowing like a waterfall, which with this group I fully expect it will, those teams are probably gonna have to go small to keep up with us.

    I like the idea of Ridnour though because we really DO need a true backup PG. I know they were looking at Mo Williams before he went to Cleveland, so I’d imagine that’s more than likely the direction they’re gonna go.

    Oh and no to Larry Sanders… that guy’s a few french fries short of a Happy Meal.

  • Joel Parkey

    all the moves this off-season have been great and make sense. however, I’m really concerned about the bench specifically guard(s) and SF….Manu is going to have super limited minutes and will most likely (but I hope not) spend some time of the DL A lot of people are talking about a back-up big man, but relying on Patty and Kyle Anderson makes me nervous. Marco and Cory really did a lot for us last year and currently we have no one to fill those roles.

  • Allan Advincula

    In addition, I wasn’t even saying that LA will turn out to be a Richard Jefferson.

    I was hoping he doesn’t turn out to be a Richard Jefferson.

  • DorieStreet

    If Manu is put on a rotation to have “super limited” minutes, he will avoid any time on the disabled list—he just has to pace himself and not be so reckless. (I recall the guy that made #23 famous two decades ago phased out highlight/poster dunks from his repertoire and did more midrange jumpers, to preserve his body.)