NBA Free Agency Talk: LaMarcus Aldridge Will Be Lured By San Antonio Spurs After The Season

LaMarcus Aldridge will hit free agency after the 2014-2015 National Basketball Association (NBA) season and the star power forward is expected to be one of the most sought after players in the offseason. One team, a Blazers’ rival in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs are apparently showing interest in the big man and there looms a possibility that the Texas-based squad will offer him a maximum contract.

Zach Lowe, the NBA expert in the sports-pop culture website grantland.com is reporting that some big bosses around the league expects the Spurs to be in play when Aldridge becomes a free agent.

“This could be random, but nearly a half-dozen executives from different teams mentioned the possibility of the Spurs luring LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency with a max contract,” Lowe said although he went on to state that he does not expect Aldridge to eventually leave Portland owing to the big man’s statement in the previous year that he wants to stay with the Blazers for the long-term.

In July 2014, a few months after getting eliminated by the Spurs in the second round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs, Aldridge was adamant of his commitment to the team. Aldridge is in the fifth and final year of a $65 million contract and was offered a five-year extension worth roughly $108 million by the Blazers. Aldridge turned down that deal as he’s expected to get more with the expected salary cap increase in 2015.

"I'm happy to stay, happy to be here, happy with the direction the team has gone the last year or two," Aldridge said to the The Oregonian at that time. “This has no impact on my interest in staying in Portland. I just want to get a five-year deal. I feel like that's the best decision on my part."

That’s sweet music to the ears of Trail Blazers fans, who have seen their team rise as one of the best teams in the current NBA season. Portland has a 31-11 record so far, good for third-best in the entire league. However, Aldridge will listen to other teams’ offers come free agency as any player will do and will not only consider the financial situation but also the status of his current team. The Blazers can offer the biggest amount but can the franchise promise a continued improvement in their roster? The Blazers has the first crack at convincing Aldridge to stay but can they convince him that their current group of players has the ability to go all the way to an NBA championship?

The Trail Blazers’ core include young point guard Damian Lillard, versatile forward Nicolas Batum, two-way shooting guard Wesley Matthews and big man Robin Lopez. But after those four other starters, Portland lacks depth and was exposed during the last playoffs. The Spurs has the ability to offer max money to Aldridge although not as big as what Portland can give him. However, with the winning culture in San Antonio and especially if Greg Popovic stays on as the head coach, Aldridge might want to take a hard look at the Spurs as possible long-term partners.

Trail Blazers general manager Neil Olshey is saying the right things in the past months admitting that their number one priority within the franchise is to convince Aldridge to stay in Portland. For the Blazers fan-base’s sake, the Portland GM is hoping for a successful run in the upcoming postseason to try to convince Aldridge that their team is building the right way in becoming perennial title contenders. Or else, teams like the Spurs will swoop in and lure away the star big man.

To contact author of this article, email j.quizon@IBTimes.com.au