Partly owing to the fact that the San Antonio Spurs are currently struggling, with their 6-11 record putting them at a tie for 10th place in the Western Conference, power forward LaMarcus Aldridge has been mentioned in a number of trade rumors in recent weeks. The latest such rumors suggest there are several teams that could benefit by making a deal for the veteran big man, including the same team that originally picked him second overall in the 2006 NBA Draft — the Chicago Bulls.
In a report published on Monday, Fadeaway World wrote that the Spurs might need to start the rebuilding process by trading Aldridge, who, as shown on his Basketball-Reference player page, has seen his stats decline in the 2019-20 season. While still averaging a decent 18.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists for San Antonio, the 34-year-old power forward appears to have read the “writing on the wall” regarding his future with the team, per Fadeaway World. According to the publication, the Spurs might be better off trading Aldridge for a combination of young prospects and players on expiring contracts.
Toward the end of its list of five potential destinations for Aldridge, Fadeaway World discussed the Bulls and explained how the team could benefit from the 14-year veteran, noting that Chicago could use someone like him to “keep competitive” in the “top-heavy” Eastern Conference. To acquire him, however, the outlet recommended a trade package that would have Chicago moving its top scorer — shooting guard Zach LaVine — as well as a pair of promising youngsters in wingman Chandler Hutchison and center Wendell Carter Jr.
LaMarcus Aldridge records a double-double and 52.6 FPTS in San Antonio! pic.twitter.com/aYJmbnAZPz
— NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) November 17, 2019
“[T]he Bulls could start a very effective lineup with the likes of Aldridge, [Lauri] Markkanen, [Otto] Porter, and [Coby] White all starting,” Fadeaway World wrote. “This is a good lineup that is a certain playoff contender if they play well together.”
Regarding how the Spurs could benefit from such a deal, it was pointed out that LaVine and Carter — the latter of whom is now starting at center in just his second NBA season — are both “very good” players at this point in their careers. Specifically, LaVine was described as a player who could step in and replace Aldridge’s contributions as a top offensive option, assuming he and Carter get shipped to San Antonio and join forces with young players like Derrick White and Dejounte Murray.
Quite notably, the Fadeaway World report did not mention shooting guard DeMar DeRozan as a key member of the Spurs’ core in any of the suggested trades. Like Aldridge, DeRozan has also been the subject of various trade rumors , including one linking him to the Orlando Magic.