Portland Trail Blazers star LaMarcus Aldridge isn't a lock to leave in free agency, but the Dallas Mavericks reportedly are the "biggest threat" to lure him away. The San Antonio Spurs, a team once reported to be one of his top three destinations, meanwhile, are now said to be toward the bottom of his list.
If one thing can be assumed for fact, it's that Aldridge is no longer gung-ho on re-signing with the Trail Blazers in free agency. From reports of his frustration with his role behind Damian Lillard to reports saying he's had enough of the team's early exits from the playoffs, Aldridge at least appears willing to test the market in July.
When Aldridge does test the market on July 1, as all reports indicate he will, Dallas reportedly will be the biggest threat to pull him away from Portland.
"Of his potential suitors, league sources indicate that the Mavericks are the biggest threat to pull Aldridge away from the Blazers, but it's the general idea of returning to Texas, not a specific destination, that appeals to him," Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report wrote Tuesday.
The Houston Rockets aren't viewed as a likely destination for Aldridge, and the other Texas team, the Spurs, apparently isn't anymore, either.
"Several sources have indicated that the Spurs," Bucher wrote, "for whatever reason, are either off his list or not very high on it."
Bucher's report in part contradicts one last month from ESPN's Marc Stein, who said Dallas, San Antonio and the Cleveland Cavaliers - if Kevin Love left - were Aldridge's top three destinations.
