Head coach Gregg Popovich announced that the San Antonio Spurs and LaMarcus Aldridge have mutually agreed to part ways.
The San Antonio Spurs are returning from the All-Star break to build upon their impressive season in hopes of making a return trip to the NBA playoffs. While that is the goal, one player will not be around for the trip.
On Wednesday, Popovich announced that the team and forward LaMarcus Aldridge have mutually agreed to part ways.
“LaMarcus is not with the team,” Popovich said, via Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. “He’s healthy, in that respect, but we’ve mutually agreed to work out some opportunities for him and that’ll be elsewhere. So, he won’t be with the team moving forward. He’s been a great teammate. There was no problem there. We just think this is a win-win for both LaMarcus and for the club. So, when an opportunity arises, that’ll be up to management, his agent, you know, sort of thing. We’ll all move forward.”
“He’s been a great teammate. He’s done everything we’ve asked. And at this point, we’d just like to something that will work for him as much as for our club, because he deserves that.”
Spurs: San Antonio looking to find trade partner for LaMarcus Aldridge
For those thinking that a buyout, a la, Blake Griffin, is in the works, that may not be the case.
According to ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Spurs are working on trade scenarios and “have been engaged on several fronts.” Additionally, Wojnarowski notes that the Spurs are confident that they can find a trade partner for Aldridge in the next week and will not have to resort to a contract buyout.
Aldridge joined the Spurs organization back in 2015 in free agency and recently signed a two-year, $50 million contract in 2019. Set to become a free agent at season’s end, Aldridge wanted off the team, whom obliged with his request.
Through 21 games this season, Aldridge is averaging 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists, while shooting 46.4-percent from the field. Overall, Aldridge tallied an average of 19.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists through his six seasons in San Antonio.
For those teams who lost out on the Griffin sweepstakes recently, you now have the chance to acquire Aldridge. But, that is all dependent on the Spurs accepting the offer.