Aldridge’s future with Blazers questionable

Blazers may have to move on without LaMarcus Aldridge

Every team needs a go-to player and to have depth throughout the roster, if it wants to be successful in the playoffs. This season, the Portland Trail Blazers have neither.

LaMarcus Aldridge is clearly the team’s best player, but at times he does not show it and does not have the mentality to be the go-to-guy. At 6 foot 11 inches, Aldridge would be a center on most teams, but that’s not the case with Portland. He is known around the league for being a big, good-shooting sort of guy. But how “big” of a man is he, really? This season Aldridge is averaging six rebounds a game and out of the eight games the Blazers have played Aldridge has had over 10 rebounds twice. At this point it seems like Aldridge is comfortable with shooting mid-range jump shots instead of getting into the paint. When he does score in the paint, it is almost always a fadeaway, and not a face-to-the-basket shot.

Pressure has been on Aldridge to lead this team ever since previous teammates Greg Oden and Brandon Roy departed, due to injuries. He is definitely a high-caliber player but he is not the type to be the leader of a team. He has experience, playing in the NBA since 2006, but does not have the proper on-court mentality and the aggressiveness to lead a team in the playoffs. The team has not made it past the first round of playoffs since 2000, when Portland made the Western Conference finals but ended up losing to the Lakers.

The Blazers this year have a young team, with their oldest player being forward Jared Jefferies, 30. This year the team has played well when the starting five is in, but when the bench comes onto the court, that is where the Blazers collapse. They do not have depth this year, which is a big thing to succeed and go deep into the playoffs. So, the pressure is on the starters.

With Aldridge’s size and experience, he should be able to average a double-double, like his teammate J.J Hickson, who is averaging 11 points and 11 rebounds. Hickson, 6 foot 9 inches, is playing the center position where he is usually undersized with his matchup.

Aldridge is now in the third year of his five-year contract and the debate has begun whether he will be re-signed, or if the Blazers will let go of him. Personally, I think if they could get another player to lead this team and have Aldridge as the second option, it might be worth it to keep him and see what happens. But if that doesn’t happen, expect Aldridge not to be in a Blazer uniform come the 2014-15 season.