The Brooklyn Nets have been very active in both on and off the court and recently they have added former San Antonio Spurs centre LaMarcus Aldridge. They snapped up the 7-time NBA All-Star in the buyout market and are looking like the favourites to win the NBA Championship with a very stacked roster.
The 35-year-old recently opened up about his reasons to join the Brooklyn Nets. Aldridge said, “Brooklyn made it known right away they were, you know, very interested.”
While the Nets kept no stone unturned to sign the veteran centre, it was a message from Kevin Durant that convinced Aldridge that this was the right move for all the parties.
“KD hit me quick you know and said, ‘definitely come here’ and so just you know just waiting it out you know kind of you know weighing my options and then I just end up coming here you know it’s a pretty good team and uh you know I think I can definitely help,” Aldridge further added.
The Nets are now a very balanced unit with star players present in every department. They are also a great mix of experience and youth and therefore they are considered as the favourites to win the Championship.
Aldridge might not be at his best at the moment as his numbers have taken a major hit in comparison to last season and it maybe due to his persistent injury concerns. This season the 35-year old has averaged 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Whereas last season he had superior numbers with 18.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. So that will be a huge concern for the Nets and also for the player. But he will hope to add more to the table in terms of his offensive play which is his area of strength.
It is given that at 35, Aldridge may not be the best option on the court defensively but his position in this team will be very role-specific and depend on matchups. His scoring ability is something that will give the Nets and Steve Nash the upper hands especially his mid-range shooting and with the playoffs coming soon, Aldridge’s points will be crucial for the Nets in tight matches. There is no doubt that the 7-time All-Star adds versatility to the already powerful front court.
