Report: Trail Blazers afraid of losing LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency
Some members of the Portland Trail Blazers are worried that All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge will leave the team this summer via free agency, reports the Oregonian’s Jason Quick.
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An anonymous Trail Blazers player told the paper earlier this season that he estimated the chances of Aldridge returning to the team next season at 50-50.
Aldridge, 29, has spent each of his nine NBA seasons in Portland.
The four-time All-Star is in the final season of five-year, $67.5 million contract extension he signed before the 2009 season.
Portland can offer Aldridge more money in free agency than any other team.
"I don't want it to be perceived that I'm not happy, or I'm not staying on because I'm not signing a three-year deal," Aldridge told The Oregonian last summer. "It's just financially smarter to wait ... and I'm looking forward to signing the five-year deal when the chance comes."
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Aldridge averaged a career-high 23.4 points in 71 games this season. He also set career marks in free-throw and three-point field goal percentage.
He scored 32 points (13-34 FG), with 14 rebounds and four blocks in a 100-86 loss to the Memphis Grizzles in Game One of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
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