Former Longhorn LaMarcus Aldridge Un-Retires, Will Return to Nets on One-Year Deal

Following an unexpected diagnosis of an irregular heartbeat back in April, former Longhorn LaMarcus Aldridge has been medically cleared to play and will come out of retirement to sign a one-year, $2.6 million contract to return to the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski announced on Friday.

He’s back.

The Nets have re-signed LaMarcus Aldridge! pic.twitter.com/trsyksYnvw
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) September 3, 2021

It seemed as if Aldridge's time in the NBA had come to a close in April. When the medical diagnosis became official, the seven-time All-Star quickly announced his retirement after playing only five games for the Nets following a buyout from the San Antonio Spurs.

A 15-year NBA veteran, Aldridge cited the importance of his family as a main reason for the decision. Fortunately for all parties involved, the former Texas forward will now get to continue on the track towards his first career NBA title.

Brooklyn will be a contending team in 2022, giving Aldridge a perfect shot at capturing a ring. He'll be playing alongside superstar teammates in James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and former Longhorn's star Kevin Durant.

During this past postseason, the Nets were a win away in game seven against the eventual champion Bucks from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. Injuries seemed to be the major storyline going forward, with many speculating how Aldridge's presence on the team during the playoffs might have vaulted Brooklyn towards a title.

Though his playing time was scarce for the Nets in 2021, Aldridge made sure to show the rest of the NBA that he could still provide key contributions as a supporting player.

During his five games with the Nets, Aldridge averaged 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2,2 blocks while shooting 52 percent from the field. He logged no less than 20 minutes played in each game.

Nets head coach Steve Nash and the rest of the front office were no doubt pleased with Aldridge's performance in such a small sample size. His brief five-game stretch could have been the reason the team elected to resign him so quickly.

For his career, the 6-foot-11 stretch-big averages 19.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks. He might be far removed from the days of his all-star caliber prime, but Aldridge's unique skill-set on offense could provide a major spark for Brooklyn.

The NBA world is a better place now that a respected veteran like Aldridge has returned. He and the Nets will tip-off the 2021-2022 season against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks at the Fiserv Forum on Oct. 19.

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Longhorns? Click Here

Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Longhorns Country message board community today!

Follow Longhorns Country on Twitter and Facebook.