Draft On! Celtics vs. The World - June 22, 2017

We can use this thread before, during and after the Draft to share our thoughts about who we pick and who we may trade tomorrow night.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/when-does-the-2017-nba-draft-start-time-draft-order-how-to-watch-stream-tv-channel-online/







Here's another link to the NBA's draft page:

http://www.nba.com/draft/

Draft On!

Go Celtics!!!

gyso

Here's the link to CBS Sports Draft Tracker:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/drafttracker

Here's another link from CBS Sports:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/

Let's put everything here including, and maybe especially, trades since trades change teams' assets and depth and needs and those affect drafting.

I have a feeling Danny is NOT done.  He's an adrenaline and action junkie.  It's hard for him to stand pat, it's contrary to his personality.  He stood by and did nothing at the trade deadline and didn't have any big fireworks last summer besides Al.  Same the year before.  He's getting the shakes like an old drunk.  He couldn't wait until draft day to trade down.  He will not be happy just having a sip when an entire bottle is in front of him.

I've been waiting a few weeks to be able to start this thread.  WOOHOO!!  Go Celtics!!


bob


.

BOB,

AS FLOUNDER SAID IN ANIMAL HOUSE ..................BOY IS THIS GREAT!

112288

112288 wrote:BOB,

AS FLOUNDER SAID IN ANIMAL HOUSE ..................BOY IS THIS GREAT!

112288

 Animal house...   the reason  why  I never went to college

I think Ainge will trade the pick.

Something bigger is in play.

http://www.nbadraft.net/top-5-overrated-prospects-1

Top 5 Overrated Prospects
By William P. Desa...
Wed, 06/21/2017 - 8:31pm
The 2017 NBA is less than 24 hours away, and this class has the potential to be a strong one. With a number of talented players who will have the opportunity to make immediate impacts in the NBA and develop into major contributors in the future. That being said, every draft has a few land mines who are probably valued a bit higher than they really should be. Last year's overrated list featured: Henry Ellenson and Wade Baldwin. Let’s take a look at a few players who for various reasons are a bit overrated:

OG Anunoby, PF, Indiana

OG Anunoby
OG Anunoby
Anunoby received a green room invite, and was the last of 20 players selected to be a part of Thursday's NBA draft presentation at the Barclay's Center in NYC. He's generated a lot of hype due his length, athleticism and potential as a defender. After a disappointing start to his sophomore year, in which he struggled to answer the criticisms about his game, he tore his ACL and then mysteriously opted to enter the draft. There has been a lot made of his potential on the defensive end with his 7'2.25" wingspan, strength, and lateral foot speed. However, analytics experts have graded his sophomore season out as just average defensively. He had a very impressive performance as freshman in the tournament when he effectively defended Jamal Murray out on the perimeter in the round of 32, creating a great deal of internet buzz and anticipation for his sophomore season (after a 4.9 ppg. FR year). A report surfaced a year ago that he had a 7'6 wingspan, but that turned out erroneous. His 44% 3 point shooting as a freshman (13-29 on the year) also created a lot of anticipation of what he could become. In what was supposed to be a breakout season, Anunoby failed to deliver on those expectations and did little to ease concerns about his limitations and feel for the game. He's young, turning just 20 in July, and he possesses a very solid 7'2.25 wingspan, a muscular frame and some impressive ally oop dunk highlights. So there is obviously room for optimism.

But after two years in college, his ability to create shots, basic spacing on both ends and ability to play within the flow of the offense has drawn a lot of criticism among scouts. His jumpshot actually has excellent mechanics, the problem is that he struggles to get quality looks. He connects at a high rate in shooting drills, but was very inconsistent this season for Indiana. If his 56 % FT shooting and 31% 3PT shooting aren't cause for concern, his per 40 minute averages of just 17.6 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game are underwhelming for a sophomore that was supposed to have a breakout season. Apologists love his versatility to play either forward position, but is he really skilled enough to play on the perimeter? He is very limited as a ball handler and shot creator, so he will need his jumper to come around if he wants to be an offensive threat outside of finishing at the rim. After having surgery for the ACL injury, there are teams that have medically red flagged him as concerns still exist with the knee following the procedure. Similar to a player like Kevon Looney (hip), who ended up going late in the first round of the 2015 draft, Anunoby has great length and medical concerns along with an unproven skill set.

Ike Anigbogu, C, UCLA

Anigbogu’s NBA role will be pretty clear. He has been mentioned as a guy that could be selected as high as mid-first round, exclusively for his athleticism and rim protection. He is an athletic 252 pounds with a mammoth 7-6 wingspan, which allows him to dominate the paint defensively and be an effective finisher around the basket. However, he could have definitely used another year to develop after playing just 13 minutes per game as a freshman at UCLA. He does not have any projectable skills offensively at this stage, in fact he has below average hands and fumbles passes away far too often. In today’s NBA game, it will be really hard for him to earn consistent playing time solely as a defensive presence. Anigbogu figures to find himself spending most of his rookie season, and beyond, playing in the D-League before he is ready to step on an NBA court. Concerns with his knees after the release of medical reports to teams, similar to Anunoby, have been mentioned by scouts.

Justin Patton, C, Creighton

Every NBA team knows that Patton is a project that will take time to develop. The upside with him is apparent due to his developing skill set. He has a great set of physical tools at 6-11, 229 pounds, and a 7-3 wingspan. He also has solid mobility for his size and has shown flashes of great offensive versatility from post moves, ball handling, passing, and shooting. However, Patton’s lack of great speed and athleticism plus toughness make him a high-risk player. He does not rebound at a high rate, and he is still incredibly raw without any specific skill. He is projected to be selected anywhere from the late lottery to mid first round, but this may be a bit too high, considering he may not possess the upside to truly blossom into a highly productive NBA player.

Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona

Markkanen drew inevitable comparisons to Kristaps Porzingis with his dominant shooting early in the college basketball season. He is quite possibly the top shooter in the entire draft at 7-feet. He even showed some ability to take opponents off the dribble and get to the rim, and has good body balance for a 7-footer. But the big question marks surround his lack of foot speed, defensive ability and a frame that appears to have maxed out its ability to carry weight. He does not have an advanced post game, even for a seven-footer, and goes out of his way to avoid contact. He also plays smaller than his size, and does not rebound the ball at a high rate, offering virtually no rim protection. It is fair to ask what else he can provide to an NBA team other than shooting? If nothing else, he could still be an effective stretch-four man off the bench, but this definitely does not warrant top 7-10 pick, as many have him graded out.

The 2017 Draft Class (After Pick 10)

This year's draft has been billed up as one of the deepest and best in recent memory, but in reality it's only strong between picks 4-10 in relation to most drafts. The typical draft has a clear cut #1 or top two picks and then a few upside guys but generally a major drop off after the top 3-4, but this year that is not the case as the parity in the top 6 or so picks is apparent and then after the next 4-5 there is a significant drop off and the late first is actually rather weak. The #1 pick also is not as can't miss as in a lot of years as Fultz as intriguing of an offensive prospect as he is, has some real concerns related to his lack of winning in both college and high school.

http://www.nbadraft.net/top-5-underrated-prospects-1


Top 5 Underrated Prospects
By William P. Desa...
Wed, 06/21/2017 - 3:01pm
With less than 24 hours until the 2017 NBA Draft, NBA front offices will spend one last night pondering which prospects to add to their roster tomorrow night. With that being said, players are very difficult to project down the road. Like any other draft, this one will likely feature some surprise breakout players and several prospects that never quite live up to their hype/potential. Here is a look at this year’s potentially most underrated prospects:

Cam Oliver, PF, Nevada

Cam Oliver
Cam Oliver
Oliver most likely will be a second round selection on Thursday night, with many projecting him in the late 30s to 40s, but the more you watch him, the more he appears to warrant first round consideration. At 6-8, he does not have ideal height for a power forward, but he has an excellent 7-1 wingspan and a 8-10.5 standing reach which is and inch and a half bigger than 6'10 Blake Griffin's. His 39.5” max-vertical leap, gives him some intriguing potential as a rim protector and as a pick and roll switch man. He not only shows off that incredible leaping ability in combine athleticism testing, he's proven to be one of the most aggressive and explosive dunkers on the college level over the past two seasons. He is also a versatile offensive player, showing the ability to knock down 3 point shots (38.4% and 4.9 attempts per game), put the ball on the floor, and operate out of the mid-post area. If he can demonstrate that his motor is not a legitimate concern and be placed in a good situation, he could be one of the biggest steals in an otherwise loaded draft class. While OG Anunoby has received considerably more hype for his length, athleticism and potential, even drawing an invite to the green room, Oliver possesses similar if not better potential. Oliver is a year older and has a one inch disadvantage in standing reach to Anunoby (6'10.5 to 6'11.5), but his two years in college were decidedly more productive. According to current projections online, Oliver may end up being taken 15-20 spots lower, but he could easily end up the better pro.

Cam Oliver: 20.9 years old, 31 mpg, 16 ppg, 9 rpg, 2.6 blk, 46 fg% (lowered by 3 pt attempts), 38% 3p-66made,70% ft, 7' 1.25" wingspan
OG Anunoby: 19.9 years old, 25 mpg, 11 ppg, 5 rpg, 1.3 blk, 56 fg% , 31% 3p-14made, 56% ft, 7' 2.25" wingspan

Wesley Iwundu, SG, Kansas State

Iwundu is a guard with excellent physical tools at 6-7 with a long 7-1 wingspan, and he is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential offensively. He is a very good rebounder for a wing player and is comfortable operating out of the pick and roll. Iwundu is also an improved shooter, having made 37.6% of his three-point attempts last season and 76.6% of his free throws. He has the tools to match up against either guard position as well in the NBA. Iwundu could provide an NBA a valuable secondary ball handler with his playmaking ability and potential as a defender. He could end up in a similar role as Oklahoma City's defensive wing Andre Roberson for a team over the next few years (perhaps even replacing Roberson).

Alec Peters, PF, Valparaiso

Injuries have caused NBA teams to be somewhat apprehensive of possibly selecting Peters in the second round. Even though this is unlikely to change before tomorrow night, Peters is talent that could be a steal role player for years to come. Despite struggling as a senior, possibly playing for a future contract, he is an elite shooter (41.2% in career) and has great potential as a pick and pop threat, along the lines of a Ryan Anderson. He also excels at shooting off of screens and off the dribble, and he has the ability to play the three in short spurts. While he is a below average run/jump athlete, he is a pretty skilled post player as well and rebounds the ball at a high rate. As one of the draft's top shooters, he should be a very good fit in the modern NBA with his feel for the game.

Josh Hart, SG, Villanova

Hart can be looked at as this year’s Malcolm Brogdon, as he will likely hear his name called in the second round but figures to make an immediate NBA impact. In his senior season, he averaged 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 steals and shot better than 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3. He's a proven winner, having helped Villanova win a title. Hart’s lack of elite physical tools limit his upside, but outside of that he can do a little bit of everything. He gets after it defensively, rebounds well for a guard and is a high-IQ player. If his improved shooting stroke can translate to the NBA level, he has a chance to carve out a solid, long NBA career.

Dennis Smith, PG, NC State

This one is a bit of a stretch, as Smith is already projected to be a top-ten pick at worst, but his talent level and upside screams top-five selection. Smith might just be the most explosive point guard to come out of college basketball since Derrick Rose. He is also an electric scorer, who can get hot in a hurry. Playing at NC State didn't do him any favors in terms of perception. He can fill it up from all three levels and can operate at a high level out of isolation situations and in the pick and roll. The biggest questions with him are if he can improve as a leader and develop into a complete NBA-level floor general. However, once he learns how to properly blend his explosive combination of scoring and playmaking, Smith could emerge as one of the best players in the draft. There are concerns about his laid back attitude and whether he will show the desire to maximize his ability. In the 7-10 range of the lottery, he's a pretty strong gamble.

fierce wrote:I think Ainge will trade the pick.

Something bigger is in play.

I think he will trade the pick as well.  He may trade down to get Tatum later or maybe Isaak a little later in the draft.  The other possibility is that he trades the pick in a package that nets us a player, like Butler or Porzingus.

9+ hours to go.  I cannot wait.  I definitely will be distracted from my work todat!

gyso

Danny said his goal was to keep the core in tact.  To get Porzingus you need to give  the Knicks players and multiple draft picks which is against what Ainge has stated publicly.

As far as Butler goes, any trade does not work at this point with him. To get Griffin and Hayward would be difficult if you had Butlers contract on the books now. Besides within 2 years he could get a $40 million dollar contract which prohibits the Celtics from making additional moves because of cap space is concerned.

Banner #18 is 2-3 years out....not this coming year.  Ya need a proven rim protecting center, a power forward and a scorer which has yet to materialize because FA starts July 1.  Who knows if players will come.  

The pick will be Tatum as he is a proven scorer and can create his own shot and comes at a rookie friendly contract.

112288

Butler has two full years under his current deal.
He has a player option the year after that, which he will not pick up.

Crowder, Bradley & 3 pick works salary wise, IF Danny wants him ( he may not).

112288 wrote:Danny said his goal was to keep the core in tact.  To get Porzingus you need to give  the Knicks players and multiple draft picks which is against what Ainge has stated publicly.

As far as Butler goes, any trade does not work at this point with him within 1 year he could get a $40 million dollar contract which prohibits the Celtics from making additional moves because of cap space is concerned.

Banner #18 is 2-3 years out....not this coming year.  Ya need a proven rim protecting center, a power forward and a scorer which has yet to materialize because FA starts July 1.  Who knows if players will come.  

The pick will be Tatum as he is a proven scorer and can create his own shot and comes at a rookie friendly contract.

112288  

Straight up for Porzingus will not cost much, an end of the rotation player to match salaries (Rozier?) plus the #3 pick. I'd do that trade. If Melo (yuck!) or Noah (double yuck!) are involved, then yeah, we will need to break up some of the band. Maybe we include Ringo!

gyso

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics/2017/06/danny_ainge_keeps_everyone_guessing_on_eve_of_nba_draft



Danny Ainge keeps everyone guessing on eve of NBA draft



Steve Bulpett Thursday, June 22, 2017

Credit: Christopher Evans



Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge




NEW YORK — The Celtics still were in the No. 3 draft position as the NBA wheels continued to turn yesterday, but as we’ve been reminded in these recent trade-filled days, everything can change in a New York minute.

Danny Ainge and company were back in Boston plotting strategy and seeking more of the transactional fun they kick-started by sending the No. 1 overall pick to Philadelphia.

One NBA executive told the Herald that Ainge would love to find a way to get North Carolina State point guard Dennis Smith Jr., who isn’t rated by anyone as the third overall pick. Another said the Celts were looking at perhaps moving down in the draft again and picking up another asset for their trouble.

Meanwhile, to give you an idea of how surreal this all has become, a coach from yet another team said that if you asked 10 different clubs what Ainge wanted, you’d get 10 different answers. “We call him the minister of disinformation,” he said. “He’s putting a lot of stuff out there.”

Most sources believe if the Celtics still are at No. 3 tonight, their choice will come down to either Kansas’ Josh Jackson or Duke’s Jayson Tatum, both 6-foot-8 forwards. Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac also has crept into the speculation.

Smith enjoyed his recent workout for the Celts.

“It went very well,” he said at yesterday’s media session with the top draftees in a Manhattan hotel. “I got to meet Danny Ainge, and that was great. Ironically, the Lakers and Celtics rivalry, (ESPN’s) ‘30 for 30’ had just come out, so I had a little background with Danny Ainge going into the meeting.

“Danny Ainge was crazy back then, so I had some background info on him. In turn, our meeting went well. I knew something about him, he knew something about me.”

Of Brad Stevens, Smith said, “He knows basketball. He’s younger, so he’s easier to relate to. He’s a great guy, and he seems like he cares about his players.”

Talking about the possibility the Celtics and Ainge could maneuver to get him (for example, Sacramento has the fifth and 10th picks), Smith said, “I know he likes me. I’m a big fan of them. They’re fans of me, so we’ll see how that plays out.”

Jackson addressed his initial refusal to work out for the Celtics when they had the top pick and then the failure to set up a session once they had dropped to No. 3.

“OK, so the Celtics originally had the No. 1 pick, and me and my agent, we talked and we just didn’t feel like they had much interest in drafting me at No. 1,” Jackson said. “So we felt like it would be sort of a waste of time for the both of us.

“But after they got the third pick, we tried to schedule something for me to get out there, but it was just scheduling issues and it was just a little too late. . . . I was definitely open to the possibility.”

Jackson said he has spoken with Stevens and some assistant coaches on the phone, but, “Danny Ainge himself, I have not spoken with him.”

Asked if he might get that done before the draft, he said, “Possibly. I’m open to it.”

Jackson described the conversation with Stevens as “just asking what I bring to the team, how would I feel about playing in Boston and how I see myself fitting in. Stuff like that.”

He added, “I think it’d be great to play in Boston. I see a lot of the players on their team that are about the same things that I’m about. Anybody who knows me knows that I love to win, and I see that in a lot of the guys on their team.”

Jackson also spoke about the misdemeanor charge of criminal property damage stemming from a December incident in which he allegedly kicked a car being driven by a Kansas women’s basketball player.

“A lot of the character issues that you guys probably been reading, they’ve really been blown out of proportion,” he said. “Obviously I did a few things wrong that I shouldn’t have done, but you know, it’s been blown up a lot just because I am who I am. And the people close to the situation, the teams that are considering drafting me that I’ve talked to, they know exactly what’s going on. . . . It was just a minor mistake.”

Asked what kind of person he is, Jackson said, “I’m a humble guy. I’m a competitor, really a high-character guy. They know what I bring to a team. They know I’m competitive, and I’m all about winning.”

Tatum had two sessions with the Celtics.

“They went great,” he said. “The first workout, they came and watched me work out. This past Monday, I actually went to Boston, and they put me through a workout, and it was great. I got to spend time with Danny Ainge and coach Stevens and the other staff and hang out.”

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Of the first request to work out, Tatum said, “I was surprised because they had the No. 1 pick, but they know more than I do, so when they called me for a workout, I was, ‘Sure.’ I was excited.”

Things changed by the time Tatum got to town for his latest audition. He was looking to see how he might fit into the Celtics’ plans.

“I talked about that with coach Stevens,” Tatum said. “And he said, you know, guys at my size and my position that are able to hit open shots and defend 1 through 4, it’s hard not to play those guys. So that’s how he looks at me, if they were to draft me.”



bob
MY NOTE:  The "Minister of Disinformation".  LOL!!  Love it!!


.

112288 wrote:Danny said his goal was to keep the core in tact.  To get Porzingus you need to give  the Knicks players and multiple draft picks which is against what Ainge has stated publicly.

As far as Butler goes, any trade does not work at this point with him.  To get Griffin and Hayward would be difficult if you had Butlers contract on the books now.  Besides within 2 years he could get a $40 million dollar contract which prohibits the Celtics from making additional moves because of cap space is concerned.

Banner #18 is 2-3 years out....not this coming year.  Ya need a proven rim protecting center, a power forward and a scorer which has yet to materialize because FA starts July 1.  Who knows if players will come.  

The pick will be Tatum as he is a proven scorer and can create his own shot and comes at a rookie friendly contract.

112288

112288,

Does anybody really believe what Danny says? The Minister of Disinformation?

He wouldn't give up players for Butler? Hell yeah he would. They might want more than he is willing to offer but he'd have to give up players to get him and we sure know he has been trying.



bob


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On Wednesday ESPN’s Brian Windhorst told The Jump that the Los Angeles Clippers have spoken to the Detroit Pistons about trading for Andre Drummond. The Detroit Pistons have been quiet amidst the craziness breaking out around the NBA on the eve of the draft. In fact, the Pistons have been too quiet. Much like before they traded for Reggie Jackson at the 2013-14 trade deadline and Tobias Harris at the 2014-15 deadline, there’s been virtually nothing coming out of Auburn Hills aside from press conferences about draft prep. – via Piston Powered


bob
MY NOTE: Not sure what this would do for either team.


.

Josh Jackson Joins SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt

The San Antonio Spurs, in pursuit of a top-10 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, have spoken to at least three teams about a possible trade involving power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Signed to an $84 million contract in 2015 as the club’s most significant acquisition in free agency, Aldridge received widespread criticism for his play in the 2017 postseason, as he averaged a career-low 16.5 points per game in the playoffs along with career lows in player efficiency rating (15.2) and blocks (1.0). – via ESPN


bob
MY NOTE: This is freaking chaos. The GSW has broken the league and what GMs think they need to compete in this new NBA.

.

Rmbone wrote:Josh Jackson Joins SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt

rambone,

As Jacksons biggest backer on this board, I have to give you credit for your continued promotion of him as the best choice for the Celtics.

as I said in the prediction thread, I agree with you, that he IS Danny's best choice, especially at #3. I also think he may have been Danny's choice at #1 as well.

well done.

Update on Porzingis situation.  Daily News says this is what Phil wants.




bob


.

At this point it looks to me like we keep the pick.  None of the multitude of rumors flying around involving trades with Boston seem to make sense.

I think the only question is Jackson or Tatum.  Although my preference and expectation is Tatum, either one would be a great selection.

If there is any surprise to be had, I think it comes from an unexpected selection rather than a trade.  I make the dark horse candidate Jonathan Isaac if we're not going with the obvious.

Regardless, I expect we're working on the frontcourt tonight.  SF/wings that can shoot, especially at #3, and perhaps a big or two in round 2 look like the recipe IMO.

I am, quite honestly, getting a little concerned about our front court.

Even if we re-sign Kelly it is almost certain Amir and Jonas are gone.

REPORT: SIXERS LOOKING TO TRADE FOR A 2ND 1ST-ROUND PICK



By CSNPhilly.com Staff


June 22, 2017 11:58 AM


With the Sixers poised to select guard Markelle Fultz first overall in Thursday's NBA draft, here is a look back at the last 25 years of top picks. Some big hits and epic misses.

It appears the Sixers may not be done wheeling and dealing just yet.

The Sixers are dangling two of their second-round picks — Nos. 36 and 39 — to trade for a second first-round pick, according to TNT's David Aldridge.

Per Aldridge, the Sixers are looking to move into the 20s.

After officially acquiring the No. 1 overall pick in tonight's NBA draft on Monday, president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo hinted the Sixers were interested in obtaining another first-round pick.

"I think whether we are selecting No. 1 or just staying at three, there's been some talk about our interest in acquiring yet another pick," Colangelo said, "and I'm not going to give up those efforts because we have moved up to No. 1."

The Sixers have four second-rounders in tonight's draft and at least a second first-round pick in 2018 (Lakers) or 2019 (Kings) depending on which pick conveys to Boston.

On Wednesday, CSNPhilly.com's Paul Hudrick broke down five potential prospects the Sixers could target late in the first round if they were to trade for a second pick (see story).

With Aldridge's report, there's a real possibility they could get another first-rounder.


bob


.

bobheckler wrote:I am, quite honestly, getting a little concerned about our front court.

Even if we re-sign Kelly it is almost certain Amir and Jonas are gone.  

Bob that will all get fixed when Danny is standing next the Blake in a couple weeks......

or

Danny goes with small ball big time with the rest of band returning...even Ringo Amir

Jody Genessy: The Jazz are receiving “a lot of interest” in Derrick Favors, according to sources. – via Twitter DJJazzyJody


Just another big man who may be on the trade market.

bobheckler wrote:The San Antonio Spurs, in pursuit of a top-10 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, have spoken to at least three teams about a possible trade involving power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Signed to an $84 million contract in 2015 as the club’s most significant acquisition in free agency, Aldridge received widespread criticism for his play in the 2017 postseason, as he averaged a career-low 16.5 points per game in the playoffs along with career lows in player efficiency rating (15.2) and blocks (1.0). – via ESPN


bob
MY NOTE:  This is freaking chaos.  The GSW has broken the league and what GMs think they need to compete in this new NBA.

.

A league source told the Express-News that Portland Trail Blazers would execute a trade for Aldridge to reunite him with star Damian Lillard. Aldridge, who played nine seasons in Portland, but left the Blazers in 2015 to sign with the Spurs. The Blazers haven’t closed the door completely on a possible return. The team would be willing to complete a trade for Aldridge for matching salary only, according to a league source. – via San Antonio Express-News

Looks like our old friend Evan Turner and Festus "they never missed us" Ezeli would work to get Aldrdidge back home