The Portland Trail Blazers have had some bad luck in previous NBA drafts, but they have had success with draft day trades. One such trade brought them LaMarcus Aldridge, the second overall pick from the Bulls, and it turned out to be a great move for them.
Aldridge quickly established himself as a star player in Portland, earning All-Rookie honors and becoming a starter in his second year. He was also a top contender for the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Aldridge's numbers continued to improve as he dominated in the paint, and by the 2010-11 season, he was one of the most well-rounded players in the league. He excelled at rebounding on both ends of the court, and his fadeaway jumper was a thing of beauty.
Although Aldridge did not make the All-Star Team in 2011, he did earn a spot on the All-NBA Third Team. He continued to put up similar numbers over the next few years and earned All-Star honors in each of those seasons. He was also named to the Third Team All-NBA in 2014 and the Second Team All-NBA in 2015, with MVP finishes of tenth and seventh, respectively. Despite his impressive achievements, Portland was not a championship contender, and Aldridge wanted more national recognition.
Aldridge eventually signed with the San Antonio Spurs and continued to be a top player. He earned All-Star honors three times and added more All-NBA accolades to his collection. He also finished in the top ten for MVP voting in 2017-18. However, Aldridge still wanted a title.
In the 2020-21 season, Aldridge was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, but his time with the team was short-lived due to an irregular heartbeat. Although he was eventually medically cleared to return, he played in only 21 more games before announcing his retirement. He was not the same player he had once been, and the Nets did not live up to the hype that came with their star-studded lineup of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.
Despite having Hall of Fame-worthy stats, Aldridge's name recognition never quite matched his talent.
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