In Miami, Florida, Heat President Pat Riley is pulling all the stops to steal Kevin Durant from Brooklyn. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much traction on that pursuit — but it doesn’t mean they don’t have other options.
According to the words of one NBA executive, Miami could also be a potential landing spot for NBA veteran LaMarcus Aldridge, who previously played for the Blazers, Spurs, and Nets.
“Aldridge is 37 now, it would not be a surprise if he decided on retiring,” the executive told Heavy’s Sean Deveney. “But he still can score. He still has some value out there. He would be a nice fit in Boston, just as a guy who can knock down some shots and step in when Rob Williams or [Al] Horford needs a break. [Milwaukee] Bucks and Heat, too. Every team in the East, at the top of the East. Miami needs that one piece, that one big guy to push them over the top. Aldridge could take some of P.J. Tucker’s minutes, though he is obviously not on the same level as a defender. But he can shoot it. Miami needs depth there. He’s not going to be a starter, but he can help.”
Aldridge isn’t the same player as Kevin Durant or Donovan Mitchell and his impact wouldn’t be nearly the same. Still, even at 37, he can provide some kind of spark for the Heat.
As a natural scorer and elite mid-range shooter, he can stretch the floor for his team and create space in the interior for guys like Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to take the ball to the rim.
In the 2021-22 season, he averaged 12.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on 55% shooting for the Nets. It remains to be seen if he’ll sign on for another long NBA season, but he might have a home if he does decide to give it one last run.
