Raptors: 2 pros and cons of trading for LaMarcus Aldridge
By Mike Luciano
Anti-Aldridge point No. 1: The Spurs have played better when he sits
Aldridge was never a fantastic defender, but he could contest the rim at an average to above-average level in Portland. Age has started to erode his skills in San Antonio, as the advanced stats show that the Spurs are a much better team when he sits down on the bench, even if the likes of Jakob Poeltl and Trey Lyles aren’t dominant defenders.
The Spurs give up 9.3 more points when Aldridge is on the floor as compared to when he’s off, per Cleaning the Glass (subscription required). While their scoring on offense is no different with or without him, Aldridge’s lead feet in the paint might be too tough for Toronto to overcome if they trade for him.
Aldridge would hurt the Raptors on defense
The Raptors are in the middle of the pack in most defensive categories, and trading away several players for someone that is one of the worst defensive big men in the game right now might actually be more of a hinderance. Would you trust Aldridge to defend Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid?
Unless the Raptors want to play basketball like the Brooklyn Nets, which involves Toronto banking on their ability to outshoot whomever they line up against, trading for Aldridge could end up being a huge net negative for their defense unless Nurse makes some major adjustments to overcompensate for it.