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Summary
Aldridge will be 36 this summer, and coming off his 15th season in the NBA. The former All-Star has looked like a shell of himself this season. He looks very slow-footed on defense, so it’s unclear if he could even stay on the floor if he were put in a high-stakes playoff game. He also doesn't seem to have the mid-post ability that he used to, as he mostly lives off of pick-and-pop jumpers.
 
Aldridge has developed his game to shoot some 3s, but he's not someone that defenses fear from that range. Aldridge is only shooting 30% from three this season on low volume. Aldridge is still a lethal midrange shooter, which may cause teams to have some interest in him as a big that can hit shots, but he's unlikely to get a big contract this summer.
 
Cap Considerations
Aldridge will be an unrestricted free agent with full Bird rights. As his cap hold ($36 million) exceeds the salary he will get in free agency, his cap hold is not really relevant. If the Spurs re-sign Aldridge, his cap hold will be replaced by his starting salary, and the Spurs may still have some cap space available depending on his salary and what happens with their other free agents.
 
If Aldridge is brought back by the Spurs on a multi-year contract, they could benefit from frontloading his contract, as it could give them additional flexibility in the future.
 
If Aldridge demands a starting salary of more than the full $9.5 million Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, only teams with cap space will be able to sign him, unless a sign-and-trade is worked out. It is possible that Aldridge could be had for the full MLE.

Potential Teams: Hornets, Knicks, Spurs, Clippers, Mavericks

Predicted Contract: 2-year, $19.5 million with the Hornets

Last updated: 3/31/2021

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