LaMarcus Aldridge Makes The Spurs A Favorite To Win It All

It’s not like the San Antonio Spurs needed any help. The Spurs had just finished agreeing to terms on resigning Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, and Danny Green. LaMarcus Aldridge had a few teams in his final wish list (San Antonio, Phoenix, and Portland).

On Saturday, the big news came in, LaMarcus Aldridge agreed to a four-year $80 million deal with the Spurs. The three-time all-star, averaged 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds last season. Aldridge is the only player in the league to average at least 23 and 10 in the past two seasons.

Aldridge is a borderline superstar and without question one of the most dominant offensive players. The 29-year old should become the Spurs go-to-guy right away with Tony Parker and Tim Duncan aging, and Kawhi Leonard better being suited as a secondary or tertiary option.

Aldridge performs at a high level in the postseason as well. In 34 career playoff games, he has averages of 22.1 points and 8.8 rebounds.

One may ask why will Aldridge make the Spurs a top team in the league?

The Spurs went 55-27 last season. They lost Tiago Splitter, Marco Belinelli, Aron Baynes, and Cory Joseph. They have now added an elite player that can dominate on a consistent basis. He is arguably the mid-range shooter at his position and is a terrific rebounder. What makes Aldridge an intriguing player for the Spurs, is that they can now afford to play Tim Duncan below 25 minutes a game, so he will be fresh come postseason time.

Despite having nine seasons under his belt, Aldridge will likely play at an all-star level for at least 3-4 more years, because of his skill set. He doesn’t really on athleticism and is as skilled as they come at 6″11.

The Spurs will be in the mix to win the championship with teams like Oklahoma City, Cleveland, and Golden State. Now all Spurs fans are waiting for, is whether Manu Ginobili will return.

Next: What Will Manu Ginobili's Decision Be?