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A pair of Portland Trail Blazers could be on the Boston Celtics radar once free agency begins. The Celtics will try make a run at both LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews this offseason, which is a good idea. Given his recent achilles injury, there may be some question as to how effective Matthews will be when he returns to action, but Aldridge is a top-5 player at his position and the type of superstar the Celtics are in desperate need of. If the addition of Matthews significantly improves the Celtics’ chances of signing Aldridge, it’s worth the risk.
A four-time All-Star, Aldridge is coming off of a season in which he posted a career high 23.4 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game, the second highest mark of his career. Aldridge has a reliable jump shot which allows him to stretch the floor, but he can score with his back to the basket as well. He commands the ball and is extremely aggressive, ranking consistently towards the top of the league in field goal attempts. While he may not be a great offensive rebounder, Aldridge is a major reason that the Trail Blazers were the best defensive rebounding team in the league this year.
Matthews is an intriguing option for sure. If he weren’t coming off of a torn Achilles, I’d want the Celtics to pursue him. He is a great shooter, one the Celtics lack, and would be a very reliable third option. There’s just no telling if he will be the same player once he returns.
The Trail Blazers’ offseason is one big question mark. They have only four players with guaranteed contracts. The fate of guys like Matthews, Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo and others could dictate how willing Aldridge is to return to Portland. In his nine years with the team, they have made five playoff appearances but have failed to make it past the first round in all but one of them. Aldridge no doubt will look to go to a team that he feels gives him the best opportunity to make a deep run in the playoffs. Sound familiar, Celtics fans?
Kevin Garnett made the playoffs in each of his first eight seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he advanced past the first round just once. Despite the love for his team and its fans, he recognized that he wasn’t going to win a championship in Minnesota. The idea of Garnett coming to Boston seemed far-fetched at the time, especially since he was unwilling to waive his no-trade clause originally. However, the acquisition of Ray Allen caused a change of heart, and Garnett knew that the trio of Allen, Paul Pierce and himself would instantly become title contenders.
The same could be said for Aldridge. As it currently stands, the Celtics aren’t even close to the most attractive option for him. However, if the Celtics can acquire more talent via a trade, a run at Aldridge would be more realistic. Based on current cap projections, the Celtics will have enough cap space to do so.
