Just talked to someone that tends to know more than most in terms of the organization behind the scenes. Nothing should be a shocker to us.
What LMA wants is a 1+1 with a promise to be resigned at the max after one year. He wants to play for the Spurs (total of $148 mil over 5 years)
Portland has offered the 5 year max (110 mil). Aldridge's camp asked for 1+1 with a resign to a max 5 year deal. Portland won't promise that. Over the next six years that's around $193,000,000. They will not offer Aldridge a 1+1 because they are afraid of him bolting anyway and they don't want to build around him to see him leave, then be stuck in a really bad rebuild situation.
They have been drumming up the Lakere interest because that's the franchise most likely to give him a 1+1 with max resign. He'll try to use that as leverage to get the same offer from Houston. Then he'll leverage that against SA in case they don't want to agree to it (And feeling is they absolutely won't). The other teams on the list are simply to put as much pressure on the Spurs as possible.
The problem is SA might give him the 1+1 but will likely promise to resign him for a minimum of $91 over the next 4 so it equals the same contract amount that Portland is offering at the 5 year max right now. He makes the money, pays less taxes, becomes a Spur, and gets to live in Texas. Everyone wins... except Portland.
The obvious problem with the 1+1 route is if he has a career derailing injury this year. Its a big gamble that he's struggling with internally.
His feeling is the Blazers are expecting him to sign with the Spurs on a 1+1 and then get that 90+ mil the next four years.
Take it for what it's worth, with a grain of salt, or whatever you want.
Passes the logic test to me though all the way through.
