KD THE RECRUITER
Aldridge credits Durant with assist in helping bring him to title-contending Nets
Guess who recruited LaMarcus Aldridge to Brooklyn?
If you thought it was the general manager, you were half right.
It wasn’t Sean Marks who made the first move, but it was Nets star Kevin Durant, the shadow GM who’s built a super team on the other side of the Manhattan Bridge.
Aldridge, a six-time All-Star, officially agreed to a contract buyout with the Spurs and became a free agent on March 26. He lasted all of one day on the open market before signing a contract with the Nets.
“You’re listening to teams and listen to players telling you what they want or whatever, and Brooklyn made it known right away that they were very interested,” Aldridge said. “KD hit me quick and said definitely come here. It was just waiting it out, weighing my options, and then I just ended up coming here. It’s a pretty good team and I definitely think I can help.
“I heard from other guys, too, but the main one first was KD and then I talked to James or whatever. So I heard from everyone but it wasn’t just one person. I know him well so it was him first.”
Durant has worked behind the scenes to bring his championship vision to fruition.
He came to Brooklyn with Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan two summers ago, helped pry James Harden from the Rockets even though he said he had no hand in the matter, recruited Landry Shamet, Bruce Brown and Blake Griffin, whom he worked out with on West Coast over the off season, and now he’s recruited Aldridge, who went to the same college (Texas) as Durant.
Aldridge brings the Nets’ grand total of All-Star appearances on the roster to 41, and that’s only if you don’t include the star-studded coaching staff headlined by Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire, Mike D’Antoni and Jacque Vaughn.
“I don’t think it’s really hit me yet. I haven’t played, so I’ve been around the guys. I am still trying to get settled and things,” Aldridge said of the team’s star power. “So, I think my first game when I’m out there and going to set a ball screen for James or KD or Kyrie or Blake out there — that’s when it’s going to really hit me. But I think since I haven’t played, I don’t think I really understand what’s going on here.”
The All-Star forward also says he brings something the Nets don’t have: two-way versatility at the center position. Aldridge suggested he did not join the Nets solely because they are heavily favored to win this year’s title.
“It was about a role, and I feel like I help fill a void of having a bigger five man that can score and play defense,” he said. “DJ’s great, and he brings great value to the team, but it was more about I think I fill a void of being able to have more offense in the game, being able to take the three, and help out. So I think that was a bigger factor.”
Nash said there is no clearcut plan to implement Aldridge, who has not played a game since March 1, after which he and the Spurs decided it best to sit him while they sorted his way out of town. Aldridge said he’s done everything he can to stay in game shape, but also noted there’s no way to recreate in-game conditioning at home.
“I think we’re going to monitor it day-to-day,” Nash said. “There’s a chance we could see him later this week, but I think that depends on how this goes, how his conditioning goes, how his body feels and try to choose the right day for him to play his first game.”
Nash also said the starting center job is up for grabs for whomever best helps this team win games.
“If you could start, you’re always gonna start,” Aldridge said. “I think anyone that’s competitive will say, yeah, they want that and you’re gonna fight for that so I’m definitely trying to do my job and hopefully I get it.”